Dyspraxia is a disorder involving the impairment of fine and large motor skills. The cause of this disorder is unknown, but it is thought to either be genetic or result from improper development of the motor neurons which communicate information from the brain to the muscles. Developmental dyspraxia is present at or discovered soon after birth, and may result from poor health or the use of narcotics during pregnancy, premature birth, or abnormal birth weights. Acquired dyspraxia occurs later in life and is typically the result of a head injury, stroke, or a severe illness with brain swelling. Regardless of the cause, the earlier this problem is identified and treated the better the prognosis.
The exact cause of dyspraxia is not known. Neurologists believe that it may be caused by the underdevelopment of motor neurons, motor neurons forming the wrong connections, or from damage to the motor neurons. As a result, information, such as movement and hand-eye coordination, does not get transferred from the brain to the appropriate muscles. People suffering from this disorder have poor or no muscle control, impacting such areas of function as movement, speech, and perception.
Developmental dyspraxia is present at birth or becomes apparent during early childhood, and several problems are suspected of causing this type of dyspraxia. This disorder may be caused by the mother’s use of alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs during pregnancy. When the mother is severely underweight, suffers a serious, prolonged illness, or has to deal with a restrictive food allergy during pregnancy it may impact the development of the motor neurons and result in this condition. Premature birth, a severely low birth weight, or an extremely high birth weight are also factors associated with this problem. This condition also tends to run in families, suggesting that there may also be a genetic component contributing to the development of this disorder.
Acquired dyspraxia occurs after birth, following a head injury, illness, or stroke. Head injuries which cause this disorder typically involve damage to the brain from swelling or bruising. Illnesses leading to this condition can involve damage from brain swelling or a lack of oxygen, known as hypoxia, to the brain. When stroke causes this motor neuron problem, it is typically the result of hypoxia of the brain. Sometimes, acquired dyspraxia will only be temporary, and will resolve once the head injury heals or the illness passes and the brain stops swelling and returns to normal.
