Dyspraxia Foundation - FAQs
Category: General
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Q: Can my child have both autism and dyspraxia? The term autism is used to describe individuals who have a marked difficulty with social relationships, social communication/language skills and imagination. These difficulties are often accompanied by repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. Children with Asperger’s syndrome are at the more able end of the autism spectrum and have difficulty with the non-verbal aspects of social communication such as gesture and facial expression. They also have difficulty adjusting their language to and behaviour to different social situations. Motor coordination difficulties are often observed in children with Asperger’s syndrome. In theory a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia should not be made if a child has a “pervasive developmental disorder” (including autism). However in reality children are sometimes given both diagnoses, especially if their motor coordination is significantly affected. Where the autism is severe this should be given as the main diagnosis. |