DYSPRAXIA FOUNDATION AWARENESS WEEK 10 – 17 OCTOBER 2010

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Please find press release below for our Awareness Week 10th October – 17th

October 2010.

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Dyspraxia Foundation, Registered Charity No 1058352

Kind regards,

Neale

Local Support Group Co-Ordinator

The Dyspraxia Foundation (Registered Charity No. 1058352)

Tel: 01440 708102

Mobile: 07729 1040054

DYSPRAXIA FOUNDATION AWARENESS WEEK 10 – 17 OCTOBER 2010

New research reveals young people with dyspraxia denied access to sport New

research from the Dyspraxia Foundation reveals that children and young people

with dyspraxia are being denied access to sport and leisure activities because

of poor awareness of the condition.

A recent study from the charity which helps more than 10,000 families a year

supports previous research showing that young people are at risk of experiencing

social and emotional difficulties and rising obesity levels as a result.

Children with developmental coordination disorder (including dyspraxia) are

three times more likely to be overweight than their typically developing peers

(1). They are less likely to participate in physical activities such as cycling,

football and other sports clubs (2) as activity leaders don't provide the

support and understand that they need. Yet participation in team sports and

other leisure activities can help to reduce loneliness and social isolation (3).

This week 10th-17th October is Dyspraxia Awareness week and charity is calling

for greater awareness of the condition to improve the lives of those affected by

the condition.

Chair Sally Payne said " Our recent research has shown that families are facing

many problems accessing sport, leisure and social activities. As a consequence

young people become even more isolated increasing the risk of long-term problems

with physical health and emotional wellbeing. Popular activities such as team

sports like football prove impossible for many people with dyspraxia so the

choice becomes very limited.

" We want to see more recognition of the condition and more sports and leisure

organisations opening their doors to children with disabilities so they can join

in and have the benefits of an active lifestyle with more fun and friends. We

hope to work with major sporting organisations to create more opportunities for

everyone " .

This summer the charity held a conference, supported by the Solihull Partnership

as part of their `Together for Disabled Children' programme looking at leisure

activities and barriers that might prevent teenagers with dyspraxia making the

most of clubs, sport and social groups.

Developmental dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of

movement. It is an immaturity in the way that the brain processes information,

which results in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. Dyspraxia

affects the planning of what to do and how to do it. It is associated with

problems of perception, language and thought.

Dyspraxia is thought to affect up to six per cent of the population and up to

two per cent severely. Males are three times more likely to be affected than

females. Dyspraxia sometimes runs in families and there may be an overlap with

other related conditions.

Other names for dyspraxia include Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD),

Perceptuo-Motor Dysfunction, and Motor Learning Difficulties. It used to be

known as Minimal Brain Damage and Clumsy Child Syndrome.

Statistically, it is likely that there are two children in every class of 30

children with dyspraxia and there are many adults who are unaware that they have

the condition.

A Company limited by guarantee, Registered in England No 3256733 Registered

Office: 8 West Alley, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1EG

Helpline: 01462 454986 Admin: 01462 455016 Fax: 01462 455052 Email:

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See http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/ for a wide range of useful

information, free downloads and online shop for books, goods, donations and

membership subscriptions.

Best wishes,

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