PRAXIS MAKES PERFECT! By Teri Allen, OTR It is a battle to get Jan dressed every day and she still can't tie her shoes. She seems bright but can't follow directions. Jan's school papers are often messy and she has trouble finishing her work. Compared with her friends she seems a little clumsy. Her Mom says that Jan can do better "when she wants to". Jan has inadequate praxis. Praxis is our ability to think about how we want to move, plan that movement and carry it out. It is commonly called motor planning. We use praxis when we are learning a new motor skill or adjusting our motor responses. If you decide to take tennis lessons, you will need to practice your stroke in order to improve it. Your ability to "see" or think about how you should move, plan your sequence of arm and body movements, and then execute the plan allows you to alter and improve your stroke. Your praxis will make your practice pay off! Children with inadequate praxis can experience problems in many areas of development. Like Jan, their abilities seem conflicting and inconsistent. Jan can dress herself. But, she has to expend a lot of energy thinking about how to get her shirt on, what garment goes on first, how to get the heel of her sock actually on her heel, etc. Most of the time, she finds it easier to be hassled by Mom and finally assisted, than to tackle it herself. When we asked Jan to duplicate simple shapes with a pencil, her drawings were not accurate. Even with repeated attempts, she couldn't figure out how to move her pencil to get the shape right. No wonder she experiences problems with her handwriting! Jan was below average in her ability to imitate movement. When tested in this skill, Jan had to carefully study the examiner's movement and it took her a long time to figure out how to do the movement she was seeing. In gym class or on the soccer field she doesn't have this extra time. The quality of her movement reflects her inadequate praxis and she appears clumsy and slow to respond. Jan also experienced difficulty moving when given a verbal direction. It took her several seconds to figure out how to "put your elbows together" or "put one foot and both hands on the chair".(1) When we teach a child a task or give an assignment, we usually demonstrate and give verbal directions. Jan cannot easily imitate or translate the verbal directions into action. To others, it often appears that she just didn't listen . A child may have problems in one of several specific areas of praxis with varying degrees of severity. When a child is having trouble in any of the following areas, inadequate praxis may be the cause. clumsy accident prone slow or delayed in learning new sports dislikes gym or sports delayed in learning to dress self delayed or poor fine motor skills(writing, coloring, scissors, tying shoes) messy handwriting or eating difficulty following verbal directions delays in speaking or poor articulation poor sequencing skills insistent on doing things "her" own way unorganized doesn't entertain self or play alone well resistant to changes or to trying new activities Practice without praxis cannot make perfect. A child with inadequate praxis may suffer secondary problems with social skills and self esteem. In the last few years, standardized testing has been developed that can accurately identify praxis deficits in children. It is now possible for specially trained Occupational and Physical therapists to evaluate and effectively treat these children. (1) Sensory Integration and Praxis Test, A.Jean Ayres, PhD. Western Psychological Services, 1989. |
helping your child succeed!
| CHILDREN'S THERAPY CENTER of Battle Creek, MI |
| Children's Therapy Center 601 South Shore Dr., Suite #121. Battle Creek, MI 49014 (269) 963-7979 www.helpingyourchild.com copyright 2006 Children's Therapy Center |