Week 5 - Learning Difficulties Flashcards
What is Dyspraxia also known as?
Developmental coordination disorder
How does DCD affect daily living?
- Slow, messy, disorganised handwriting
- Issues with sports
- Issues with dressing
- Socially isolated in the playground
- Finding their way around places
What is the criterion for DCD?
Criterion A: Acquisition & execution of coordinated motor skills is substantially below expectations given their chronological age & opportunity for skill learning and use
- Difficulties are manifested as: clumsiness, slowness and inaccuracy of performance of motor skill (e.g. catching an object)
Criterion B: Motor skill deficit in criterion A significantly and persistently interferes with ADLs appropriate to chronological age
- Impact academic / school productivity, prevocational and vocational activities, leisure and play
Criterion C: onset of symptoms usually in the early developmental period, not typically diagnosed under 5 years
- If a 3-5 year old shows motor impairment despite adequate opportunities -> diagnosis may be based on 2 assessments, at least 3 months apart
Criterion D: motor skills deficits are not better explained by intellectual disability / neurological condition
What are some common difficulties faced by DCD children?
- Having to use their eyes to compensate (i.e. looking at feet while walking down stairs)
- Difficulty orientating themselves (i.e. getting from point A to B)
What is the difference in performance between a child with DCD and a child without?
Typical: able to stabilize trunk and muscles, perform and learn skills with ease
DCD: difficulty stabilising muscle and trunk, does not learn by observing, approach is ransomed and disorganised, extra facial movements
What are the different types of Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)?
- Dyslexia (reading, spelling)
- Dyscalculia (math, counting)
- Dysgraphia (handwriting)
What is the criterion for SLD?
- Must have continued for at least 6 months despite targeted help
- Difficulties must not be due to: ID, external factors (instructions, environment), vision or hearing problem, limited English proficiency
What is the criterion for Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder?
Criterion A: Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal & non-verbal communication as manifested by all of the following
- deficits in using communication for social purposes, such as greeting and sharing information, in a manner that is appropriate for the social context
- impairment of the ability to change communication to match context or the need of the listener, such as speaking differently in a classroom as compared to in the playground
- difficulty following rules for conversation and storytelling , such as taking turns in conversations, rephrasing when misunderstood, and knowing how to use verbal and non-verbal signals to regulate interaction
- difficulty understanding what is not explicitly stated (i.e. inferencing) and non-literal or ambiguous meanings of language (i.e. idioms, metaphors that depends on the context for interpretation)
Criterion B: deficits result in functional limitations in effective communication, social participation, social relationships, academic achievement or occupational performance, individually or in combination
Criterion C: onset of symptoms is in the early developmental period but deficits may not fully manifest until social communication demands exceed capacities
Criterion D: symptoms are not attributed to other medical condition / neurological condition
What are the 3 core symptoms of ADHD?
- Inattention: wanders off task, lack persistence, difficulty sustaining focus, disorganised
- Hyperactivity: moving about constantly even in situations that are not appropriate (tap, talk, fidget), in adults may be extreme restlessness
- Impulsivity: make hasty without thinking about them, desire for immediate rewards, inability to have delayed gratification
What is the criterion for ADHD?
Criterion A: at least 6 of each symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity & impulsivity persist for more than 6 months to a degree that is inconsistent with developmental level, affecting occupational activities
Criterion B: several inattention / hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present prior to the age of 12
Criterion C: several inattention / hyperactive-impulsive symptoms are present in 2 or more settings (i.e. home, school, work; with friends / relatives; in other activities)
Criterion D: clear evidence that symptoms interferes with, or reduce the quality of social, academic or occupational functioning
Criterion E: symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder, and are not better explained by another medical disorder
What can specific learning difficulties include?
- DCD
- Autism
- ADHD
- Specific learning disorder (dyslexia)
- Social (Pragmatic) communication disorder
