Teach Early Years - Issue 14.2

DIAGNOSTIC DIFFICULTIES DCD may present early. If a child cannot control their head by six months, there may well be a delay in all the motor skills: rolling, crawling, sitting and standing. But it is not clear-cut, as Beth explains: “The problem is, do they lack something in their sensory motor system or is it the lack of opportunity and the lack of engagement? Are parents doing too much for the child, feeding, fetching?” This is one reason why it normally takes at least a whole year of formal education before parents get a diagnosis. The typical signs of DCD may not be obvious in early years. A child with dyspraxia can hit some of the early years milestones because they can learn repetitive motor tasks, such as kicking or catching a ball, running or going to the toilet, but struggle to learn new patterns of motor skills, such as using cutlery, scissors or a paintbrush. There may be other explanations for dyspraxia, such as environmental factors. Fuzz Dix is a Kids Matter Facilitator at St Luke’s in Tower Hamlets, where 57% of children are living in households in poverty. She said: “It’s not uncommon to have maybe seven or nine people living in a one- or two-bedroom flat in our community. And so home is not a place where play can happen easily.” Those with more space may not be able to heat more than one room, so children are not exploring the whole home. Now more families need both parents to work and an increasing number work unsocial hours. Play is not a priority and activities such as ball pits, dancing, or music sessions are a luxury for some families. Covid and its aftermath have affected development. During lockdown periods children were indoors with little access to outside play for months and became more sedentary. Paediatricians now see children whose nervous systems and motor skills are less developed than in previous years. Screen time has impacted them too. Whereas parents would often give a toy to a baby in a pushchair so they had something to play with, these days they are as likely to put a phone in their hands. This is affecting children’s motor skills, as well as their attention and concentration. Beth warns: “When you’ve got a three- or four-year-old with signs of what may be autism or ADHD, motor skills are not the parents’ priority. But we need to be aware of the connection. If we work on their motor skills, their regulation may get better and their behaviour might improve.” Beth’s final advice is this: “I want early years staff to look at barriers to children’s participation and learning engagement through a motor lens. If a child keeps refusing to come and play in the home corner, let’s check that they have the motor skills to engage. Our motor skills are the way that we interact with the world around us. They are the basis for curiosity and our desire to learn.” Find out more at movementmattersuk. org. Manchester Metropolitan University has been researching dyspraxia – read more at tinyurl.com/ TEYmmdys and access videos for teaching skills to older children and adults at watchmedoit.mmu.ac.uk FIVE WAYS TO RESPOND TO SIGNS OF DCD 1 If you spot an issue with motor skills, always mention it to parents. It is unprofessional not to share concerns with them, but always stress that the child may grow out of this phase. 2 Tactile toys and materials can stimulate sensors in the muscles and joints. Get out the putty, sand and playdough and encourage pulling, pushing, pinching, squishing, squeezing and kneading. 3 Make motor tasks achievable. Sit or stand next to the child, not in front of them, so they can copy your actions. Show and explain to them what you are doing so they can plan the task and rehearse the sequence in their head. 4 Scaffold physical tasks. Velcro gives the child a taste of independence, but then move on, step by step, to buttons and zips. 5 “Enjoyable movement” is key. Talk to families about what they could do together. Picnics, treasure hunts and dancing in the kitchen may be more appealing than climbing and swimming. Teachearlyyears.com 25