Product Description

A parents' guide from pre-school to adulthood - Dyspraxia - The hidden handicap by Dr Amanda Kirby. Dyspraxia, a condition which causes coordination difficulties, also known as Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), is truly a hidden handicap and one that can lead to severe educational and social problems for the child. Affecting three times as many boys as girls, it can make the child a social outcast, provoke bullying and seriously damage his self-esteem. Yet outwardly he appears like all other children. Amanda Kirby, a doctor whose second son has dyspraxia, writes from long experience of the questions parents ask and of strategies that help the child to overcome his problems. Mindful that the condition may be diagnosed at any stage, she covers the years from pre-school to adulthood, offering practical improvement techniques for home and school, and discussing the implications of the condition for the child's future. She deals sympathetically with the emotional reactions of parents, siblings and, not least, the child himself, and suggests positive ways of coping with them. What most parents want above all is information - about causes, symptoms, diagnostic procedures and other possible conditions. The book explains all these in simple terms and also includes a glossary of technical words that may be used by professionals. A full list of resources makes the book a valuable source of reference for expert help and support. Illustrated with cheerful drawings by Sian Koppel, this hopeful, practical book can help bring about real improvements in the lives of children who have dyspraxia.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #120513 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

'Daily Telegraph'
"The first wide-ranging and popular guide for parents... It is both
immensely practical and written from the heart."

'Dyslexia Contact'
"Dr Kirby's practical experiences and observations of children and
adults with dyspraxia is highly accessible and readable."

'Irish Independent'
"She writes from considerable experience... offers improvement
techniques for home and school."

Customer Reviews

Interesting read as an introduction to dyspraxia.
We bought this book to find out more about dyspraxia and the effects on those it touches. It is really a genuinely good introduction to this condition but doesn't go into enough depth. It covers alot of ground but fails to explore areas in enough detail. As an general introduction to dyspraxia it is good, but thats as far as it goes.

Wonderful starting point!
This book offers a good basic insight into Dyspraxia and DCD, and offers suggestions for strategies and ways to cope with the condition. Open, honest and easy to dip into; it helps parents and students alike to understand some of the complexities of Dyspraxia, and offers some suggestions for alterntive conditions.
Although there are newer books (this one is a re-print of 1999, and with a slightly different cover to that shown), this book neverthless has some exellent points. As a parent and a teaching student I have found it a great addition to my collection. Others such as Kirby's newer works are more detailed in terms of brain development, but this one offers holistic advice for the whole family without the worry of the associated heavy jargon.
A nice easy read.

A Helping Hand to me and my son.
This book helped so much with my son, it gave guidence and confidence to look into Dyspraxia. My son was diagnosed dypraxic 10 years ago but then no one new much about it. Now (even though he is older) he he has been helped by The Dyscovery Centre of which Dr. Kirby runs. When I first met here she was so helpful and now with help from her and colleagues my son is being helped. I would just like to say that this is an excellent book which helped me so, so much!