Author: Madeleine Portwood
Web URL: Buy this book from Amazon.co.uk
FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:
Madeleine Portwood is a Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist working in County Durham and a leading expert in the identification and management of developmental dyspraxia. With Dr Alex Richardson, she led the groundbreaking studies that have been taking place in Durham to assess the effects of fatty acid supplements on children with dyspraxia.
Book description
This book aims to give parents, teachers and health professionals the confidence and know-how to diagnose and assess dyspraxia. The text includes: background information on the neurological basis of the condition; strategies for identification, diagnosis and assessment; proven programmes of intervention which can be monitored by anyone closely involved with the child; strategies to improve curricular attainments; remediation activities to develop perceptual and motor skills; programmes to develop self-esteem; and information about where to find help.
Amazon readers' reviews
What a wonderful insight into this handicap, I work with young children and found this to be extremely interesting. It helped me to realize how difficult simple tasks must be for these children. It was very useful to help identify children who we thought had a problem, and useful ideas on how to help them. An excellent book for anyone who works with children.
This book does not dwell greatly on ideals or hypotheses, nor on soothing chat. The reader will find practical, well-organized information on a good variety of ways to assess and train a child's abilities without highly specialized equipment. I was impressed by the differences that generalized training in motor skills seemed to make in specific tasks such as handwriting, and also by the reports that "normal" children helping with lunchtime training programs enjoyed the experience, and felt closer to the previously isolated "clumsy" children, with their associated tendency to be irritable and easily distracted (not to mention distracting!). The scope of the book really does cover both parents and schools -- this book is grounded in solid observation and experience.
Ms. Portwood stresses that intervention helps at all ages, often bolstering self-esteem and social skills along with growing achievement in motor skills. I am looking forward to using this book with my son.
I believe that Dyspraxia is also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder in the U.S.