Dyspraxia or developmental co-ordination disorder affects around 5 per cent of the population, and without help it can have long-term effects on children's academic achievement and behaviour.
Previous research has focused on older children. Professor David Sugden, who led the research at the University of Leeds, said, 'We found that children could be labelled as clumsy because they lacked certain basic skills, but it may be simply that they hadn't the opportunity to try out or practise those skills across a range of different activities.'
Thirty-five children from nursery classes and schools in south Wales, aged between three and six years old, were identified as having difficulties with everyday skills, such as getting dressed or using a knife and fork.
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