Dyspraxia awareness event helps students learn about teamwork and unique skills
For nine-year-old Megan Van Diemen, living with dyspraxia presents a lot of challenges. But on Friday an awareness event at Our Lady of the Assumption School aimed to show that teamwork and each person’s unique skills can help everyone fit in.
Students had the chance to participate in a variety of fun activities along the theme of team building and superpowers, with many dressing up as their favourite super hero.
Dyspraxia is a disorder that is characterized by a lack of coordination, poor motor skills and developmental delay. It affects two to 10 per cent of the population in varying degrees of severity.
Megan’s mom, José Van Diemen, helped organize the day’s event as a way to teach the children to work together and recognize others’ abilities.
Despite facing many struggles, Van Diemen says her daughter is smart, caring, funny and has a heart of gold.
“We’re just trying to show the kids that everyone, no matter who you are, fits in.”
Van Diemen has launched a Facebook page and website — — after discovering there were not a lot of resources specific to dyspraxia in Canada.
dyspraxiacanada.com
The response has been good, she said, with people across the country contacting her through those avenues.
“I’ve had some adults reach out to me saying ‘This makes perfect sense, this is what I’ve struggled with,’” said Van Diemen.
She also provides information on how people can hold awareness events in their own communities.
While past events she has hosted have taught an appreciation of challenges Megan faces, Van Diemen said Friday’s event focused more on the positives of abilities and working together.
“That everyone has a superpower, that everyone has unique skills and you might not know it yet, but that everybody has special gifts and you’ll figure them out one day,” she said. “We include everybody because they are a piece of our puzzle. We have to include everyone.”
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