Symptoms and behaviour

What is Apraxia?

Apraxia is the loss of the ability to carry out a learned physical task on request, despite having the strength and understanding to do it.

A person may be unable to work out how to put on a cardigan, use a fork, or brush their teeth, though nothing is wrong with their arms. Demonstrating the action often works better than describing it.

It is a common reason dressing and eating become slow and frustrating in the middle stages.

Why it matters

It explains behaviour that looks like refusal and is not: the person cannot sequence the movement.

Sources

Where to check this, and where to read more. All external and all authoritative.

Apraxia where you live

The local guide on this, for each city we cover.

Related terms

All 92 terms, A to Z