Paediatric OTs work with children to help overcome certain aspects of learning difficulties. They assess the impact of the lack of basic skills on a child's daily life by observing a child at home and at school (when appropriate) - for example, dressing, writing, sequencing, doing PE etc.
Looking at gross motor skills includes assessing the child's balance and posture, the height of their working table and chair and whether the muscle tone is too tight or too loose. Typical balance/posture problems result in the child sitting with their feet and ankles curled round the chair legs in order to increase their stability.(seeback2 website) Imagine trying to write correctly if you have to concentrate hard and brace yourself at the same time in order to maintain an upright position in your chair - apparenrtly a common problem for dyspraxic children.
Other problems which have serious implications at school are to do with changing for PE (finding your clothes, putting them on the right way out and in the right order tying shoe laces, tying a tie etc.) and lack of organisation and planning skills - being in the right classroom at the right time, with the right equipment. An OT can work on improving these skills and can make the school aware of any problems.