Apraxia, Problems with Coordination

The OTvest™ Sensory Vest, Deep Pressure Weighted Vest

Supporting Body Awareness & Motor Coordination in Apraxia Through Proprioceptive Input

The OTvest™ Sensory Vest can help improve awareness of body position for individuals with apraxia and motor coordination challenges by providing increased proprioceptive input through deep pressure therapy.

Understanding Apraxia & Motor Planning

Praxis is the brain’s ability to conceive, organize, and carry out a sequence of motor movements.
Apraxia is a difficulty with motor planning—or a lack of praxis—which can affect both fine and gross motor skills.

Individuals with apraxia may appear uncoordinated and may:

  • Drop objects frequently

  • Trip, bump into things, or use excessive force

  • Struggle with balance and coordination

In early childhood, developmental milestones such as rolling, crawling, or walking may be delayed or skipped. Later, challenges may include:

  • Dressing and self-care tasks

  • Bilateral coordination (skipping, throwing/catching a ball, riding a bike)

    OTvest-handwriting_difficulties
    The OTvest provides deep pressure that helps improve handwriting and other fine motor activities.

  • Handwriting, cutting, and other fine motor tasks

How the OTvest™ Helps Support Coordination & Body Awareness

The OTvest™ is a deep pressure vest, sensory weighted vest designed to provide additional proprioceptive input—the sensory information that tells the brain where the body is in space.

The OTvest™ uses dense, thin steel weights quilted into a one-piece insert that lies across the upper back and chest. This placement delivers consistent, calming deep pressure directly to muscle receptors.

Proprioceptive input helps the brain understand:

  • Where the body is positioned

  • How much force to use

  • How to coordinate movements smoothly

For individuals with apraxia—who may have difficulty processing this information—additional proprioceptive input can help support balance, coordination, and motor control in a gentle, natural way.

Supporting Gross Motor, Fine Motor & Balance Skills

Because the OTvest™ provides increased proprioceptive feedback:

  • Movements can feel more organized

  • OTvest-father_and_daughter_playing_ball
    The OTvest provides an improved sense of body position.

    The body may feel more “grounded”

  • Balance and coordination can improve

Wearers frequently describe feeling:

“More grounded”
“More stable”
“Like I found my equilibrium”

This added sense of body awareness can positively impact everyday movement and motor planning.

Oral Motor Skills & Trunk Stabilization

Apraxia can also affect oral motor skills, including:

  • Sucking, chewing, and swallowing

  • Speech clarity and coordination (verbal apraxia)

The OTvest™ offers a unique benefit not found in many other weighted vests: trunk stabilization.

By stabilizing the trunk, the OTvest™ also supports:

  • eating problems or dysphasia
    The trunk stability and calming effect provided by the OTvest can help improve oral motor difficulties and dysphagia.

    Head and neck stability

  • Oral motor muscle control

When the trunk is stabilized, individuals may find it easier to:

  • Eat and chew with better control

  • Swallow more effectively

  • Speak with improved clarity and coordination

This makes the OTvest™ a gentle, supportive tool alongside therapeutic interventions.

Apraxia Across the Lifespan

Apraxia is not limited to childhood. Adults may develop apraxia due to:

  • Traumatic brain injury

  • Stroke

  • Neurological conditions such as dementia

The OTvest™ can be worn discreetly in home, community, work, or rehabilitation settings, providing consistent proprioceptive input throughout the day.

Why Individuals With Apraxia Seek Deep Pressure

Many individuals with apraxia naturally seek out deep pressure because their nervous system requires more sensory input to understand body position.

This may look like:

  • Jumping frequently

  • Pushing hard on objects or people

  • Banging into furniture

  • Using excessive force during play

Without adequate proprioceptive feedback, it can be difficult to judge how much force is “too much.” The OTvest™ helps provide that missing information in a safe, consistent, and wearable way.

A Gentle, Holistic Approach

The OTvest™ weighted vest provides:

  • Increased kinesthetic and proprioceptive input

    weighted vest for tremors
    The deep pressure provided by the OTvest can help improve motor control.

  • A sense of grounding and stability

  • Support for motor planning and coordination

It is a non-invasive, holistic intervention designed to help individuals with apraxia feel more connected to their bodies—supporting everyday movement, learning, and participation.

Experience the Difference

If apraxia is affecting daily life, the OTvest™ may help provide the sensory input needed for improved body awareness and coordination.

Click here to order the OTvest™ and experience the increased proprioceptive input and grounding support it provides.