Often associated with clumsiness, this neurological problem – which has no known cause or cure – means sufferers can have difficulty performing the most basic tasks like tying shoelaces, writing and using cutlery.
Normally, the brain sends messages to the nerves and muscles to bring about the organisation of movement in the body.
But for those with dyspraxia, some part of that process does not function as it should and even simple motor skills become a problem.
The 19-year-old actor says he was encouraged into acting by his mother because he was struggling at school and needed a confidence boost.
And now, even though he is a film star, Daniel admits he still finds it hard to tie his shoelaces and has bad handwriting.
Dr Amanda Kirby is a spokeswoman for the Dyspraxia Foundation and medical director of a specialist clinic. She has also written a book on how to deal with the disorder. She says Daniel's revelation will give confidence to other sufferers.
Up to 10 per cent of people in Britain show signs of the condition. Of those, about 2 per cent are severely affected and men are more likely to be sufferers than women.
"It can be a real problem for people. If you think about what you do from when you get up in the morning, everything entails co-ordination from getting dressed to eating breakfast and brushing your teeth. And if you have dyspraxia, you can find this much harder. Even into adulthood, dyspraxics find things like handwriting, driving and parking more difficult.
Kirby says both adults and children will be judged as a result of their condition.
"Clumsy children are often labelled stupid or kept out of team games which can lead to bullying and isolation at school. Adults can find themselves discriminated against in the search for employment as bad handwriting to some may indicate a potentially poor employee."
However, dyspraxics can also have problems with time management and planning – as these are part of co-ordination – for example, working out how to do something, how long it takes to do it, before doing it.
It's something most of us do subconsciously every day, but lacking that skill can mean missed deadlines, unfinished exam essays, problems with any team sporting activity and a host of other issues that make day-to-day life difficult.
Dyspraxia is also linked with other problems such as ADHD, dyslexia and autistic spectrum disorders.
However Dr Kirby, who has a 22-year-old dyspraxic son, says it's not all bad news. "It's not that dyspraxics can't do things, it just takes them longer to learn and they have to practise them more," she says.
Dr Kirby, a professor at the University of Wales in Newport, runs the Dyscovery Centre which helps people with living and learning difficulties. This includes development co-ordination disorder, dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Asperger's syndrome.
"The problem is, especially with children, that if they find they are not good at something they will tend to avoid it," she says.
"But the key is practice, practice, practice. You have to put in the work.
"My son – who is now at university – has been working with a personal trainer and because the instructor has put in a lot of time, shown him what to do and given him guidance, he has got on very well.
"Dyspraxics find it hard to copy and have to be shown and taught how to do things in a way that makes it easier for them.
"It is important that they find the skills they are good at. For example, while they may find team sports difficult, they can make advances in things like swimming, martial arts, running, fencing and golf where they do not have to assess other people's actions as well as their own.
"That in turn builds confidence and also can help with socialisation. Exercise is particularly important for dyspraxics as they often have low body tone and this can help them improve posture and core stability.
"You also find that dyspraxics are very empathetic – although we don't know why – which is a positive character trait that can be built on," she adds. "The key to building confidence is to focus on what you can do well, not on what you can't."
Citing a recent patient who came forward at the age of 66 for help, Dr Kirby says it's important for sufferers to realise that they're not alone.
"I think it is important that Daniel Radcliffe has spoken out as many people suffer in silence because of the stigma of being thought of as stupid," she says. "Now people can look at him and think, 'Well, he can do great things, so can I!'"