Does anybody have a child with dyspraxia that can advise plz?

teabag29

(I have posted this in disability forum also but seem to get more response in this forum)

The education psychologist has been working with my daughter today doing more tests. Based on what she has seen so far she asked me if I knew what dispraxia was and told me to look it up and see if I can relate the symptoms to my daughter as she thinks she has this. She also keeps bringing up aspergers which is what camhs are looking at (I think).

Anyway I looked on dyspraxia online and my god I can so relate alot of it to my dd right back from birth (the site I looked at gives you symptoms at different ages). I know diagnosis isn't the be all and end all but I really feel it will help with the school who are very unsupportive and dont see my dd as having any problems.

So my question is, I can see my dd has the signs of dyspraxia and the ep thinks this too so how do I go about getting her checked for it? She has camhs on 22nd, should I discuss this with them or should I be going back to the g.p or can the ep make a diagnosis?

pozalina

Hi, EP cannot diagnose it as it is a medical condition. A paediatrician or specialist clinic (with occupational therapist, physio etc) might do it, it depends on your area. It's not CAMHS although they might be able to refer you to the right professionals. It can be a long wait for diagnosis in some areas. Can the EP not speak to school and tell them she thinks your DD has signs of dyspraxia? Maybe they'll listen to her. School could surely try approaches that help with dyspraxia even before she gets a diagnosis (or developmental coordination disorder, as it is often called now) .I know you say school do not see your DD as having any problems but they have got the EP involved so they must agree that there are some issues?

I hope you get the answers you need.

Allegra

My daughter has Asperger's and dyspraxia. The possibility of AS was first raised by her school, and their advice was to speak to our GP and ask for a referral to CAMHS, which we did. Once referred, we saw first a clinical psychologist then a clinical nurse specialist. On the whole, we had about four appointments and the process took about a year. Mind you, our local CAMHS do seem to be rather on the slow side, from what I've read on here and various other fora about the experiences of people in other areas, so it may well be quicker for you

So in a nutshell, yeah, do discuss it with CAMHS when you see them.

peachyprice

Go back to the GP, tell him what the ed.pysch said and ask to be referred to the Child Development Centre.

She'll be assessed by many different departments there including occupational therpay and speech therapy, she'll have blood tests to rule out other syndromes that display similar symptoms (sorry it was a long time ago, can't remember which), hearing tests, sight tests etc. They really are very thorough and will diagnose whatever it is.

HTH

teabag29

pozalina wrote: »

Hi, EP cannot diagnose it as it is a medical condition. A paediatrician or specialist clinic (with occupational therapist, physio etc) might do it, it depends on your area. It's not CAMHS although they might be able to refer you to the right professionals. It can be a long wait for diagnosis in some areas. Can the EP not speak to school and tell them she thinks your DD has signs of dyspraxia? Maybe they'll listen to her. School could surely try approaches that help with dyspraxia even before she gets a diagnosis (or developmental coordination disorder, as it is often called now) .I know you say school do not see your DD as having any problems but they have got the EP involved so they must agree that there are some issues?

I hope you get the answers you need.

Unfortunately not. Even after my gp wrote to the school asking for an education psychologist report they refused saying they have other children with higher educational need. The reason an education psychologist is involved is because I refused to let it lie and rang them myself explaining the situation and they agreed my dd needed to be assessed and accepted the referral from me

shy-but-need-help

Our oldest son has dyspraxia (he has several other issues too but dyspraxia is one) and for us it was suggested by his teacher in reception, who referred on to the school nurse, then onto the paediatrician for our local area. His dyspraxia diagnosis came about after meetings with physios, occupational therapists, play therapists and the paediatrician. (His other issues were CAMHS, TMHS and GP referals)

To be honest having a name to it doesn't really make that much difference in school- he was already on school action plus because of his obvious physical difficulties with both gross and fine motor, lack of spacial awareness and so forth and having a name to it hasn't changed that as the school are obliged to work with his needs, not his diagnosis so whether he has a name on it or not they'd have to respond to his needs which they do brilliantly.

In terms of what difference it makes to him in school he has some 1 to 1 help with his fine motor, he's previously had his own 1 to 1 help when they've gone swimming. In the classroom he has a neoboard (like a word processor that links to teachers whiteboard & classroom printer) as his physical difficulties mean his mark making skills are that of a 3 year old but his mental/academic skills are way above his age. He also has small things writen into his IEP about how he only responds to very literal instructions and does not understand turns of phrase (you tell him to "hop to it" and he'd literally try and hop... which combined with poor gross motor skills is a recipe for disaster!) Just basic things for his personal safety.

teabag29

That last bit sounds just like my dd, she will take what you say literally. Like when she needs the loo and we're out in public and i'll say "you'll have to hold it until we get to the toilets"....and so she does literally hold herself

majikatt

I am a child with dyspraxia - or rather was, at 24 I cannot really be called a child, regardless of how I feel!

For me it was undiagnosed until I reached College, where they requested an educational psychologist who confirmed dyspraxia.

I spent my childhood being identified as "the clumsy child" or "the attention seaker". Whereas, my mothers friends daughter (and my own friend), just two years older than myself, was diagnosed at a young age and her needs were "treated". Anyway, as much as my own mother could relate my symptoms to that of my friend, it was ignored to a large extent.

Anyway, fast forward a few years to college, I got a diagnosis which for me was a massive relief. I had felt like a complete oddball for as long as I could remember and now that I wasnt (or I was but there was a reason for it lol), it was fab. I also get 25% extra time in exams due to my writing speed and processing time, which, had I had for GCSE I feel that I would have got better results.

I am now an accountant, and, although I havent told my employer about my dyspraxia (as a general rule I wouldnt tell an employer unless your dyspraxia was severe - my friend made that mistake and had to quit her job), as I know what is wrong, if I experience any problems in the workplace I know how to cope with them.

I expect you are wondering why I posted to this degree of detail, as am I to be honest. What I really wanted to get accross to you is to push for a diagnosis - for the help your child needs. If you really think that he/she has dyspraxia then it really is worth it. If I could go back and tell my mother the same thing I would. I wish I had been told earlier, not for the lable, not to use it as an excuse but to have a reason for why I was like I was, and to a vast extent, still am.

Fin.