Dispraxia?

[skettle]

Ive just been to my 7 year old sons parent evening and was more or less told that he has 'problems'.

Aparantly he's very intelligent and is where he should be in all subjects (and is actually ahead in reading and maths) but the physical stuff like writing, using scissors and drawing is still way behind. He still doesnt form letters properly, writes very big and scruffy and his drawings are still stick men with a big head.

What really got to me though is that she said that the way he walks, runs and moves also isnt "normal"!! and that she thinks something is wrong.

I personally think it could be dyspraxia and have thought this for a while, he always used to fall over, still does sometimes, could never run very fast and when he walks he flaps his hands.

Any Ideas? Im taking him to the doctors tomorow but any words of wisdom would be great. TIA.

[LIZS]

Sounds possible but it is great if it hasn't impeded his learning thus far. We had the same conversation with ds' then teacher 2 years ago and I know how hard it can be to deal with , even if you already sort of know something isn't quite right. Your ds sounds very similar to ours (now almost 8) but even he is suddenly making great progress with his handwriting thanks to a twice weekly session with another boy and a teacher who has them doing various exercises and practising letters. He has gone from infantile printing in September to reasonably neat joined up now . Whether he can sustain this and develop better written work consistently is another matter but he is now very motivated whereas previously he found it too much physical effort to really bother. Can your ds' school offer any one to one time to help him ?

We are currently awaiting an OT assessment on NHS having been referred by the community paediatrician last September but the waiting list means he'll probably be seen towards the end of this year . He did however benefit from private OT at his previous school which helped immensely. Have tried , so far unsuccessfully, to locate a private one locally but we have visited an osteopath in the meantime. There is a directory of private OT's here if that is an option shoudl there be a similar delay in your area. Also there is helpful some information on the Dyscovery centre website.

good luck and hth

[RTKangaMummy]

Sounds like mine as well

He is 10.5 and he runs with a limp cos of his hypermobility and muscle weaknesses

He has Dyspraxia and is deffo very different in walking and running and everything physical

But yesterday at swimming he did really well

So perhaps get him in the pool

[skettle]

Ive just read that dyspraxia can cause poor thought managment. Im wondering if this is what causes my son to suddenly blurt out something like "will you remember to do it?" before realising that he hasnt yet told me what he's thinking about. Have you any experience of this?

He can tie his shoe laces but not tight enough to actually stay fastened and he has learnt to ride a bike without stabalisers (albiet very wobbly, he needs lots of space), he gets dressed himself but looks like he's been dragged through a hedge backwards when he's finished, he tries to come his hair but cant grasp the concept of direction with his hand movements so he'll comb it all fowards then comb it all back by accident... does it sound like dyspraxia to you?

He is on special needs for his writing so Im assuming he is getting extra help, Ive encouraged him to keep a diary too purely to help him practice his writting.

Its funny you should say about the swimming...we've just got him booked in for march! he's really looking foward to it He also does Judo on a saturday morning.

[LIZS]

Certainly ds has problems with sequencing , thoughts and steps of an instruction for example. He has had to have routines like tying laces and his tie drilled into him. There are a fair few kids of mnetters who have dypsraxia or traits of it - it overlaps with all sorts of other conditions, sometimes very mild in effect, sometimes more severe - and what I have learnt from other threads is that it varies in how it affects each individual child so anything is possible. It might be worth having a physical assessment to rule out things like hypermobility. According to ds' osteopath his muscle tone is actually good so his problems are more specifically neurological.

[shopaholickim]

hi skettle hope u get on ok at doc let me know.My son Callum is 9 and was diagnosed when he was 3 with dyspraxia.His running is also out of proportion arms flapping and just looks silly really. He also blurts out stuff that is unintelligible as well and his handwriting is shocking! i usually have to rub out his words for homework and write them again It sounds as tho it is dyspraxia that your son has.

[Kelly1978]

I would try to get a referral to a paed or a children's center. He sounds a lot like my son who is now undergoing assesment. So far we have found that his fingers don't work properly, can't remember what it is called, and his drawing isn't up to the level expected of a 2.5 year old, and he is 3.5. He is very clumsy, falls over a lot, poorly co-ordinated. He can't jump, or run properly. He also has social problems. I think he may be dx with dyspraxia.

[Kelly1978]

I would try to get a referral to a paed or a children's center. He sounds a lot like my son who is now undergoing assesment. So far we have found that his fingers don't work properly, can't remember what it is called, and his drawing isn't up to the level expected of a 2.5 year old, and he is 3.5. He is very clumsy, falls over a lot, poorly co-ordinated. He can't jump, or run properly. He also has social problems. I think he may be dx with dyspraxia.