Is he dyspraxic or just dreamy?

[MrsMaple]

Would really appreciate the thoughts of some mums with dyspraxic kids, and thoughts on how strongly I should pursue a diagnosis/assesment.
Ds2s (6)was always late on his gross motor milestones, reluctant to draw, now struggles with his pencil, knives and forks, shoes, socks, shirt buttons etc, prone to emotional outbursts, trouble sleeping, hates jeans with buttons. He has advanced reading skills and is a very dreamy and imaginative child. Because I'd been warned when he was three that he might be dyspraxic (by paed. because of late walking), I've been watching him carefully. His reception teacher thought he wasn't (but I think she was just impressed by his reading) and his current teacher was very sceptical when i spoke to her - she said if he concentrated he'd be able to eat better.I would believe this teacher if she hadn't said that she didn't really think dyspraxia existed!!!
Oh and whilst having some dyspraxic tendencies (as deduced by me from dyspraxic website) he doesn't have others; restless body, hand waving etc and is good at jigsaws.
Any thoughts? Am I mad? Should I stop being like a dog with a bone on this one and trust the professionals?

[mumeeee]

I should pursue this as it sounds like your son could be dyspraxic.Not all dyspraxic children have all of the symptons. My 14 year old is dyspraxic. She was late in dressing nnd feeding skills. Still is a messy eater. She has poor handwritng, concerntration and organisational skills.Still prone to emotinal outburdts. But she isn't a poor sleeper and isn't a handwaver. She is a now a good reader,but didn't get reading until she was 10.

[Saker]

I agree with Mumeee - my Ds2 has strong dyspraxic tendencies but he is relatively good at jigsaws because he is very motivated to do them and has practised a lot. I would pursue an assessment especially if you feel he needs help or at least understanding at school.

[LIZS]

agree with the others. Don't let them dismiss it without actually having had him assessed. ds was fien with puzzles and reading but struggles with other characteristic traits, although as yet not formally diagnosed. In ds' case it affects him only in specific tasks and activities so he ostensibly copes well enough so as not to draw attention to himself much of the time.

[Bink]

In this sort of area I think it's fair to say that teachers are amateurs, not professionals.

So, yes, I think you should take professional opinion, but from the right sort - who would that be? An occupational therapist, maybe? Someone else will know.

[LIZS]

You can ask gp to refer you to the Community Developmental Paediatrician (ours holds fortnightly clinics in the local health centre so we didn't have to wait too long for an appointment) who can then make a referral to an OT etc. We were fortunate that we were living abroad when ds' issues were first noticed and the school had an OT on site who could assess him and help immediately. Unfortunately there is more than a year's wait to see an OT here on NHS so we are pretty much back to square one. They tend not to make a formal diagnosis themselves though but would probably make an asessment. Alternatively you could meet the school SENCO and what route they may have more directly into system, but I suppose you would have to convince the teacher of a problem first.

hth

[noddyholder]

My ds is 11 and has always had these tendencies but I just thought he was clumsy and a bit uselessHe was v late walking and is always slouching etc.He was the last of all his friends to ride a bike and is still a bit shakey on it .He can't really tie his laces properly and cutlery and eating is still very messy.His writing is spidery and scissors etc are a real nightmare.His drawing is also like a toddlers still.He is always getting told off for being disorganised and his school books look a real mess.Can anyone advise as to what I can do?Is the GP the first stop?Sorry for hijack xx

[mumeeee]

Hi noddyholder.
You can go to your GP or talk to school and ask to be referred to an EP. School can also help without him bienfg sen by a proffesional. Have a talk with the SENCO
My daughter was refered to a paeditrition at the age of 5 after she had ben seen by the school nurse in her recepion review. She was then refered to an ot and an EP but all this took a couple of years to sort out. The school did help as much as posible during the waitng time.

[noddyholder]

academically ds is quite good and is always in the top sets etc but is very disorganised Does this sound right?

[MrsMaple]

Thanks for all your advice. I find it really reassuring that others have been in same boat. I have asked for an appointment with the school's SENCO.

noddyholder - didn't hijack at all. Same question, different child

I'm beginning to see why dyspraxia is called the hidden disability too.

[rummum]

hello MrsMaple..
No NO No Do not trust the teachers... they know nothing....

MY DD was in year 3 when I voiced my concerns about dyspraxia.. the teacher at parent evening said DD had

• no organisation skill in her work or life
  
• can't follow a list of instructions
  
• forgot things she'd learn't from one week to
  the next
  
• and was really falling behind with her school
  work..
  we asked if she could be dyspraxic and the teacher said she didn't know what dyspraxia was!! She said she would mention it to the senco.. but never did..
  daughter also struggles to write with a correct tripod grip.. more like death grip..
  finds it hard to copy from the board
  messy eater
  hasn't got a dominant hand ..
  had trouble dressing
  can't do laces firm enough for them to stay doneup
  
  struggles through year 4... teacher said she can't be dyspraxic as she could use a ruler!!!!
  
  Fast forward to year 5...
  EP comes in and suggests aspergers tendencies
  
  Daughter is refered to OT via peadiatritian.. the pediatritian said she was concerned as daughter had "a great descrepancy between her manual dexterity and fine motor skills) meaning daughter can basicly do a perfect cartwheel but has trouble opening a bag of crisps!
  
  the OT finaly dx daughter with dyspraxia
  
  daughter was assessed for aspergers recently and the phycologists (sp) want to observe daughter in school to see what is aspergers and what is dyspraxia as there is a big overlap of symptoms.. (although I am not suggesting your child has AS)
  
  PHEW.... sorry this got a bit long... Airy has a thread at the moment about aspergers
  
  I can't wait for these assessments to be over as I will have great pleasure in seeking her old teachers out and telling them about her dyspraxia/aspergers... they made me feel like shit.. like the problem was with me.. (I even began to think it was!) and they never offered any stratagies to help DD.. they just said in a whiney voice " she can't do this.. can't do that"
  you know your child better than anyone else.. FIGHT FOR HIM because no one else will... His problems won't go away they will just get harder to manage...
  
  sorry for rambling on...
  
  
  what does the teacher mean about him eating better?

[noddyholder]

rummum I could have written your post re the cartwheels and crisp packets.Ds also can't open a banana I thought he was lazy!

[MeerkatsUnite]

I would concur with rummum's response in its entireity. Too many children who could do with extra support earlier do not get it due to many schools not spotting dyslexic children or them not taking the problem seriously dismissing same as "laziness".

In my experience they are not trained adequately enough to spot such problems. A boy in my son's class has recently been given a dyslexia diagnosis and the teacher had no idea at all that he was showing dyslexic tendencies.

You are your child's best - and only - advocate. Do not let yourself be fobbed off.

GP should be able to refer you to a developmental paediatrician and OT.

[LIZS]

meerskat do you mean dyslexia or dyspraxia though ? Think the former actually gets more recognition than the latttr.

[MrsMaple]

Yes. Now feel empowered to go in and fights ds's corner with renewed vigour...
rumum - his teacher has this obsession about ds's inability to eat well with a knife and fork (by well, I think she means an impeccable jumper at the end of lunchtime). Before our last parents evening I asked ds what his teacher would say about him and he said 'she'll say, now, Mrsmaple, why does your son have such bad table manners?' Which she completely fails to see as being connected to his poor pencil control and difficulty in following a long set of instructions (which she's also whined about).
She's very Old School, needless to say.

[MeerkatsUnite]

My original comment was about dyslexia but at my son's infants school they have not been able to recognise either condition!!.