Dyspraxia with other possible issues - coping strategies

[OctopusArmEnvy]

The preschool that my DS (age 4) attends believes my son maybe dyspraxic - out doctor believes he is too young to test and is mild if at all. I agree that it is mild but e really struggles with fine motor skills, hoping, jumping and spacial awareness. We practice gross and fine motor skills everyday through play as do preschool. My main concern is that the following behaviour could mean he is on the spectrum for sonething else (or maybe he is just 4 and s boy???)

• gets very upset when changing activity
  

• can't sit still (will rock or nods head etc)
  
• Hates loud noise or can't cope even if my that loud
  
• gets very worked up if things aren't exactly right ie can't fit bandage on his play medical bag
  

I feel there is no point going back to doctors but is there a book or a website where I can learn everyday strategies to help him make his way through the world calmly. I hate to see him so upset and would love to just help/understand more
Sorry for very long post!
Thanks

[BlackeyedSusan]

sounds much the same as dd , but she is supposedly not dsypraxic yet fulfills nearly all the criterai on the list.

[NynaevesSister]

Sounds just like my DS at that age. The change problem has not gone away I have worked out what helps him the most. So in the mornings he gets up, has time to do his own thing, then I give him a count down. (15 mins, 10 mins, 5 mins). Then we both get changed at the same time - a race to see who will get changed first (that he always manages to win!).

I also found that leaving early for school and being first in the playground worked. That way it was empty and he had time to get used to the chaos and noise as it built up around him.

We also started taking his scooter to school every day. On days where he was finding everything difficult he could stand on it, and I pulled him along. Plus had the advantage of helping him with his balance (an issue with dyspraxia).

I found that meltdowns were always about something else. A meltdown about his PE kit might in fact be anxiety at having to get changed later that day. When he's like that I write a note to the teacher asking if he could be excused from PE that day as he had hurt his knee on the way home or something similar. Also talking helps - that's how I figured out the most recent meltdowns were in fact about the other boys having moved to wearing boxers while he had briefs.

Not being able to sit still is a big part of dyspraxia. He does trampolining, we have a trampoline in the back garden, and we stop for an hour in the park after school everyday unless the weather is really vile.