Who would diganose Dyspraxia ??

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Just that really.

I am hoping no one says ' a psych from cahms' lol.

[AlexanderSkarsgardOhYes]

An educational psychologist. You should be able to request an assessment by one through your child's school.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Hmmm i don't think i'll get very far with that then.

Ds has been seen at cahms by a pyschologist, and a psychiatrist. They have more or less said that nothing is wrong except that ds had ODD.

Nothing was ever said about dyspraxia, and they never asked about his gross or fine motor skills. His gross ones are ok, but his fine ones are poor.

[EmmaNess]

He needs to be seen by and educational psychologist, ask SENCO at school?

[QueenOfIndecision]

i would say on Occupational Therapist. I don't think an Educational Psychologist would diagnose dyspraxia.

[coffeeandwine]

My DS was diagnosed by a community paediatrician, if that helps?

[coffeeandwine]

Oh, yes. It was a few years ago and I had forgotten, but he saw an OT as well. However, I think that was after the diagnosis.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Thank's

School are pretty shit tbh with you. They never stick to his iep targets and think he is just lazy i think.

I will ask for a new meeting with the senco when he goes back. Maybe his new teacher will be more supportive. He had two teachers last year and neither of them gave a toss.

[QueenOfIndecision]

Yes, how old is your DS/DD? I would try to get an assessment with the community paediatrician (adn if they are young enough the child development centre who would include an occupational therapist). It's a medical diagnosis and an Educational Psychologist is not a medical professional.
Someone within education - ep or specialist teacher - may be able to advise school on suitable strategies for dyspraxia which may help your DD/DS with or without the label though.

[QueenOfIndecision]

x post. hope things are better this year at school. you could try getting a referral from your gp to a paediatrician - that's what the ep would probably recommend re dyspraxia anyway.

[Insanitybecomesme]

My DS was referred by GP to hospital pead who passed the buck to a community pead, she made the diagnosis with OT and Physio input. The whole process took nearly 18 months.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Sorry, he is 9.

He has problems with anxiety and anger, but also has very poor hand writing, can't use cutlery properly, can't tie shoe laces, struggles a lot with concentration, and cannot remember simple instructions. There are other things too, but my mind has gone blank lol.

I will ask about an ed psych and report back on the result

[cornybootseeker]

An ed psych can't diagnose dyspraxia. You need to see an occupational therapist.

[ThatVikRinA22]

was gonna say OT.
or paediatrician.
we never saw or heard of cahms. DS has AS, dyspraxia and dyslexia. all dx by different people with differing specialisms.

[QueenOfIndecision]

yes i agree with corny, you will waste time trying to see an ed psych for this, and it will take long enough anyway. a paediatrician / Occupational therapist is what you need i think. you could try asking for a referral to child development centre via paediatician.

[cornybootseeker]

Try and see an OT who also specialises in diagnosing sensory difficulties also.

[maillotjaune]

Around here you get referred to OT if dyspraxia suspected. DS2 was diagnosed by OT but he then had to be seen by Paediatrician to confirm Dx and rule out any other medical problems.

Our area seems to be well set up but stretched so the key seems to be a good SENCO or GP to get you into the system in the first place.

[purpledolphin]

Sounds like your getting really frustrated, I would echo that you need occupational therapy, whether they would diagnose don't really know but they can certainly give you strategies, he may also have problems with sensory integration... basically if you don't know where your body is in space then you can not move it skillfully, OTs can help with that too, take a look at the sensory integration network website, their address is //www.sensoryintegration.org.uk

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Thank's all.

It is very very frustrating. School are no help at all, and cahms weren't great either. Ds gets very very frustrated and angry, and so their diagnosis was ODD. I don't totally disagree, but i think there are reasons for the frustration.

I also want to get him tested for auditory processing disorder, as imo he has huge problems with processing what he hears.

I think I am just going to have to be firm (not my strong point) and refuse to take no for an answer if they try and fob me off.

[purpledolphin]

Hi Nutcracker,
just thought you could try the dyspraxia foundations website and this book has good reviews (though I have not read it, I was taught by one of the authors and she was always really clear and helpful) www.amazon.co.uk/How-Understand-Support-Children-Dyspraxia/product-reviews/185503381X/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21
This may give you some thing practical to do while you fight the system! and perhaps some words to explain what you mean!.... May be you get your GP to refer to Occupational therapy not for a diagnosis (they often don't like that) but for help with practical tasks involving fine motor skills, buttons, eating with knife and fork, hand writing etc.

[topknob]

Not an educational psyc..but a paeditriction in our case, this later progress to ASD.

[topknob]

My son also has sensory processing disorder and it isn't about what we say to him it is about hearing every day noises ALOT louder than we do.

[kate2boysandabump]

DS was diagnosed by a paeds consultant. he was referred by my GP at my request after I had explained the difficulties ds was having.

School referred him to an OT and the Paeds consultant referred him to a physio.

Explain your concerns to your GP and get them to refer to the paeds clinic, as far as I'm aware they are the only ones who can formally diagnose.

Good luck.