Could my DS have dyspraxia?

[chewitt]

Have been concerned about DS for a number of years but not really been able to fit his set of difficulties to any particular diagnosis. He is nearly 7. Areas of difficulty:

reading and writing (making progress but behind his peers)
riding bike and scooting scooter
climbing (on climbing frames)
swimming (behind his peers)
sequencing tasks.
bad sense of direction
clumsy
Can be very inflexible regarding routines (needs to be warned if we change our plans or things are going to be different to normal - eg massive upset if I forget to have anything in for dessert as we normally have something to offer)
Has a very literal understanding of langauge

He did not jump until he was 4.5.
Was very sensitive to noise until fairly recently.

Should I see my GP? Or, am I being paranoid mum?

[siblingrivalry]

Hi Chewitt
My dd(8) has dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder. Apart from reading, she ticks all of the things on your list.
I would think that it's worthwhile seeing your GP. An excellent occ therapist has been a Godsend to us.

I think that if you are concerned, then that feeling is unlikely to go away. Try not to worry, there are lots of things that can be done to help.
Good luck

[chewitt]

Thank you sibling rivalry. If there are things that can be done to help him then its definately worth doing.

[chewitt]

This may seem a bit of a daft question but would DS have to go to the GP with me? I would like to talk about it with the GP but I don't want DS to have to listen to me talking about him, but I assume that the GP would have to see him. What should I do?

[noddyholder]

Gp or school.My ds is 15 and had an assessment after years and was finally diagnosed at 13 which is v late amd has meant a lot of work to put things right.Your list sounds like a list of ds symptoms plus v messy eater and loses everything and no organisation skills at all

[siblingrivalry]

I didn't take dd with me -I think your GP would understand that you didn't want your ds to hear your concerns.

I don't know what your GP is like, but some may try the 'wait and see' line
I think, by 7, you know if there are difficulties. He/she should organise some sort of referral for you.
I think it depends on the GP and the local health authority's 'rules' -so it could be to a paediatrician, child development centre, OT;etc.

My dd was also 7 when she go a dx -I also spent years knowing that something wasn't as it should be.

Let me know how you get on.

[weebleswobble]

My dyspraxic 13 year old showed all the symptoms on your list and Noddy's. You don't have to take him to the gp to discuss your concerns if you don't want to. You could go yourself to discuss and then if the gp wants to see him, make another appointment. Mine referred without seeing him but SALT had already identified verbal dyspraxia a few months before.

I think the help you may or may not get very much depends where you live. There's bugger all available where I am and I've had to fight just to keep SALT involved over the years.

[chewitt]

It's useful to know that the symptoms fit, he's a very messy eater too. I don't know what the provision is locally, but I guess if I start the ball rolling I will find out.

I'll not take him and see how it goes and try and push beyond "wait and see". I think I've held back long enough.

Thanks everyone.

[chewitt]

Hi SR have seen GP today and got a referral to community paedatric team.

[siblingrivalry]

Oh,wow, that was quick! I'm impressed.
How do you feel now?

[noddyholder]

That is great and really quick.Once ds had a diagnosis the school put things in place for him.He also can use a word processor for exams and have extra time in exams where a WP is not appropriate eg diagrams in maths for example. We are still trying to do everyday things like making toast and washing dishes which are a nightmare for my ds.Great to get early diagnosis so that you can start these things

[chewitt]

I have really mixed feelings. I think if he is diagnosed then hopefully all sorts of help will kick in and hopefully life will get easier for him. But if he is assessed and nothing specific comes out of it he may feel more self conscious about his difficulties than he already is. He's really losing confidence in school so I am hoping that this is a positive step!
The GP said that the referral should take about six weeks and they'll make a full assessment of him. Any tips on how I should explain to him what it's all about?

[noddyholder]

I hope it will be positive for you and have some real effect.I think the earlier it is detected and supported the better.My ds had an initial questioning of hid behaviour etc aged 5.We were told he was behind the others and they brought a SEN assistant in to onserve/assist for one term as they said his literacy was delayed.We thoght this odd as he was quite able at home as I had done a fair bit of letters and words etc when he was young.At the end of the term we met with them and they went completely the other way and said he was highly intelligent and they had been mistaken originally and he had just been lazy ! For the next 6 or 7 yrs all his 'quirks' were treated as high jinx behaviour until I insisted they look at it again and hey presto!I really wish we had known before but he has not suffered hugely which I suspect is more to do with the personality he is than anything else.All his friends know and jokingly rib him but nothing more cruel!They wait for him to do his laces and coat buttons for ages and never expect him on time or in the right place.Good luck with it all I hope you get all the help he needs xx

[chewitt]

Thanks Noddy x

[kidskidskids]

my son is 8 and all of what you said fits him and more,we are seeing a education psycholagist today will he tell us what it is,we have not had a nights sleep in eight years he still sleeps with us,we are at our wits end,can anyone help