Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AMA
Original poster

I’m autistic and dyspraxic. Ask me anything!

43 replies

FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:06

Hello :) I was diagnosed with autism when I was very young but my dyspraxia went unnoticed until I was a teenager.

Feel free to ask me anything within reason and I’ll try my best to answer all questions :)

  • FP42
OP posts:
Ohthatiswhy · 14/07/2018 15:10

Hi FP42

What are your symptoms of dyspraxia and has treatment helped?

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:14

@Ohthatiswhy

I struggle with handwriting so I use a computer to type things instead, “fiddly” tasks like buttons, zips, and laces, hand-eye coordination like catching/throwing a ball and I find stairs difficult to climb. I was given some physio but as I said before I was diagnosed late so it didn’t help, so I have support in place so that I don’t have to do things like writing! My short term memory is poor so struggle with multiple instructions, but my long term memory is brilliant. I am more visual than auditory when it comes to processing things too.

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:15

so I struggle with* that should say :)

OP posts:
Ohthatiswhy · 14/07/2018 15:16

FP42

Thanks.

Is it painful? Is the memory from dyspraxia or autism?

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:17

I forgot to mention in my OP that I was hyperlexic too, meaning I could read at a young age. I also have an eidetic memory so feel free to AMA about these, too!

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:19

@Ohthatiswhy

The only physically painful thing about dyspraxia is the hyper mobility that comes with it. I find writing really painful because it makes my whole arm hurt. I’m double jointed so my joints do crack from time to time too. The memory thing? I’m not too sure about that, I think the dyspraxia causes the short-term memory issues but the autism makes my long term memory good :)

OP posts:
Eenymeeny123 · 14/07/2018 15:20

Which one has the worse impact on you the dyspraxia or the autism. Or are they intertwined. Are a lot of the symptoms similar?

noblegiraffe · 14/07/2018 15:21

When you say your short term memory is poor, do you mean your working memory? How are you at remembering phone numbers or doing mental arithmetic?

(Unclear how old you are) what job do you do and are any adjustments made for you at work?

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:27

@Eenymeeny124 intertwined definitely. The symptoms are very similar.

@noblegiraffe yes I mean that. I am very good at remembering phone numbers, and I’m really good at Maths too :) I am 18 so I don’t work, I’ve just finished sixth form and I’m going to uni soon, I will have lots of support there.

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:30

I am good at remembering registration plates too.

OP posts:
Ohthatiswhy · 14/07/2018 15:30

FP42

Have you had periods out of education due to dyspraxia not being diagnosed early enough?

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:31

I’ve never actually had a job. I am unsure how I would manage working in a shop or a café as I struggle with loud noise and bright lights. I’d be better suited to an office job.

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:32

@Ohthatiswhy no, I’ve always had support due to my autism so education hasn’t been an issue for me.

OP posts:
Ohthatiswhy · 14/07/2018 15:34

FP42. What’s your dream job?

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:34

A lawyer or the Prime Minister @Ohthatiswhy Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 15:35

Or a Crown Prosecutor. Guess what I’m going to study at university? :)

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 14/07/2018 16:22

What support did you get at school for your autism?

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 17:12

@noblegiraffe

A teaching assistant who worked with me on a one to one basis. I also got some help with social skills and some physical development things (back when it was believed that my clumsiness was a result of my autism) but neither of these things really helped as all social skills lessons did was make me believe the way I tried to speak and communicate my needs was wrong in some way! I have my own way of doing things and I wish people would accept that. Some people do, but some people refuse to.

I also got a computer once I was in secondary.

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 17:13

The physical development stuff didn’t work as it wasn’t really specific to my needs and some people thought it was a good idea to grab my hand, just to make me write neatly and on the line! ☹️

OP posts:
Ohthatiswhy · 14/07/2018 17:52

FP42

I have a feeling that your dream job will be a reality Smile

Did you have friends at school? You can probably guess that I am a parent of a young child diagnosed with autism.

Ohthatiswhy · 14/07/2018 17:55

FP42

Oh and what one thing do you wish that your parents could have done better.

Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 17:56

@Ohthatiswhy thank you so much, I really appreciate that 😄

Growing up I did not have a lot of friends, I had two close friends but that was it really. When I was in secondary school the bullying was worse than primary school, but in sixth form I found people were so much more understanding, they were more mature and made an effort to include me so things do get better I guess. :)

I wouldn’t have guessed, no - terrible with hidden meanings and “getting hints” haha!

OP posts:
Original poster
FordPrefect42 · 14/07/2018 17:57

My parents were brilliant and incredibly understanding so no issues there :) it was more teachers that were the issue. I was often forced to make eye contact which was really uncomfortable :(

OP posts:
Boulty · 14/07/2018 18:03

Have you heard the saying "you meet one person with autism then you have met one person with autism" … you cannot speak for other autistic individuals who are on different parts of the spectrum to you and may have additional learning disability, mild, moderate, severe or none...

Just remember that. A parent with a child with severe autism I know used to get really frustrated with the verbal, high functioning autistics and their parents assuming all autistics were the same.... !

Boulty · 14/07/2018 18:04

PS To other parents with autistic children - you cannot measure how your child with turn out/think/cope etc based on what one individual somewhere on the spectrum tells you.... however well meaning the intent is

Swipe left for the next trending thread