Just got DS's dyspraxia diagnosis report

[TeaHagTeaBag]

He's 12 and god love him we hadn't a clue. I feel like crap that it took his teacher suggesting we get him assessed. He scored really badly in almost all areas so he's obviously been struggling without even knowing. Fuck.

I had a horrible time. I was never formally diagnosed. It was called Clumsy Child Syndrome when I was a child!! I failed almost all my exams. I was put in for O Levels and failed them. The only CSE I was put in for i got a Grade 1. I then had a very patient teacher at 6th Form who got me through my English Language O Level.
I could tell ds2 was dyspraxic very early so got him diagnosed before he was six. He is deaf too so has had double the balance problems.
Thankfully we stayed in touch with his OT as when ds2 did his BSL Levels 2 and 3 he was allowed reasonable adjustments.. He did his exams online and was allowed someone with him and extra time.
Hope your lovely boy gets all the help he needs. Please don't beat yourself up.. At least you know now.. ♥️

It's a regularly overlooked condition.
DS1 had his picked up during a dyslexia assessment.

I cried when I read the report because it was the first formal recognition of his difficulties. A year later his autism was also diagnosed, and he's lucky the dyspraxia came first as often co-morbids of autism tend not to be identified.

I've often wondered if I'm also dyspraxic, even before his diagnosis. My PE teachers certainly took until year 10 before they accepted that I could genuinely be that inept at sport. The concept of opting to run towards a projectile and intercept it with hands is absolute lunacy and just asking for a black eye. Ducking and evading are much more sensible reactions
The give-away was that I doggedly brought my kit every lesson and didn't attempt to skive off like the slackers.

For DS1, I'm glad that his difficulties are recognised and strategies can be put in place to support him.

Most people have not heard of it. Do not be hard on yourself. You are lucky you now have answers! It's a good time to know now rather than reaching adulthood or never knowing. I imagined many never know.

I went on Jeremy Vines show in 2017 to discuss Dyspraxia with Dr Sarah Jarvis. I messaged her on Twitter and suggested
it and was invited on. On the day JV was off ill and I spoke to the lovely Paddy O Conell.

A colleague was diagnosed in her 40s, after a lifetime of being told she was just clumsy, including by her GP! She had a private assessment and was told it's very common for it to be missed.

Don't be too hard on yourself, the main thing is that now you know and can get your DS the support he needs.

When I went to uni at 20 I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia and Dyslexia. If anything it made me work harder. I was always determined that it would never stop me from doing anything!

Thanks everyone. I'm sorry so many of you weren't diagnosed until later. Ds is such a great kid, he's so hard working and fun and kind. The report has been worded so he will get assistive technology from now on in school. He's taking it completely in his wonky, unbalanced stride so I need to do the same ❤

My son was diagnosed at 7 and has just graduated with a First - he has learnt strategies to get round his difficulties and you wouldn’t know now that he has any. When he was 7 it was very, very obvious. I always remember asking him how he felt about the diagnosis and he said ‘Good. it explains to me about myself’. From then on his confidence bloomed - I’d say the diagnosis was worth it just for that.

Any tips on how to manage it, both mine have it?

Sadly the Dyspraxia Foundation has closed down... 💔
There is this charity...

Depends what they struggle with, my DS largely has difficulty with fine motor skills not gross motor, you wouldn't notice he is clumsy unless you spend a lot of time with him. However the poor executive functioning and emotional regulation issues are more of a concern, but then he also has Dyslexia and possible ADHD. I think it's fairly rare to just have a Dyspraxia diagnosis.