Does anyone else wonder if they have dyspraxia?

[Spinelli99]

It's something I've questioned my entire life. I've failed 9 driving tests, a lot of it was due to nerves but I feel that I've always struggled with coordination.
I work in social care and sometimes struggle with things like hoisting, positioning slings/pads on people. I dread the double up calls because I know sometimes the other person will get frustrated at me. Sometimes when people give me verbal instructions I will get confused.
They'll ask me 'can you grab that thing off the shelf' and I'll be looking at the wrong shelf and they'll be like no up, left, down, right, whatever.
If I ask for directions to a place and someone sprouts verbal directions at me it's pointless, I need to see it written down.
I know some people think I'm bit dozey/in the clouds. I've always been considered as intelligent but a bit 'not with it '.
I don't do it on purpose and I do try to concentrate but it makes me feel ashamed. It does make me wonder about dyspraxia and seeking a diagnosis, does anyone else have this or suspect it?

I think I might be, I drive automatic only, I can't ride a bike and I've really tried as a child and an adult, I can only tie my shoelaces in a non-traditional way. I trip over my own feet a lot, I also regularly bash myself by accident on inanimate objects, my hand eye co-ordination for sports etc is poor , although if I do gym classes with music I can keep time impeccably, I regularly make the same tops because my fingers aren't doing what I want them to

Oh I also can't parallel park for toffee

I've been told I have it but no official dx. Stuff I struggle with:

• Following streams of verbal directions or even a few instructions or take in info from huge blocks of text.
• Sensory issues - textures etc, especially lumps in supposedly "smooth" food.
• No sense of direction - I have to learn routes. I can drive (automatic) but being lost frightens me.
• Poor depth perception- I have permanently damaged my foot after crashing down some very shallow but long cotswold stone steps with no white paint on the edges; I couldn't see the edge and hurt myself.
• Poor dexterity- I am appalling at arts and crafts. I do lots of practical things the "wrong" way or the "long way" because it's the only way I can, I can't do stuff like open up printers to sort paper jams because I can't get them open. I don't understand keys at all.
• Some executive function; my "planning" is a bit hit and miss in some areas. I have poor "object recall" - I struggle to find missing items. I'm also hypermobile and falls mean I easily drop or lose or forget items in my distress.

I have some strategies and unaffected skillsets though, practice and routine have helped as I've got older and got more confident and I think I "mask" well. I've also got better at calling out people who condescend.

I think so.lots of driving lesson yet passed first time.
Struggle with coordination can't use a professional coffee machine bump into stuff all the time no good at school sport so never picked for netball or hockey.
Need to do things several times before the penny drops.
I cannot dance or run very well yet I do run for my health when No one's looking.
I'm mid 50s and get tutted a fair bit for clumsiness.

Ah, thanks @OchonAgusOchonOh
Don't think her finances will run to a private appointment.

My son is like this but he's inattentive Adhd medicine helps him focus when he remembers to take it.

I don’t know what I have but I am not able to clearly remember any information given - for example at work.
My manager explains me something and I stare at her, nodding my head like I got it and 1 minute later I ask her what/ how to do it.
Then she looks at me like I’m stupid idiot, they all do, even my colleagues .
Then I apologise to them, calling myself bloody idiot and they just roll their eyes.
When I am home , dealing with my own things, I can go into great details straightaway,remembering everything, but at work or anywhere else i can’t follow anything.

This is interesting reading - my 5 year old DC has had OT sessions and the therapist thinks DC may have it.
we have been given loads of exercises, which we do diligently and think there is an improvement. We are thinking of seeking a diagnosis though, and talking to school regardless - as they might fall off their chair but it’s not their fault, might not be able to follow instructions without clarification and might struggle in PE.

I think I've got it, I'm that person who falls up stairs, walks into door frames and chokes on air. It was only when my GC was getting diagnosed, I realised that it might not just be clumsiness. It doesn't matter how much I concentrate, I drop, spill etc stuff.

It's interesting how people think they have it yet can drive? Maybe it's just clumsiness?

I’ve thought I am dyspraxic for sometime.

~ always been clumsy
~can’t walk down hills
~can’t ride a bike
~shocking typing and despite lessons cannot type with anymore than 2 fingers
~awful at sports at school
~can barely write with a pen. Even when I try and be neat it looks terrible
~can’t do any crafty stuff
~had to quit any instrument I learnt to play as can’t do multiple things at once
~can barely cook
~struggle to regulate emotions
~poorly established hand dominance
~oversensitive to sounds and lights
~can’t read maps
~can’t follow directions

I have recently been diagnosed with inattentive ADHD which I know overlaps in many symptoms. And I’m also quite certain that I’m hypermobile.

Doubt I will seek a diagnosis for the dyspraxia now as not much I can do or need from a diagnosis.

I’m pretty sure I’m dyspraxic though have never been diagnosed. Like many other posters I took lots of attempts - eight - to pass my driving test, and even now I rarely drive as I don’t feel confident enough.

I think what confused me and made me doubt if I was dyspraxic is that there are some physical things I’m fine at - I have a good sense of direction, of left and right, and am good at some sports eg swimming.

But I realised I can only do something physical if there’s no time pressure, urgency, or interaction with other people, if that makes sense. So I can swim up and down in a pool for an hour, but am hopeless with team sports where someone will throw a ball and I’m expected to catch it. And the same with driving - as soon as I encounter something unexpected I just freeze and panic.

Also, I don’t know if it’s dyspraxia related but I’m awful at interpreting diagrams or any info presented visually. I work in a role where people often present quite academic / theoretical ideas using diagrams and I just can’t process it - I need the info simply written down in text.

Yes that seems to be the one that negates it for me

I can't dance and I've never learned to ride a bike

I'm fine with left and right
I don't bump into things

I might just be clumsy.

Oh I can't catch a ball
can't learn by observing a sport - they tried to do that to us with netball at school and I couldn't pick up any rules by watching

Yes - I was awful at PE. When a ball is coming towards me my natural instinct is to get out of the way, not to go towards it and try to catch it, kick it, or whatever!

I know three diagnosed dyspraxics who can drive.

Dyspraxia had a wide variety of symptoms and we all have an individual mix. I don't fall over very often and I can knit and sew. My handwriting is ok but then I am a teacher and have to practice every summer.

I have always struggled with the order of things so had to have my clothes laid out in the correct order until I was ten. That is why I can't drive. There are too many things to order too quickly.

Stairs are a problem but flat is not too bad unless it has been raining or ice or snow!

People will have different things they find difficult.

Oh and I am diagnosed with dyspraxia but was amazing at netball and hockey. Was excused from hurdles and any sort of jumping as my legs can't work out the movement! I did shot and discuss but had to do the glide not the spin.

That is why they struggle to support children with it because there is no typical version.

Yes. Failed 3 driving tests and nearly 20 years on I’m still useless at parking, even with cameras and sensors. I run but that’s about it, I was useless at ball sports and still no good at catching etc. I also find it impossible to follow instructions for things like flat pack furniture, including really really basic things like a bin. Can’t even fold leaflets back the right way! I did a paddle boarding course recently and was by far the worst.

DS7 recently had an OT assessment and scored on the 2nd percentile so very likely has DCD, and I don’t think he got it from DH who seems much better at coordination.

Same when it comes to instructions too, I find it really hard to follow verbal instructions for example at a gym class, where the instructor will reel off a list of moves/reps. I get by by copying everyone else!

I’m also really clumsy, knock things, spilling etc. Also poor planning as you can see by my 3 posts instead of one thought out response!

Omg I 100% have this, struggled with coordination my entire life, can't do dance or aerobic type classes, struggled with driving and using complex physical equipment at work despite being an intelligent person, awful at sports and run weirdly! You are my people!

Also can't do hair!!

I can drive and I have diagnosed dyspraxia. I am particularly poor with fine motor skills (< 2nd percentile).

Not everyone presents with the same symptoms or severity.

I think I have it.

I'm good with fine motor movements - painting, handwriting, sewing. I also know left from right and am a good map reader. I can do those IQ problems where you have to spin shapes etc.

However I can't catch or hit a ball, to the point where it looks ridiculous as I miss it every time.
I walk into things.
I cannot get the hang of driving as my spatial/depth perception is so off.
I can't process lots of verbal information. The happiest turn of work events for me is the rise of zoom so I can see a person speaking and not just a disembodied voice on a phone, as that is slightly easier to follow. Lectures at universities were pointless for me though, as overall I only take in information properly by reading it.
I have sensory issues with bright lights and noise.
I have to write any actions down at work immediately otherwise I forget I have to do. I live by to-do lists both personally and at work.
I can't dance, to the point that strangers have commented on it (I don't dance any more!)
Overall I have a history of anxiety and depression.