Dyspraxia Diagnosis in Adults

[GoldenWombat]

Has anyone here been diagnosed with dyspraxia in their adulthood? If so, were you able to do so on the NHS or did you have to go private?

Do you think you benefited from getting a diagnosis? If so, in what way?

For years I've suspected that I may have dyspraxia - I struggle with coordination, memory, speech, and have messy handwriting. I stammer and fall over my words when speaking to people I'm not close to. I have difficulty understanding what people are saying whenever there's any level of external noise or distraction, and I find it very hard to multitask. I feel like a diagnosis would benefit me as I could a) week targeted advice from an occupational therapist as to how to manage my difficulties in the workplace and b) have some means of explaining to others that I'm not being lazy or stupid.

I just feel like I have to work so hard at not being clumsy, or to just talk normally. And I find it incredibly grating that people make fun of me for it. I hated playing sports at school as I lacked coordination and my teachers would mock me for it. I feel like a diagnosis would give me some form of closure.

I was diagnosed at 35. I was doing a masters at the time. I dont think the nhs will pay for this. If i wanted i could get a voice activated typing programme for work but thats about it in terms of adjustments.

I can't imagine anything more horrifying than a voice activated laptop - I can't speak in any form of logical order xD Just out of interest, what prompted you to seek a diagnosis?

My terrible spelling. I always knew there was something wrong sor it has helped me understand myself

I've had a private SpLD assessment that confirmed my difficulties, but no official diagnosis. I just tell people I have dyspraxia anyway - it's not a fashionable thing to claim to have, and most NHS people who are aware of it are also aware of the costs of diagnosis. I just bear in the back of my mind that it is a diagnosis of exclusion, so I may turn out to have some other condition instead that explains my relatively severe symptoms (I had social services come round and make adaptations to my house...)

I would suggest seeking a similar solution - at the end of the day, I suspect that it is not having a specific named condition that would give you closure, but having confirmation of your difficulties. Having those assessed is much easier and much cheaper than a dyspraxia diagnosis, which is basically the medical equivalent of saying "we haven't got a clue what's wrong with you".

Chouetted you're right - I think that just some recognition of how hard I have to work at being "normal" would be enough for me, along with some acceptance from family that I'm not just 'being rubbish' but am actually having to put in a lot of effort to not spill things and stay vaguely upright!

I did do a dyspraxia assessment when I was a child and the school suggested my parents follow up on it. But I was doing well academically so my parents didn't see the point. But the more I read articles on adults living with dyspraxia, the more it resonates with my own experiences.

The nhs only diagnoses people who have acquired dyspraxia through brain injury as far as I know. If you are born with it and have reached adulthood without diagnosis you will have to pay for an assessment. I just found a private occupational therapist. In my case the assessment didn’t take long, just over an hour, this may be because i have relatively classic signs. Perhaps you should do enough research to approach a private OT with your specific concerns and take it from there.