dyspraxia? yr 1

[oliverreed]

hello, can anyone offer any advice/experience.

My ds yr 1 just 6 is really struggling with writing things down. he has lovely handwriting but is very, very slow and occasionally gets letters and numbers back to front. For example, for his homework at the weekend he had to write about a simple picture. He said what he wanted to write but immediately 'lost' the words when it came to writing out. It's as if the wireless connection to his hands from his brain isn't working!

In the past he missed lots of play time to catch up on work at school until I asked if we could take it home instead. He is an above average reader (stage 10 ORT) and is above average for mental maths. he has recently had a comprehensive visual assessment and everything is okay wrt that.

We have also been trying to teach him to ride a bike for two weeks solid now and he just can't get the hang of it. I feel like these issues are connected - could he be dyspraxic? He is quite good at sports but doesn't enjoy them.

He is at an academic 'prep' so i think there is an expectation to 'keep up'.
He was diagnosed with hypermobile joints when he was younger but was discharged from the OT service after he was given orthotics aged 3.

Any clues as to what I should be doing (or maybe not doing?) next.

It's a shame we didn't have this conversation 5 years ago...

By the way - the comment i made about the school being "ofsted outstanding" was tongue in cheek as I personally didn't find it particularly outstanding.

thanks for the input everyone - there seem to be several intervention avenues. I am seeing ds teacher this week and I know the school have a well regarded SENCO so she may be able to help. Although it's an academic prep, from talking to other mums, they are quite supportive of children with additional learning needs. I'm inclined to start with the OT service but don't know how long the waiting list will be as it's been 3 years since he was discharged from their service. Will I need to be referred via the GP?

I feel a little bit overwhelmed really by this - we were pootling along nicely thinking all was going well because he is a good reader and in the top ability group for maths. He is so eager to learn and soaks up information and experiences. My dh not helping much as he thinks I'm over reacting and things will just iron themselves out. The school havn't mentioned his writing to me at all but ds has told me that he is on a table with the Teaching assistant for writing practice. He point blank refuses to write/draw/colour in at home.

There is a child in my class this year who achieving highly but has obvious physical needs ... receiving the OT report I'm amazed he copes so well.

I had DD diagnosed with dyspraxia in Year 1. We used a private OT for assessments, reports and therapy as well and we felt it was money well worth spending. I know others would find it a waste of money but it's such a postcode lottery what the school will fund and at least we knew it would definitely take place rather than putting it all into their hands.

DD has improved drastically, but she does continue to have problems and is at secondary now. The reports and history of using the same OT helped us get a place at a specialist school for dyslexia/dyspraxia funded by the LEA where she gets more intensive help, so it was definitely a worthwhile investment in the end.

mrz, yours must be a truly marvellous school.

Ours does not have anything like this recourse for mild sen. Severe sen, a different matter. Ime if you can't afford to pay for extra help/ don't know how to access it your child will be severely disadvantaged

Mine is an average school no different to hundreds around the country