Is there any benefit in a child being diagnosed with dyspraxia?

[frances5]

My son's community paediatrian thinks he might be dyspraxic. I am not keen on my son being labelled at the age of five.

He is doing really well with reading and maths, but find writing really hard.

Speaking as a mother of a child who has struggled until age 10 and now has a diagnosis (dyslexia but am sure there is some dyspraxia there too), I would say get the label and get the help it affords. Things will probably not improve without it and I wish we had known 'officially' earlier. Your son will not be the only one with a 'label' and it may take the pressure off him and you.

i only have experience of possible dyslexia - dd1 has a private tutor once a week to help her with her reading and spelling - the tutor is a bit of an expert in dyslexia and dyspraxia, she suspects a bit of both in dd1 but we agree 'so what' - she's getting extra help and thats all we can do. Luckily we can just about afford the extra money so unless things get worse we are not interested in seeking an official diagnosis.

It depends and atm it may be too early for you to decide. Perhaps he'd get extra help at school, either one-to-one or with special materials later on. We are in a similar position with ds now 9. tbh it is one of those things which often goes unnoted in the classroom unless it is severe and causes a behavioural issue, so we have now at least got a report from the OT which highlights ds' practical difficulties to the shcool ( and suggests ways they could help, perhaps giving him extra exam time for writing for example) and also to his sports teachers, since his coordination issues can affect his self confidence in physical team games . If we have to get a formal diagnosis to reinforce this we will.

oh and like lizs, her school have been very helpful - giving her an extra wide space to hang her coat etc and making sure she has help with buttons after swimming, and generally understanding she has difficulty with doing things in a hurry.

An official diagnosis for dyslexia may be useful and indeed crucial when they are at secondary school as they get extra time and/or a scribe in exams etc.

Yes, yes, yes. DS2 was diagnosed at 6 (he's now nearly 9). The diagnosis helped enormously with his self-esteem (he'd been blaming himself for lousy handwriting, clumsiness etc) and he was much happier to be labelled. Meanwhile he's been put on an Individual Education Plan so that he has specific targets - eg improving his typing skills at school, sitting still at his table and not getting up for 10 minute stretches, etc. In his recent SATs he had a scribe - his teacher reckoned he was able to put down on paper about a quarter of the amount someone of comparable intelligence could, so the scribe was essential. The school are now trying to get him his own laptop - not sure that any of this would have been possible without the formal diagnosis.

Absolutely!

Since DD1's diagnosis we've been able to get more support for her at school, SALT, OT and as she enters the school system they'll be on the lookout for any learning challenges she may likely face.

Ds2 was diagnosed at age 4. I was able to get disability living allowance for him which has paid for all the extra expenses such as tutoring because school have been very obstructive since the diagnosis in providing any help for him. Replacing everything he loses because of his disorganisation, shoes that never last a term, ruined clothes because most of his food ends up down him, and so many more extra expenses that crop up.

He's just been re-referred to speech and language therapy and if that takes months to see him, then it will be put towards private speech and language therapy.

Having the 'label' also helps in seeking the right help.

My son has no signs of verbal dyspraxia. The only speech problems he has had have been caused by deafness. His speech is now fine.

His organisational skills are not too had and he will follow instructions provided he has heard them.

He is certainly not dyslexic as he spell simple three letter words and is reading stage 5 of the Oxford Reading Tree. (He is at the end of the reception year)

However his fine and gross motor skills are complete and utter disaster area. He finds it incrediably hard to control a pencil. He used to have a child physio, but his walking and running is much better now. The paediatrian thinks he needs an occupational therapist.

My son can't hop and his balance is poor. My feeling is though - am I bothered? I was more bothered when he couldn't walk properly at the age of two. I feel really confused because our old physio didn't think there was anything wrong with him neurologically. She thought that his walking problems were orthopedic. She told me that my son had an excellent sense of balance. Now I am getting people telling me his balance is poor.

Oh absolutely yes in my opinion. My DD was diagnosed when she was 5 in reception. She has had OT and physio to help her with all sort of things to help her with PE and playground games (she has hypermobility as well so the physio was a big help). OT has helped with things like pencil grip, zips, eating, laces and lots of other things that I can't remember.

As with Hassled knowing there is a reason has hugely helped her self esteem, she was aware that she was different in some way and struggled with things that others didn't as she got older. She has had support in the classroom, a writing board, special pens, a scribe. All this has really helped her and when she got discharged from her last lot of physio etc, the school have moved her off the active register onto just monitoring as her progress had been so good.

I've been warned that as the other children have a developmental spurt she will probably need some more help to help her catch them up again and she may need a keyboard when she gets to middle school, jury is out on this one.

We're are thinking of moving schools due to DH's work which will mean her moving schools, a very big thing for her. I am apprehensive but having her diagnosis behind her I know that if she does need help I am in a much better position to push so she gets it if necessary.

In our area NHS OT stops at age 7 and it helps. So early diagnosis gets treatment which is helpful and fun, late and its up to the wallet!

I know where you're coming from.

Sad to say that a diagnosis is often necessary to get help in school. If a child has undiagnosed difficulties they join the vast numbers of other children with 'difficulties' and no-one has to push the boat out to help them. Often the label entitles them to lots of support.

In our area NHS physio is very basic. Ie. They are more concerned that a kid has functional walking rather than what the gait looks like or even the speed.My son had physio for 18 months between the ages of two and and three and half years old to help with basic skills like walking and getting to standing unaided.

What sort of physical skills is a five year old expected to have? My son can walk and run although he is a bit slow and his walking gait is strange.

I can understand what you are saying but I think the difference (in writing) will become more evident as he gets older. So now in reception, there are probably lots of children who can't write well anyway but come the end of yr2, when most children have got the gist and he may not have done, if he isn't getting the extra help, you may find that he starts getting frustrated or upset (iyswim).

I don't want to paint a gloomy picture because it's not like that and your son sounds super capable anyway but I think IF getting a 'label' means that he will be able to access any help, then it will be worth it in the long run.

Frances, my elder daughter will be 4 next week and, like your son, she also has a wide gait and is slow. She still handflaps when excited, too.

Doesn't seem to understand the concept of potty training at all, either.

does he fall off chairs, with a diagnosis an OT might be able to get hi ma special chair. dd2 has 'low muscle tone' some professionals suspect dyspaxia type tendancy still no official dx, but she has a breezi chair which is like a tripp trapp but with extra balence points.

What is most important is that you get the right help and if that means a label, so what? Your child will be the same child to you whether theyhave a label or not.
I work as a dyslexia /ADD tutor and also have dyspraxic pupils. In addition I am a parent coach. There is no benefit in not having a diagnosis- it doesn't make the problem go away.
Many parents don't want labels but that's like burying your head in the sand. You should be pelased that the condition has been picked up- many parents, especially of dyslexics, have to fight to get anyone to take notice.

My own son is dyslexic and I was relieved when I found out, as it meant I knew he wa sbright but had a problem we could work on- he is now at university and hopes to start a masters degree next year.

I have written a feature on dyspraxia and what it is like for the family, which will be in My Child parenting magazine next month.
If you want to contact me via CAT here then do so and I can tell you what I provide for parents.

I suppose we are exceptionally lucky. We have been given loads of free help without having to fight for it at all.

My son has been refered to an occupational therapist without me demanding it. He has also had 18 months of physio when he was younger and has been given hearing aids.

He hasn't yet formally been given a label. but it does seem that dyspraxia is a possible cause.

What mysterfies me is that my son has none of the soft signs of dyspraxia. He has plenty of little friends, his speech is good, his reading is excellent.

The only issue we seem to have is gross and fine motor skills. For example my son finds writing, dressing, using sissors difficult.

my youngest was diagnose with verbal dyspraxia aged just 2. We have now had 9 months of pretty intence SALT and, now aged 3, i can understand most of what he is saying which is lovely.

I work in the local school as an LSA and know the nursery staff well. He starts in January and i have no concerns now as he is still going to be seeing a speech therapist for the forseeable future and the staff at (nursery)school will be very supportive.

His concentration levels and co-ordination are fantastic...but i know that it may affect his reading and literacy skills.

With it being diagnosed at such a young age, I am able to inform his nursery and school which means he will be getting help and support from day 1.

My son only has physical coordination problems. He has excellent speech inspite of having a hearing impairment.

However he was late in learning to walk and is now having real problems with his fine motor skills.

Is it possible for a child to have physical dyspraxia without verbal dyspraxia?

YES! It can be a real bonus when you apply for DLA and if/when he needs help at school.

DD1 has had gross and fine motor skills delays pretty much all her life, speech delays, etc.

Her father has dyspraxia and assorted learning disabilities - his father and brother are also dyspraxic.