Books for me about Dyspraxia.

[discoverlife]

DS I believe has dyspraxia, he went through all the teasts when younger but nobody would give us a definative diagnosis. Only with the help of another MNer did I find the Dyspraxia.org website and found that DS ticks nearly all the boxes.
So I would like some reading for me about it, ways I can help Ds etc.
I am off to the library later on and can order them as its only small and doesn't have anything like that.

"Dyspraxia- The Hidden Handicap", by Dr. Amanda Kirby.
This is my Bible.
It is written in everyday language, and I bought it about 7 years ago when I first suspected my ds has dyspraxia.
He is now a teenager and I still dip into the book for new life-stages.

Brill, I will see if I can get it from Amazon or through the library.
If you don't mind me asking, did you end up self-diagnosing as well. My DS seemed to see all sorts of diferent specialist but not one of them would give an umbrella diagnosis.

I now have to have DS jumping through the hoops again as we need the DLA for him. But as we are Home Educating we won't have an un-biased 'proffesionals opinion' to put on the reports. So have to have up to date referrals etc.

I agree with the title, it is hidden, but its invasive, it affects everything he does. From playing badminton in the garden to ladeling soup for our tea. He loves to cook, but the number of accidents he has. Oh boy! And a great love of mine, reading, I have always believed that any one can improve themselves with the ability to read, but what happens when they find it difficult? I have had quite a few re-appraisals of my beliefs in the last few weeks.

Google Kate Ripley. She is an LEA EP (amongst other things) and she has written loads of books on Dyspraxia. The independent EP I saw this week recommends her books to parents with children with Dyspraxia.

This is very good.

If there is a diagnosis, this is very good for children.

I found actually getting a diagnosis for DS2 really hard, even though his Dyspraxia has since been described as "severe" - the buck was passed between OT and community paediatrician for ages. EVen if he's had an OT assessment, you can re-refer him yourself - ring them and ask for the questionnaire. Don't be afraid of hassling and nagging - you have to be SO persistent.

Thats the problem I have had, DS actually had SALT for 5 years, pre-school sessions 3 times a week at the local Child Development Centre for 3 hours a day, and 1 to 1 support for the whole of his school life. Yet not one of them would give me a diagnosis. And the school had the audacity to say on the DLA form that they did not notice any behavioural diffences. Grrrr.

discoverlife - the difficulty with a diagnosis is that beause Dyspraxia is a medical condition, it has to be diagnosed by a medic - in our case, eventually, the community paediatrician. SALTs and OTs etc can say that they think he might be Dyspraxic, but you have to get a doctor to actually write it on a bit of paper. Do you have a sympathetic GP you could go back to?

I have just moved house (7 months ago) and will see if I can get the really nice doc at this new surgery. My last doctor once told my DH that his crippling Rhumatoid Arthritis was all in his head!.
I have decided to get the ball rolling again, mind you I will be amazed if the records have come through as they lost his records last time and it took 3 years for his appointment for his MRI to come through.

the dyscovery centre is run in conjunction with Dr Amanda Kirby do google that it should help you!

We have the Madelein Portwood as linked by Hassled, recommend it, will look out for Amanda Kirby too.

Kikby brill - borrowed it from library. EP diagnosed for us after school dismissed as late developer! Good Luck