Dyspraxic daughter - advice welcome please!

[BCBG]

My youngest dd is just ending year 3 in a private school locally. She has some hypermobility problems as she is very tall, but is also behind physically (EG can't ride a bike) but is having OT once a week which has helped a lot. She has been diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder, about which I know very little ... Generally, because she is at a very 'gentle' school (for want of a better word) she fits in quite well, but her academic attainment is now beginning to slip noticeably. For example, when the problems were first picked up she could read well above her age, scored 98% in verbal and non verbal tests, but three years BELOW her actual age for writing skills. She has an Auditory Processing Disorder which seems to mean she can memorise huge lists of words, but cannot spell the majority of very simple words in free writing, even though her vocabulary is still good (but not as good as it was). In her latest tests the SEN teacher reported that although her reading is advancing it has not advanced as much over the year as they would have expected, and her accuracy is dropping. She has Wordshark on a computer at home now, by the way. The SEN has recommended that we now get her seen by an ED Psych to get her extra time and a laptop in school. How does this work, please? What will the ES be looking for and how do they test DD? Will it help long term or not? Also, does anyone else have a 'dyspraxic' DD who can tell me how she coped at school? DD is beginning to stand out like a sore thumb and not just because of her height, but because of her fear of loud noises, rough and tumble and so on and I want to help her achieve as much as she can while not putting pressure on her.

To put this in perspective, I have four DCs, of whom one is academically outstanding by any measure (but a PITA ] ) and two are averagely bright. DD is (or used to be) verbally and mentally very similar to the brightest one, but we can tell that she is losing that sparkle, as reading books and magazines etc becomes less and less attractive to her . The worst thing is that her current SEN has said that academically, DD is 18th out of 34 in the year so is doing well anyway? Sorry for long ramble but I really do not have any experience of this world, and before I get flamed, I DO appreciate that DD's problems are extremely minor compared with SN children, but her problems are nevertheless real ones for her. TIA

Bump? I would really be grateful to hear the experiences of other MNers.... it probably does seem trivial to people coping with much more intractable problems, but DD is precious to me and I hate it that she thinks she's 'no good' at things which with the right help maybe she could be?

I would strongly recommend getting her neuro developmental delay therapy, it really can make a huge difference.

This is one organisation that trains practioners but there are others out there

www.inpp.org.uk/

I've used it to help 2 of my dc with different problems with great success, you have to pay but worth every penny. That is a very informative site. The person I used works out of Windsor and a few other places if you're anywhere local to that.

Neuro development delay? I've never even heard of that! She does have this Sensory Integration Disorder but the hearing consultant she saw (to check for loss) said that her auditory problem was as a result of impaired neuro development but that the processing problem couldn't be repaired

Also, DD had MASSIVE doses of antibiotics intravenously for a week after birth - does any one know if that can affect development in these sorts of ways?

Have you looked at all the info on the website.

Yes, yes and yes tbh

I have mild APD and am considering having treatment for myself too but just haven't got around to it.

The brain is very very very clever!

bcbg

I can't help but am watching this thread with interest and wish you all the best. dd1 is 5, just finishing reception and is currently waiting to see an OT as the school says and we can see her coordination problems

I don't know much about dyspraxia but dd is a tricky child and she is terrified of loud noises, rough and tumble and therefore has a lot of problems in the playground. Are these common to dyspraxic children? Sorry to be such an ignoramus and only ask questions instead of answering yours but I am only just beginning to realise how much her personality may be linked to the dyspraxia

Very good luck to you and I hope others come on to help

please please read all the info on that organisation I linked to, having treatment will help your dc so much. I'm not a practioner, not on commision (I wish ) dh and I were so skeptical but we noticed differences withing the first 6 weeks, dd learnt to run properly, it was just amazing!

Hi Cargirl: yes I have read (and reread) info on website: my nephew is being treated there for Non-Specific Developmental Delay and is due to do a residential course under their direction, but he is borderline autistic as well. I suppose what I am asking is what does an Ed Psych look for/what do they add to what is already known/does having access to a laptop and extra time help or are these problems ones that she will have to adapt to if you see what I mean?

I think by seeing the Ed Psych she will get statemented and then the LEA will be obliged to help her etc I think the laptop will help due to the spell check function? I certainly wouldn't turn it down because it's easier to be in the system earlier on than later.

@ MrsShakleton.. yes, DD was first spotted when her coordination began to lag noticeably behind her peers, when she fell over or was clumsy, when she was scared of the running around in the playground. She was and is terrified of firealarm practice, fireworks, hand dryers in toilets, electric fans and loud bangs. She cant pedal a bike and has only just (after OT) learned to jump on and off something, hold onto bars with a hand grip, or swing herself backwards and forwards. She has no sensible concept of time passing but can tell the time well as an exercise: she cant be given more than one instruction at a time, (i.e "clean your teeeth then put pjs on") and is constantly easily distracted by any sensory stimuli around her meaning that concentration in lessons was poor until recently when the school started to focus on her.

Thanks both of you, I am going to contact your people cargirl. Good luck to you both

Several, but not all of the symptoms being discussed sound oh so familiar. Both I and my Oldest DD(12) are dyspraxic (the test/evaluation results ranged from very to severly on several indicators although not on all). Youngest DD(7) is almost certainly also dyspraxic although in some areas less challenged than her sister or me (in other areas, more so).

Dyspraxia as a 'condition' can cover a wide variety or challenges/behaviours. We are lucky in this family that it hasn't affected academic performance other than presentation-wise and geometry, cartography and health and safety-wise. DD(12) and DD(7) are both academically outstanding for their ages, despite both of them having the spatial awareness of .......something with no spatial awareness. :o

PE is always a nightmare -unless set to music (DD(12) displays improved coordination with music around, DD(6) is a born dancer so long as there is music. Turn the music off, she's flat on her bum within seconds poor thing). They both play musical instruments, DD(12) to an high standard for her age but she really struggled with piano for years(just like her mum:o ). She has cracked not watching her hands now though and is much better (just passed grade 3). The really difficult issues we have with them apart from the whole can't walk across a room without falling over, can't produce acceptably neat work without inordinate effort, things are the personal skills and sensory related ones. Both have real issues with cleaning their teeth -their gums are constantly bleeding cos they keep, you know, missing their teeth with their brushes and never ever remember to go gently and slowly. Well, rarely. They cannot bear showers (the sensation of the water on the head) and the little one still screams the house down when her (thick curly) hair is combed. I can appreciate how she feels - I have a very extreme reaction to my hair being touched too, also my ears.

Their schools have been generally supportive although ultimately the message is develop coping strategies and to be honest, since that is what I had to do in a world which didn't know about dysoraxia and in which I felt constantly crap and rubbish even though I was always top of the class academically and ended up at oxbridge from a state comprehensive, I can't disagree with that. The best coping strategies are the ones you develop yourself. My best strategy has been to always be friends with competent people. It makes a massive difference knowing there will always be someone around who can open that jar, that envelope, that child safe bottle, who can do the shoelaces, or reach up high without disaster........DD(12) has also picked up this strategy, her closest friend is beautifully competent and doesn't mind about DD(12)'s issues - she says she makes up for it in other ways. Sadly DD(7) has friends who laugh at her when she gets in a tizz or falls over etc. She'll learn. Or they will.

I think the message I would give to people with dyspraxic kids who aren't dyspraxic themselves is that it isn't the frightening thing you might think at the outset. The mantra of 'go slow. Play music in your head' really works. These days kids with dysoraxia get more time in exams etc which must be of immense help (for me and DD(12) the thought of a time limit introduces extreme stress which translates into even worse writing and presentation ). And things can get better over time as coking strategies are developed. Ive heard people say that some kids grow out of it. Well, that wasn't my personal experience but if that does happen for some then thats even better than an effective coping strategy but coping strategies can be remarkably powerful. So, you know, nil desperandum.

And for all you mums who hate ironing - I am completely and utterly banned from ironing by my husband and all my children ( who took their hint from my late parents and my sister). Completely banned. :o So there are benefits!