Dysphraxia has me fried

[Karenc3]

Finally after years of wondering and silly little half hour appointments to be told - yes she is behind (Well yes we know this) yesterday morning I got the 'I think it could be ....' then the 'but we can't be certain yet' .. ARGH! A referral to the OT is needed.
My DD1 who is 6 almost 7 has had problems with speech from the start, she apparently has problems processing information. Unless it is in drawn picture steps. You cannot tell her more than one step at a time.
She cannot write anything but her own name and even then it can be backwards, no alphabet learned as of yet, books can have one or two words but even at this if you move on from the book at return at a later stage she will not know the words and have to learn them all again. Counting to 10 is okay but again if you leave this she will not remember anything past 4.
Memory is a problem, along with communication and making friends is extremely hard, to the point that when she tried it ended up with a large amount of bullying to the point that this weekend just past I had to get the police involved after a P6 had her fist not far from her face just out my back garden.
She loves dancing, she loves other kids - it's just these things do not seem to agree with her at all.
She is ending up stressed with herself as she cannot communicate what she wants to tell me - it takes a good few attempts at a sentence which can end up going no where. She doesn't like looking straight at you when talking - looking behind you seems to be part and parcel.
She could sit and draw all night - her pictures are top notch, detailed to the last gem in every princess's Tiara. Not worried about future I can see a little wedding dress designer in the making .
The school seems to be at a standstill as they do not seem to know how to approach teaching her - and really want a Diagnosis.

Any other mums/dads know anything about dysphraxia, does this sound like what any other mums/dads go through? any hints on how to get other kids to be understanding?

Major Question - is the OT the last step towards the Diagnosis so the school can take that step forward with her?
No one can seem to put a path infront of me that this follows I like to have a form, such as doctor to this person to OT and then yes you will know - I am as good at this uncertainty as I am going somewhere without a set Map and wondering around trying to find somewhere! It seriously frustrates me

Ohhhh, this sounds awful.

Yes an OT can diagnose dyspraxia.

However it's not like you're going to get a dx and suddenly everything is going to be brilliant.

She sounds like she needs SALT. Does she go to one?

Have you tried Omega Fish Oil - it has had quite a dramatic effect on my DDs learning difficulties.

There's loads and loads you can do to help. But it is all slow to figure out and painstakingly hard to do so. But there is loads and loads you can do, and will do, to help your DD.

Keep reading and posting here, and you'll soon start to get loads of ideas.....

Not heard of SALT before in my four years of asking for help we have been to the GP, the developmental clinic, have extra help at the school 2hours a week, and a speech therapist who visits the school.
The developmental clinic we have visited twice, last was yesterday but it is a rather large gap in between (We have 18 months now until they will see her again)
with the OT in what they feel will be three months time.
I think it is more frustrating now that she is herself complaining about having work she says 'Is not even primary one work' - she does not want to do her homework as she finds it repetitive and feels she is getting no where.
Might give the Omega Fish Oil a go (Which she will enjoy as anything with the word fish in it she loves)
I know the DX wont work miracles but at least the school will have a DX to work off of [Smile]

Thnx for your response :)

School don't need a diagnosis - they should provide her with an education according to her needs and should have an IEP in place by the sounds of things.

What about asking the LEA for a statement? You can do this yourself and don't have to wait for the school to do this.

Perhaps difficult to provide an education according to her needs without a diagnosis, but nonetheless the school seem to be sitting back on their haunches and they really shouldn't be.

I can recommend a really good book on Developmental Dyspraxia, but not sure if that's what it is.

SALT is Speech (and language) Therapist. So sounds like you've already got one.

If you can afford it you can always go to an OT privately. Not necessarily for a dx, but also for therapy (because the NHS will not provide what you need :( )

Have you had her eyes tested by a behavioural optometrist and had her hearing tested by an audiologist?

We have an IEP in place at the moment, but very subtle things like getting dressed herself after gym, making a friend etc Which as you can imagine is something that may challenge her herself but it is not the same as what the other children are doing - she does education city on the computer in class where the other children may be doing a class project. Her IEP has been done with the best intentions of the school, but when it comes to teaching her the alphabet and reading they have went through so many different things that have left my DD that stumped she has faked being sick, made herself be physically sick, she has also came back telling her horror stories that she later admitted to making up. Which was down to the work being difficult enough for her that it stressed her out - so I think the teachers are as stumped as we are. (Something that did work was games - throwing a beanbag onto numbers but they cannot do that every school day as they do not have enough for 1to1)
With it being a village school it is tiny with very little available to it - have been tossing the idea about of moving her to a school with more available to it but then there are more students using them ...

Your DD sounds very similar to mine (now 9). We still have no diagnosis but she is very definitely very dyspraxic. Our problem has been that she has had so many significant health issues that the dyspraxia? has been until now less important. We have moved areas and finally being assessed by an EP and school have referred to an OT (which I understand is the way to go. Like your DD she was seen twice for a developmental assessment but no diagnosis.

My DD is also a fantastic artist, but struggles with most other things! She was bullied severely from year 2 onwards at her last school. The new school has been a completely different story. The EP have given them strategies to improve her working memory - really basic things like spot the difference puzzles, find Wally etc - time her to see if she improves. She also attends self-esteem workshops as like your DD she was very aware of her lack of ability. These simple things resulted in a 2 year progress last term in literacy. Other things are still a major struggle e.g maths etc but they've noticed that pictoral aids make a massive difference.

Hope you get an answer soon - I know how frustrating it is.

Had hearing and eyes tested - they said that they think at an early stage of learning her ears may have been clogged up enough towards the back enough for her not to hear. Eyes are fine all round.

Ah, how did I not get the SALT thing lol - yup she has had the same lady for two years now :)

Was looking at private yesterday it could end up going that way depending as they just are not quick enough for me (Getting impatient with them - which is terrible but, being one of those want it tomorrow people that's just it) :)

My DD also is having huge difficulties learning to read.

If you want to do something with her at home I can recommend Bearing Away - but you know as well as I do that it might or might not help.

I know Moondog swears by the computer program Headsprout.

The OT is the best way forward. DS1 (diagnosed Dyspraxia and ASD age 9, now 11) had loads of trouble in school, not achieving, testing well below ability, always in trouble as he couldn't keep still or quiet. The OT has been a pathway to a new hardworking, high achieving boy. The OT will do lots of little tests and checks with her and then recommend the way forward. With a few exercises and easy to access aids for the classroom she has changed DS1's school life. It's not as much the diagnosis as the helpful hints your OT can give you. I SO wish we had gone when he was 6 not 9 as it would have made such a difference to his primary school career.

DS1 is in a small village school too but it has been wonderful for him, I hope your appointment goes well, good luck and chin up, you are going in the right direction.

Newlife4us good luck on getting an answer soon to - we have the same frustrations I see. Have you every came across one of the support groups with the Dyspraxia Foundation? We have been looking at going to one of them but they so far away - but look worth while.

Thanks everyone - loving the feedback :) Glad I came and posted on Mumsnet :) x