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SN children

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Original poster

Nursery wants to talk - they think maybe dyspraxia. What do I do?

36 replies

DandyGilver · 10/08/2011 20:04

Hi. My nursery manager took me aside today to mention some concerns that his key worker has with DS.

-balance
-easily distracted
-wanders around a lot and does not join in
-lack of eye contact

Having looked up some stuff on the web, other things ring a bell

-not being consistenty left or right handed
-difficulty pedalling a tricycle

So I wonder if they might be right. What do I do? What will they want to do?

Thanks

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 10/08/2011 21:02

They will want to refer you to a health professional - or they may want you to go to your GP and ask for a referral to a child development paed.

The school itself can not make a diagnosis. They can however do interventions to help with his fine and gross motor skills. (Ask if they are planning to do anything like that.)

You are very lucky they have picked it up. Sounds like a great nursery.

Don't panic. It's not nearly as bad as you first think - and with a good nursery / school it's an awful lot easier.

I suggest listening to them, and agreeing to whatever they suggest

Chummybud1 · 10/08/2011 21:03

My son has Dcd same as dyspraxia.

With him and I assume same with all children

They will refer con to occupation therapist and the language therapist.
They will both test and assess you son. Not scary test just done in a normal nursery environment.
They will then if need put in place exercises, programme to suit his needs.
It's not as scary as it all sounds and it's great they have picked up on it so young as thy can really help your son at this age, and have all his needs sorted before he begins school.

Big hug to you, be brave and remember regardless of the outcome the wee son you have now will not change.

Original poster

DandyGilver · 10/08/2011 21:47

Many thanks. Suddenly I'm just really worried about what it might mean for his future.

OP posts:

Chummybud1 · 10/08/2011 22:07

Well it really depends on the severity but I would not worry to much. I can only speak for my own son and every child is different he is now 12 and about to start high school and has severe Dcd. The occupational therapist said he is the worse she has seen.

He is in mainstream school and has a regular group of friends.
He can read farely well, he is poor at Maths, his writing is readable just but he uses a lap top. He can't go a bike but has a stunt scooter and is envy of his friends. He is rubbish at most sport but is a whizz at science and history.

He hates noisy busy places, prefers more quiet activities like fishing etc

He manages daily but needs help brushing teeth washing hair and is a very messy eater.

He struggles with anxiety and needs more support and encouragement than other kids.

He does however go to school happy every day, has friends over, plays with friends, and is a happy funny teenaged.

It's really not that bad, your son will adapt as he goes along, he will be happy, he will have friends and with a little help will lead a normal life.

Don't fret about future, wait for diagnosis and take it as it comes.

Original poster

DandyGilver · 10/08/2011 22:17

Thanks Chummybud, I'm just being a bit PFB. I will see what the nursery says.

OP posts:

PaperView · 10/08/2011 22:21

DOn't fret about his whole life. Just have the meeting with nursery and see what their concerns are first of all. Then you can see what the next step is.

Chummybud1 · 10/08/2011 22:37

Yeah take a step at a time, with him being so young they will be able to help him a lot,

Remember there is loads of people in the same boat that are here to lean on

lisad123 · 10/08/2011 23:09

how old is he?
I would meet with the nursery team, start a home diary about concerns you might have, call the health visitor, and ask for a referral to a devolpmental pead.
These things take a long time to get though, from start to finish for a dx of ASD, its 18months (but may be quicker for other disorders), but nothing comes quick under NHS.
I wish dd1 nursery had been a little more clear about their concerns other than a few hints, she may have had more early imput.

Mamma101 · 11/08/2011 00:33

Sounds like a good nursery. I was told by my son's preschool that he had poor motor skills because I "didn't take him out enough". Grrrrrrrrrr.
He's now in school and his teacher wants to refer him to the Educational Psychologist. She wasn't totally clear about why, but I think it's a combination of all his quirky little ways.
I've also been everywhere looking for advice and the general consensus seems to be that a referral would be a good thing. And getting a referral would not automatically lead to him getting a label.

Original poster

DandyGilver · 11/08/2011 09:42

Had the meeting with nursery today, they are going to do more 1;1 work with him and set targets. Will send these to us so we can do similar at home.

They also advised me to take DS to the GP, so we have an appointment tomorrow. DS has had several ear infections and aside from anything else we need the GP to rule that out as the cause of his balance problems.

Nursery staff very positive, that he will flourish over the next year before he goes to school, but I am still upset. I am now going on to Amazon to order every book I can find.

OP posts:

PaperView · 11/08/2011 11:11

Sounds very positive to me. You have a very pro active nursery. YOur GP can refer you and your DS on to other people who can help and assess. Ruling out balance problems due to ear infections was something we did at first too (DS has DYspraxia).

Did nursery say what his specific difficulties were?

Original poster

DandyGilver · 11/08/2011 11:21

Yes

balance/falling over. He seems to be "top heavy". Runs with his head down.

flaps at his ears when he runs

concentration time below the rest of his year group

doesn't join in the groups

lack of eye contact (I have reservations about that because he makes plenty of eye contact with me when he is telling me something or if we are talking about going somewhere etc, When I tell him off or tell him something he doesn't want to hear thats a different story)

slow responsiveness to instructions

OP posts:

CognitiveDissident · 11/08/2011 11:33

Ask for a referral to an Paediatrician, specifically a Child Developmental Specialist. Also (might be talking out of my arse here;shoot me down if I'm wrong) maybe get his hearing checked. A lot of those difficulties are seen in children with minor hearing loss or chronic, low-level middle and inner ear infections. Balance and proprioception are often affected as well as hearing.

IndigoBell · 11/08/2011 11:33

What are his fine and gross motor skills like?

Original poster

DandyGilver · 11/08/2011 12:12

IndigoBell

His fine motor skills are good. His key worker says he holds a pencil well, can colour in well, use scissors well (age appropriate level) and he can copy his name.

He falls over and bumps into things a lot (more than his peer group).

CognitiveDissident.

I will ask for his hearing to be checked. He has has several ear infections. And both drums have perforated.

Thanks

OP posts:

lisad123 · 11/08/2011 12:24

please also look at ASD. I dont want to panic you, and it could be nothing at all, but some of what you say rings true of DD2 who has a dx of Autism. So her eye contact isnt great, especially in new places and new people, she hand flaps, has poor concentration skills, wanders aimlessly, has recessive language delay (so takes time respondig to question or instructions), falls alot (but she has hypomobilty too), and doesnt like to join in.

TotalChaos · 11/08/2011 12:36

might also be worth getting him checked over by a speech therapist, to rule out problems understanding language being behind difficulties with instructions etc.

IndigoBell · 11/08/2011 12:36

Ok, this is a really dumb question - but can you have dyspraxia if your fine motor skills are fine?

Original poster

DandyGilver · 11/08/2011 12:41

This is a question I will be asking the doc!

Nursery clear that they can't make a diagnosis but listing their concerns alongside other stuff dyspraxia has been mentioned.

OP posts:

lisad123 · 11/08/2011 13:01

just looked at dyspraxia signs, so many of them cross over with autism, I never knew that

IndigoBell · 11/08/2011 13:09

lisa - ASD / ADHD / Dyspraxia and Dyslexia all have huge crossover.

I think they're all different symptoms which are caused by the same underlying problems.

PaperView · 11/08/2011 13:39

LisaD - There is a LOT of overlap. DS2 being assessed for ASD too.

Original poster

DandyGilver · 12/08/2011 09:12

Well, saw the doctor this morning, but nothing really to report. he will talk to the Health Visitor who may want to visit us (she has seen me and DS since he was a bump) but he will refer us to to the Child Health Development Team and to an Audiologist.

That will take about two months for the appointment to come through. So just wait and see, I suppose.

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 12/08/2011 10:09

Well done - 2 months is really quick!

Original poster

DandyGilver · 12/08/2011 20:36

Well 2 months is what he said. Whether that is what actually transpires is another story.

OP posts:

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