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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

if you have a dyspraxic child

27 replies

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 17:54

would you be kind enough to have a quick look at the photos on my profile.

ds has just started secondary, he has been previously diagnosed as dyspraxic, but doesn't get any help or aides etc.

when he hands in his homework tomorrow, will the teacher be surprised? or is ds's writing not as bad as I think

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cornsillx · 18/09/2011 17:56

profile not working for me!

Shallishanti · 18/09/2011 18:02

not sure how to see your profile but I am confident it won't be worse than my ds (think badly co-ordinated 5 yr old, he is now 15)
whether or not the teacher will be surprised depends how much info they have and/or whether thay have already seen his handwriting! If he has been diagnosed, how come he has no help?
some schools are better than others with understanding dyspraxia, I have found

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 18:02

I think it's public now sorry

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Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 18:03

click on my name shalli

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Shallishanti · 18/09/2011 18:04

OK can't see it too well but it's better than my ds's!
If he is in Y7, I think that would indicate a problem to the teacher especially if the content suggests an 'average' Y7

SummerRain · 18/09/2011 18:06

imnotforty.... my (possibly) dyspraxic ds1 is only 5 so can't compare but I would put the writing on your profile pic about on par with dd's... and she's 6.5. Sorry

ds1 still migrates up and down the page, has no sense of order and doesn't grasp writing needs to go from left to right so it's definitely an improvement on that.

I have dyspraxic tendancies and I'm 27 and still can't write neatly... if I concentrate I can manage a line or two that's legible but my hand starts to weaken quickly and it ends up looking lik e a drunken spider fell in some ink and wandered over the page.

SummerRain · 18/09/2011 18:07

should have said... dd is NT and high average for her class

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 18:09

I don't know why he doesn't get any help. he has been given exercises etc in the past but the school didn't really follow through. I ended up moving him at the end of last year and they did manage to improve his sats score from a 2a which is where he had been since year 2.

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cornsillx · 18/09/2011 18:09

does the teacher know that he's dyspraxic? Have you sent the report into his secondary school?

Shallishanti · 18/09/2011 18:12

ask for an appointment with the senco

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 18:13

yes his writing certainly deteriorates the more he has to do. I'm not sure how he will keep up with the amount of work he will be expected to produce.

his work is all screwed up as well, so disorganised.

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Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 18:17

we had an appointment with someone from student services before he started and we have another one booked for 10 October. there are other issues as well, I have started a few threads this week :(

I don't think I have a piece of paper that says he is dyspraxic, but I have notes and letters from hundreds of meetings which have amounted to not a lot.

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cornsillx · 18/09/2011 18:19

as smallshanti said you need an appt with the SENCO to make sure that his difficulties are clearly understood and that the info is passed onto his teachers.

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 18:51

I've added another pic might be slightly clearer.

my parent support advisor is coming to see me tomo rrow, I'll see if she is able to invite the senco to the next meeting. do you think 10 October is soon enough?

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IndigoBell · 18/09/2011 18:51

His handwriting is terrible. Pics are a bit hard to see, but I think he's pretty similar to my DS who has dyspraxia and is in Y6.

But what help do you want?

Do you want him to do all his work on a laptop? Can he type? Have you asked for this? Can he do his homework on that without permission?

Or do you want him to have therapy to improve his handwriting? The OT I spoke to said it can be improved up until 13 if the child is motivated.

Or do you want him to have a scribe?

Or do you want him to have a writing slope and pen grips?

Or what?

Hassled · 18/09/2011 18:58

I have a Dyspraxic DS2 who's 13, Yr 9. His handwriting is better than your DS's, but very slow and laborious - pushes down hard on the pencil, takes forever. Yes, it is as bad as you think.

If he has a clear diagnosis of Dyspraxia - where's his IEP? The SENCo needs a rocket under his/her arse - go and see the Headteacher pronto. Don't dick around waiting for the 10th October. Ask the Head what the school can do. They are letting your boy down and it's not good enough.

Examples of what can be done: by Yr 6 we threw in the towel with handwriting. It was affecting self-esteem and confidence and was going nowhere. So he had touch-typing lessons (at school, funded through the school's SEN budget). The Head applied for a laptop from the county council, which he has used ever since. All written work is on the laptop - used in class and at home. And DS2 is thriving - doing very well indeed.

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 19:02

I'm not sure what help he needs.

the only reason I mentioned he doesn't get any help at the moment, was to explain the situation as it is currently.

I wanted to clarify that his writing was as bad as I thought it was. I don't know what type of help is typical and what I should be pushing for.

he did have a scribe for one day because he broke his wrist. if they think his cast is affecting his writing they are in for a shock.t help he needs.

the only reason I mentioned he doesn't get any help at the moment, was to explain the situation as it is currently.

I wanted to clarify that his writing was as bad as I thought it was. I don't know what type of help is typical and what I should be pushing for.

he did have a scribe for one day because he broke his wrist. if they think his cast is affecting his writing they are in for a shock.

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Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 19:05

not sure what happened to my post.

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IndigoBell · 18/09/2011 19:05

Ok, so you need to decide if you want him to have a laptop or not.

Then you'll know what to say to school :)

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 19:10

he had an iep at primary, not sure what has happened to that now. does it normally move with them?

this is what annoys me, after years of trying to get him some help (he has emotional problems as well), I still don't know what is going on and I'm constantly flailing around. the impression I get that he isn't bad enough for them to be bothered with.

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Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 19:12

the option to be able to use a computer for written work would certainly make life easier, not sure how easy it would be to get though. damn near impossible given what's happened so far.

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IndigoBell · 18/09/2011 20:23

I don't know whats happened so far. But it's normally not that hard to get permission for a child with terrible handwriting to use a laptop.

I would start with him doing all his homework from now on on a computer.

If you can afford to buy him a laptop yourself I'd make a meeting with the SENCO and ask if he would be allowed a laptop in class if you provided it.

If you can't afford one then you need to make a meeting with the SENCO and ask if he can have a laptop to use in class.

These are all very reasonable and normal requests and in most schools would not be a problem at all.

I certainly wouldn't even ask about doing his homework on a computer. I'd just do it.

gailforcewind · 18/09/2011 20:38

Writing is very similar(slightly worse I'd say) to my son's writing- he is 11 with AS and Dyspraxia. Like you say, it deteriorates as the workload increases! We are giving it another year as it seems to be improving slightly but after that, if there's no improvement then I'm going to insist on a laptop/processor for secondary school. I think you definitely need to go about getting one for your ds- it will probably be a great help and relief for him.

Jellykat · 18/09/2011 21:16

Yes, the Senco from the primary should have sent all information to the new schools' Senco.

I would phone and arrange an appt. with current head of Special Needs - for an IEP to have been issued at Primary level your DS must've been on School Action or School Action plus, this would've transferred over too.
You need to see whats what, and voice your concerns!

I have a Dyspraxic DS, he had a laptop provided for him at Primary level, but can now write reasonably well, though not for any great length of time, and the school don't worry about spellings, his English teacher just wants him to get it on paper and that's enough (he's yr 9 now)..

What i will say re. your DSs writing is the constant twiddly joined up writing stuff looks like its just adding extra pressure, my DS found that all too tricky, since he gave up the joined up bits, his work is much much neater. You could see if your DS would find it easier to go back to 'basics'?

Do go and have a chat with the SENCO, sometimes they just need a kick up the backside!

Original poster

imnotforty · 18/09/2011 22:12

I've tried to get him to print but he can't seem to do it .

tomorrow I will try and find out what has happened to his iep and arrange a meeting with the senco.

I would struggle to pay for a laptop myself but ds's dad might pay if the school won't.

I hate all this stress, Id love not to be worried for a while. what with bullying and the coach it is too much, ds seems to be managing bettet than me at the mo.

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