Advice about concerns with ds2 having Dyspraxia

[lazylula]

Ds2 will be 4 at the end of June. We have an appontment to see the 'school doctor', HV referral. I have had concerns for some time with him. He is seeing a podiatrist as he walks with his feet turned in, she has discovered that he has weak joints so now waiting for a physio app. His walk and run are still very immature and he runs with his legs kicking out side ways from the knees, a bit like a 'comedy' run.
At pre school he is fine, but his behaviour at home can be difficult, with lots of tantrums and seemingly not able to process what is said to him all the time. He can pedal a bike (with stabilisers), scoots a scooter, climbs everything, finds it difficult to sit or stand still and has no patience for waiting for anything. When I take him to tots groups he is fine with his friendship group (children of my friends) but often seems to find it difficult to know how to interact with others.
He falls over constantly, will walk into walls, bushes ect, even pre school have remarked several times about his clumsiness. He will often look at where he wants to go and not notice anything that is between him and getting to the target iygwim.
There is a strong family history of dyslexia and hints of dyspraxia but I am worried that I am just looking for a reason, maybe it is just him? I am now getting worried about the appointment!

You shouldn't worry about the appointment - you're doing the right thing. you've got some very reasonable concerns and you are doing something about it. It may well take some time to unravel all the strands of what is causing him difficulty as there can often be a lot of overlap between dyspraxia and other sensory processing issues. Sorry I haven't much advice to offer but just to say trust your instincts and hope you get some answers.

I guess I am just worried that I am just looking for there to be an answer rather than it just being the way he is, but if they say well he is just a little boy with a temper who is accident prone like his mum then that is great. I suppose I have always known that there is a strong chance that at least one of my children could develop dyslexia or smilar due to the family history (dh is severely dyslexic as are a couple of his siblings and my brother too) so maybe that is making me look for it. I think finally getting the appointment has made me nervous and I do not want to waste their valuable time. Parenting can be so difficult at times!

I thought DS was dyspraxic, but having been seen by a paed who then referred on to physio and various others it was decided he wasn't bad enough for dx. Actually, DS has just finished a course of vision theraphy and his general coordination has increased and doesn't bump into things anymore - he was ignoring his peripheral vision because he found it such hard work focusing on what he was looking at.

Hope the appt goes OK, but can a 'school doctor' dx such things? Won't he refer on to a paed anyway??

I have no idea. The appointment is with the community paediatrics according to the letter. It isn't with the doctor whose name I was given. The pre school had originally asked me to get his hearing checked which is why I contacted the Hv, then I went on to chat about his behaviour ect and she decided this would be the best way. I think his hearing is fine and part of me wonders if most of his problem is he is too busy thinking of what he is going to do next that he forgets what he is actually doing there and then. He often leaves going to the toilet until the last minute as he is too busy to be bothered. I have just come back from a party with him and he really did not play with anyone, just along side them. He seems to have his friendships and not venture past them.