dyspraxia support - anyone else out there with dcs who have dyspraxia

[willowsun]

my dd is 7.5 years old
she was diagnosed with developmental dyspraxia at age 5 years old
it is hard work

she ;-

has alot of tantrums
very demanding
has messy writing
finds it hard to concentrate
like a whirlwind
never sits still
fiddles with everything
hates getting dressed, having hair brushed and teeth

it is mainly her tantrums and demanding things that are the main problems !!
she feels like 3 children rolled into one affects everyone
she is quite abit worse when she is tired and doesnt help herself by going to bed late

Clare40 - a lot of those traits could just be a late developer but they were also traits my son showed at preschool. They picked up there were issues, but because everyone else said hes just young for his age I didn't pay much attention until he still had them at 6/7.

You're spot on amumtothree. DS1 was dx by 4, so I had had plenty of experience by the time DS3 came along. As a summer baby, and with some physical difficulties, I kept thinking that he had the same signs as his brother, but used to justify why it was just he was young for his year, just copying his brother etc.
sanity tells me that firstly I have experience with dyspraxia and secondly I work with young children and am very familiar with milestones. Academically flying and physically grounded would be a good description of him!
It took me until the end of reception year to get confirmation that something's up. Problem is, it has taken until now to get an OT appointment.
Denial isn't just the domain of parents who have experience of difficulties. Wait and see is often the response given by the medical professionals too.
I had to have a conversation with my MIL about my DNs as I didn't feel I could approach my SIL with concerns. In the end, even though my MIL had spoken to her, it took school to force the issue and insist that she seek advice for them to be dx. Both now have a dx of autistic traits and support at school.

Can I ask what help a dx has given you? DS has dyspraxia for sure (and I realised I had it when young and at 42 still have some traits but have improved vastly). DS is home educated and I am an English teacher so I haven't bothered with a dx, thinking that I can give him all the 1 to 1 he needs. His writing etc has improved brilliantly over the year but I am noticing that his social skills are very immature - he has a very loud voice and does that dyspraxic thing (like myself) of talking over other people and poor listening skills. Would an OT help with the social side of things?

That's a tough question.
I don't HE and school does do quite a lot re loud talking, talking over, social and listening skills. But that might in part be due to the number of different people hat let him know!
OT did do sensory integration therapy with DS. I definitely found that he was not quite as loud after the sessions. I also learnt techniques that worked specifically for him that can calm him down - quieten, and gee him up - listen more carefully.

Could you share some tips please :) or point me to a webpage or book that has some? I've borrowed some books from the library but they haven't been helpful in this regard. He doesn't like group activities (but does like people) so we don't go to many HE groups. He goes swimming but was made to sit on the steps last lesson as a punishment for not listening and ignoring the instructor. I know now it'll be a sttruggle to get him to go this week as he HATES being told off.

Our oT is miserly sensory integration..... DS is sensory seeking and even without the dyspraxia the sensory seeking inhibited him socially and academically - so modulating him has had a huge effect socially and academically - he I actually able to learn and participate in the classroom setting.
They also do things, like exercises to strengthen his shoulder girdle, which is apparently very weak, and effects his writing.
Also exercises to strengthen the core muscles to help him sit - this helps him not to fidget.

By far and away the best book I have read on dyspraxia is called "making inclusion work for children with dyspraxia " by Lois addy and ..... Someone else - can't remember, I'll look it up. Anyway it simply explains why dyspraxics find things hard and how to help them.
HTH

thanks :)

Dx helped as we were able to give our son a name to help explain why he has problems with some things. The EP said it was important to tell him, and it did seem to help that there was a reason why some things seem so much harder to him compared to his peers.

Group activities can be quite hard. DS goes to Beavers, his leaders are excellent and for some reason he seems to be able to tolerate things much better in that environment (shouting, cheering, fire engines, etc). He is a pack leader and has earned most of the badges, and this has been very positive as it is an area that he excels in (unlike school and sports). I guess it depends on the group but Beavers has given him confidence and independence,

Both my DDs (14 and 9) are severely dyspraxic. I am dyspraxic too. It's very very difficult, to be honest. I think there are very few days when I don't at some pont just want to give up. :( I'd like to say it gets easier - but it doesn't. It chages but I wouldn't say it gets easier.