would you trust a school's dyspraxia assessment?

[sphil]

School have just assessed DS1 for dyspraxia and have told us that they don't think he is dyspraxic. This has really surprised me, as he's always ticked most of the boxes in any checklist I've ever seen. They tested him in pencil control, memory, being able to complete pictures and spot missing details, pincer grip and using scissors - he got 'good' for all of them.

Would you trust this assessment? It was done by a TA who's been trained by an OT (but isn't actually an OT herself). The school think there's 'something there' (in the words of the SENCO) which is affecting DS1'd ability to write but aren't sure what it is.

Opinions please!

I would not trust an assessment done by a TA at all. I might consider it their opinion, or advice, but definately not an assessment.
But I am not in a very trusting place right now, so no use to you at all, sorry!

I would be dubious - are you able to find out what the actual tests were and how he scored? Has he ever been assessed by a real OT?

Do you think it could be anything else? I mean dyspraxia overlaps a lot with other conditions. My dd has AS as her main dx but also has traits of dyspraxia, even though her handwriting is beautiful.

I was just sorting out my files with ds' information in them, and found origninal paediatrician's assessment. He put possible asd or dyspraxia in it. Could be overlap?

I would only trust such an assessment if it had been done by an OT. Your son should be assessed by an OT as a matter of course.

Many schools are completely and utterly useless when it comes to dealing with dyspraxia anyway - they can't even spell it sometimes!!!. Also on a wider level, the teachers themselves are not trained to actually recognise this problem.

Def wouldn't trust either . Can you ask for an assesment with an OT?

My son has OT input every week in his school which is helping I must say- he has confirmed low muscle tone, extreme hypermobility in his hands and wrists( as stated in recent report).

Dyspraxia was mentioned to us about a yr ago too in an OT assesment however this has not been documented on his report, must say though that since OT has gone into school he has came on leaps ond bounds.

He has a footstool in place, angleboard, "training" scissors(easier to manouver), has been to co-ordination group, and is due to attend bike riding lessons with the OT which is due to start around easter as he cant ride his bike - even with stabilisers.

I would only trust an assesment by an occupational therapist and no one else. I had to really fight to get my sons dyspraxia put on his statement and in the end that was down to reports from his brilliant ot and his hearing consultant! Ask for a second opinion or contact the Dyscovery Centre in Cardiff for advice.
www.dyscovery.co.uk/uniform/centre.htm

Jambuttie have just read your thread. How old is your son? My son has adult stabilisers on his bike from this place.
www.bikecare.co.uk/adult_stabilisers.html Dont want to hijack this thread but just thought id mention it.

WHat we were tld wen DS2 was diagnosed is that because Dyspraxia is a medical condition it can only be formally diagnosed by a medic. So while the Ed Psych and OT people could and did say that they believed him to be Dyspraxic, in the end it was a letter from the Community Paediatrician that was the official diagnosis.
So no, a)I don't think a TA should be even attempting to diagnose it, and b) I wouldn't trust the assessment at all. It's worthless.

Must proof-read! Tid wen = told when

Hiya he is just 6 yrs old but OT feels they should act now- know there are some kids older who are unable to ride too.

Please dont trust it. I would be annoyed tbh that it's a policy to have a ta doing diagnosis. Cant you go private?

I wouldn't trust it as a definitive yes or no - a gut feeling/opinion at the most. TAs/teachers/Sencos are NOT qualified to diagnose.

Just because he doesn't tick the boxes they apply doesn't mean there isn't an underlying problem part of which may be dyspraxia. Many kids have some but not all traits and ds is a particular enigma, he has some motor problems with core stability issues and hyperflexibilty, yet over time has found many coping mechanisms and verbally presents well. You can ask gp to refer you to a developmental paed instead to assess the overall picture.

Thanks everyone - have only just come back to this. To be fair the school are now referring him to an OT. I've wondered for a while about overlapping conditions - he has some AS traits for sure - but has come on so much socially in the last year that I've put an AS dx to the back of my mind. His difficulties are def mostly mechanical. I just did that Aspergers quiz on the other thread and he came out as 75/200 AS, 100/200 NT but with a high score (140 I think) for dyspraxia.

I think if he was officially dx he'd probably come out with a mix of traits but maybe not enough in one box for a dx of anything. Which is good in some ways but bad in others (getting him extra time in exams, for example, or persuading the school that he needs more than one OT session on hand strength etc per term .)

DD3 16 is Dyspraxic this was confirmed when she waabout 7, She was assesed by an OT and an Educational Phsycholagist.

Sphil, I wouldnt rely on a schools assessment although good that he is going to see an OT. You may recall my Dt2 has been attending some physio sessions with 2 other boys, one of whom had been diagnosed with dyspraxia before the sessions started. He had been diagnosed by an OT although he is not having any OT at the moment, just physio and speech therapy. Now the other boy has recently been assessed by a private, very highly regarded ed physch and parents were told the ed physch thought he was definitly dyspraxic too, although it had never been mentioned to parents by paed or OT in the past. Not linked to your question(but you did ask how i was on another thread!)its got me thinking about dyspraxia again. I sort of had ruled it out as the boy who had been diagnosed first had more impaired gross and fine motor skills than Dt2 and he was only described as having mild dyspraxia. However he has improved a lot and i dont think the gap is as big anymore. Also the second boy is more similiar to DT2 in terms of motor skills although still behind Dt2 I think. Dt2 is able to ride a bike without stableisers,writing ok and other fine motor skills ok but he does have a problem with core trunk stability, spatial awareness and he really finds it hard to get comfortable in a seat. Not sure where to go really . sorry for ramble.

It seems odd that they would have a TA carrying out assessments but good that you are getting an OT referral.

Schools cant make a diagnosis of Dyspraxia, and Health professionals cant diagnose Dyslexia.

There is a checklist which comes as part of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, which is the assessment most OTs and physios use when looking at possible dyspraxia/developmental coordination disorder.

The checklist is used as a screen if a child is thought to have DCD, but is not a diagnosis in itself. It can be used by parents or education staff.

Sphil, dont let them fob you off by saying your DS isnt dyspraxic. There are all sorts of things which can present in a similar way, and even if handwriting is the only problem, an OT can help.

There are specific handwriting assessments, and paediatric OTs should be able to give you advice.

Good that you are getting an OT assessment though. There are lots of traits that overlap in ASD, DCD etc, but the oT will be more concerned with what your DS can and cant do, and what he needs help with, than in sticking a label on him.

Ah thanks Fubsy - that makes sense. The letter I was sent by the school had a checklist on it. To be fair at the bottom it said ' This assessment suggests that DS1 is not dyspraxic but we are willing to reassess him at any time or to refer him to OT for further assessment'. I know the OT as she sees DS2, and I think it'll be easy to talk to her.

Must make sure I chase it though - it's so easy to let things slide with DS1 when DS2 needs so much more input. And he's such a sunny natured, easy going child that it's easy to think 'Oh he's OK, let's not worry'. I think that's what the teachers think too, tbh.

That would be part of an OT or a physio's asst.

Sorry, didnt mean that to sound off or anything!

Shoulder girdle instability and hypermobile fingers and thumb can cause handwriting difficulties.

Even if a person is not clinically hypermobile, they can have a few "bendy" joints that can make writing tiring or uncomfortable.

We are just trying a Yoropen with DS1. Any experience anyone?