Dyspraxia

[Steel Maiden]

Disclaimer: I know that dyspraxia is not a MH condition, it is a neurological condition, but I didn't know where else to put this thread.

I haven't been diagnosed, but it has been strongly indicated to me tht I may have dyspraxia.

I also have Asperger's Syndrome and I know that autism spectrum disorders have a co-morbidity of dyspraxia.

I was wondering if anyone else with dyspraxia or suggested dyspraxia could tell me what they experience?

[shadow-light]

I was diagnosed with dyspraxia along with dyslexia, at one point aspergers was also suggested but that got ruled out.

Apparently dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD, aspergers, tourettes, and a few other disorders have a high level of comorbidity (I hope that sentance made sense)


there is an overlap between dyslexia and dyspraxia though so I am not 100% on where one ends and the other starts lol. But I can't stand on one leg, have issues writting, and if I'm reading and look away I can't find where I was on the page again, which are all apparently dyspraxia related. Also I am overly sensitive to light, and have difficulty sepperating out sounds from background sound (like hearing someone talk where there is music on) which are also apparently related to it




the dyspraxia foundations website has a lot of info on it

[Nine]

My younger sister has it. I don't know what symptoms you have, but I don't think it effects her life overly much. My sister has difficultly with motor motions across her body, reversing letters, general coordination. She has a lot of difficultly starting activities. For instance she is very smart but homework takes forever to start because it is hard for her to remember all the things she needs to do; get out the binder, the pencil, read the instructions, etc. She also can't make lists in her head or remember them, and she has a lot of problems with sequencing which makes some things, especially composing writing difficult. And I know this is unlike you, but she has extreme difficultly waking up. I know she has symptoms that are separate from dispraxia, so I apologize if I have listed them. If you want to know more I will ask her to write you something herself

[random.swirls]

Umm I guess Im very clumsy I walk into things, misjudge things and so on.

I am a really slow writer and I have an unusual way of holding my pen

I can be quite chaotic in the way I think and do things

I really struggle with timings either being horrifically late or blooming early though i tend to be late!

Im no good with sports especially ones that involve balls

I also trip over my own feet or go over on my ankles

[BridgesAndBalloons]

My partner has it, he's clumsy sometimes and judging spaces can be tricky for him. His co-ordination can be a little off and his hand writing is kinda messy. It took him a while to learn things like tying laces etc.

I think though that he's found he's learned to cope with it over time, and gotten better at writing and judging spaces and being less clumsy.

[Shenanigans]

My brother has dyspraxia.. He used to be very bad as a kid (not understanding when to talk in a conversation, not understanding personal space etc) but he has slowly taught himself to be better with things like this and now it's hardly noticable.
He still struggles with his hand eye coordination (doing up buttons, laces, even putting his socks on the right way round!) but it doesn't have a huge effect either, he's clumsy as hell but most people who know him or get to know him understand that's just what he's like. Some people are just naturally clumsy with or without dyspraxia.
My brother took a long time to accept that he had dyspraxia, but he's learnt to deal with it and lives life just like everyone else. He just spills his cups of tea more than most people (though he managed to work as a waiter for 2 years.)
Hope that helped a bit, take care of yourself
x

[Steel Maiden]

Thank you all for the very useful information. It sheds light on my worries.

I have these problems:
- I canot walk down stairs any faster than a very slow speed as I get visual overload and mental overload as I am trying to work out where each step is. I find it a bit easier if there are markers at the end of each step.
- I am clumsy.
- My handwriting is awful (I had to use a computer in exams).
- I have terrible balance and can trip up or nearly fall over quite a bit when I am standing.
- I could never play team sports and people would get injured (accidentally) if I did (I actually got banned from playing hockey at school lol).
- People have said that I have a "funny gait".
- It took me several years to learn how to tie my shoelaces and five years to learn how to cycle. I was wearing velcro shoes still at 11 years old.
- I cannot put straws into cartons or open some packets by myself as I know they will explode everywhere if I do.
- I get confused very easily.

Thanks. I am hoping that my dad will agree to pay for a dyspraxia assessment but for now I am getting a pre-screen, well, when I get discharged.

[Soviette]

I've only heard of dyspraxia lately, but I do fit many symptoms of it I think, but I'm embarrassed about it. Like:

* I can't tie my laces (lol)
* I can't tie my hair back
* I can't do a tie properly (forced myself to learn this before year 9, though)
* Get confused with a lot of mathematical things, i.e. graphs
* My handwriting, even when I try my hardest, has been described as being like a kids.. it's so scruffy and "boyish", when I write at a normal or quick pace, it's bad.
* If I were to be asked to climb up or down a single rope, I wouldn't be able to do it.
* If someone throws something at me, I can't duck in time, ever. Even if its thrown from a distance.
* Using a knife and fork is difficult for me. I can just about do it.
* I can't apply make-up that well, and I can't pluck my eyebrows

I'm surprised I got through secondary school with some of that. Because you were supposed to tie back your hair when doing science pracs and PE if you had long hair, and I couldn't tie my trainer laces for PE.. I think once in year 7 I had to have my teacher tie them for me. :/ I died of embarrassment. lol.

I try not to think of this, but these are little things that make my life a bit harder I guess.

[Sunshine]

i was diagnosed with dyslexica and as the same time they said i had mild dyspraxica although im not really sure what it is or how it really even effects me because ive obviously had it all my life so its just normal to me and also as its mild it doesnt effect me. sorry i havent been much help

[Steel Maiden]

Thank you both of you.

I couldn't tie my shoelaces or tie a knot for ages either. And I still can't use cutlery properly; I have to use a spoon to eat most things because I cannot balance the food on my fork. Also when I eat a Subway sandwich with C (who is vegan, so its all vegetables), I have to have something underneath to catch all the falling debris (and a lot of it lol)

Thanks everyone for being so helpful :)

[Leo Pard]

Something I am very educated about.
I myself are Dyspraxic, my brother is dyslexic and my dad is both. Basically, Dyspraxia means that you have problems with hand eye co-ordination and motor control whereas Dyslexia is more to do with spelling and things.
There is a certain amount of overlap, such as; My hand writing is piss poor but so is my brother's.
Also, if a glass is broken in our house it is always me or my dad and my brother is not clumsy at all so that must be the Dyspraxia.
I really don't know what I'm trying to say so have a wiki link.
Wiki says this on the subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyspraxia

[Steel Maiden]

Thank you. I will look at the link later on when I'm using my laptop (I am using my phone right now).