Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

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Wobble
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Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by Wobble »

I have noticed that some people who are diagnosed with dyspraxia have vary strong traits of having aspergers.But others show no traits of this disorder. Is it true a pyscholgist would diagnose dyspraxia to not label the child as having a form of autism? I ask, as a friend of mine he has dyspraxia and a non verbal disability but does mean he has two seperate disabiltities? I'm dyspraxia but have good non verbal skills but am way below average on nearly everything else.
electric_blue101
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by electric_blue101 »

hi there,
i'm dyspraxic but would say that i generally have good people skills and am quite empathetic and understanding towards others. i've also been told that i come accross as "outgoing" and go out socialising quite a lot.

sometimes though, when i feel anxious/overwhelmed/distracted, i'm less aware of my non-verbal communication and get told that i seen like i'm not listening and am quite figety. i also tend to be quite repetative in speech and end up in terupting people which tends to annoy people. i sometimes also have difficulty controlling the volume of my speak. i also feel anxious that people will precieve me as being "wierd" but these are very different symptoms from aspergers even though the do, to an extent effect me socially.
lauraECFan
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by lauraECFan »

My fiance has Aspergers
I think Aspergers is perhaps slightly more complex than dyspraxia but then it could be the same

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Captain_Ludd
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by Captain_Ludd »

I was actually told by my support tutor that it is very rare that someone who has been diagnosed with Dyspraxia will also be diagnosed with Aspergers, especially if the diagnosis of Dyspraxia is made in later life.
I don’t know the exact reasons for this I think it has something to do with psychological best practice, but I have also read that a number of psychological theory put dysparaxia very close to aspergers on the autistic spectrum.
They do share a number of what if remember rightly are called co-morbid behavioural traits it is also well noted that in all most all cases of Asphergers suffers also experience motor control problems which could be diagnosed as Dyspraxia.
I think the key is the term "spectrum" in that it is very common for NDs to have a wide range of different symptoms from across the spectrum but not fit into any particular "pigeon hole"
I myself have had a diagnosis of higher functioning autism which has then been completely laughed at by other professionals.
In many instances there isn’t even a fully agreed standard for the autistic spectrum, some think high end / higher functioning autism are different names for the same thing where as others think they are separate conditions.
The major problem I've found is that if you start thinking in terms of autism there is the "rain man" connotation which in most cases is miles from the truth for most autistic spectrum people.
From what I understand (I'm no psych so don’t take this as gospel) one of the major differences between a diagnosis of Autism and Dyspraxia from a physiological point of view is the ability to empathise with other peoples points of view.
Where as autistic people sometimes struggle to see other people points of view Dyspraxics are often very empathetic and sensitive to others needs. (which for some reason seems to often be listed as a "symptom" of Dyspraxia I've always seen it as a strength we have)
A quick note about the above statement I got into a lot of trouble with a friend of mine for it when I had this discussion, she accused me of labelling autistic people as psychotic I'M NOT SAYING THIS AT ALL think more Sheldon Cooper (who is awesome btw :) ) not Norman Bates.

Any how ill end my ramble now. :) .
minniemoo
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by minniemoo »

This is an interesting question. From what I can understand most dyspraxics have what are classed as autistic tendencies and score higher than the average person on the "spectrum"...for example it can really throw us when a routine is changed or something moves from where we put it...or someone touches our stuff...this has more to do with our brain having to do a 1,2,3,4,5 movement to get from 1 to 5, whereas most people's brains can just go straight from 1 to 5. The big difference seems to be that whereas the majority of aspergers people suffer from lack of empathy, dyspraxics tend to have a larger amount of empathy than other people.

Or something like that :D
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by lauraECFan »

Found out last week that dyspraxia is a form of autism
(peice in papers about someone with it where he and his family were upset about a sign with the word retard on it in subway... they should have had it either out of veiw or used a different word as it was about the thaw time of their bread) ](*,)
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RedRevolver
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by RedRevolver »

I was diagnosed with Asperger's when I was 14, although I agreed somewhat at the time, I quickly realised I wasn't really what most people, or psychologists, would call Asperger's - I only really fitted the social awkwardness, which I felt arouse from social anxiety (which itself was brought on by years of bullying and emotional abuse from a very early age). I did, however, feel that a diagnosis of dyspraxia was right - I'd always had problems with my handwriting, for example, and problems growing up like not being able to tie my shoelaces for a long time, not being able to say particular words for a long time (like yellow and hospital), not being able to use a knife and fork properly (I sometimes still have to pretend to use them in order to remember which one goes on which side of the plate when I lay the table).

I was formally diagnosed with dyspraxia a couple of years ago, in order to get a laptop and extra time on my exams at university - I however was never informed of the social, or emotional, problems that can come with dyspraxia, and now wonder if it's the similarities between these two that caused me to be diagnosed with Asperger's in the first place.
joy
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by joy »

Many people with Dyspraxia may have overlapping traits so that they may have Dyslexia or Aspergers, ADHD, and ADD.Some dyspraxics dont like surprise,poor adaptability and change like when you go to the doctors you like to see the same doctor or maybe more comfortable going to the places we are familiar with but I think that's is because we feel more socially awkward we are more confident with people and places we know.
Because we have low self esteem and physical timidity may seem withdrawn when meeting other people for the first time.And maybe misconstrued for leaning towards autism and maybe not . There are further examples of the DYS terminology
Dysarthia- defective articulation in speaking
Dyskinesia-voluntary motion impediment
Dyslaly- impediment in speech.
Dysmetria-inability to control the range of movements in a muscular action.
Dysopia-defect in vision
Dysphemia-stammering.
Dyscalculia-disturbance of ability to calculate
Dysgraphia-inability to write coherently.
Some people may also have several of the names above and some not as many ,everyone is different.Controlled voluntary movement involves many systems but the main areas impacted in dypraxia are the sensory pathways ,the motor system and the central nervous system as a whole.
To get a true and accurate diagnosis you have to see someone who specialises in Dyspraxia,there are some good psychologists out there and there are some that are not.
Peculiar
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by Peculiar »

Growing up, the one sibling I really thought I understood was my step brother. He has Aspergers. He's highly intelligent and has a keen grasp of the English language. He is, somewhat, affectionate. He doesn't hesitate to hug people, especially his close family members and his girlfriend. But he had a real problem socially. Because of his arrogance, he used to mock other's for their "inferior intelligence". He's calmed down a bit, but he still has issues with understanding other people.

Of all my many issues, one of them is touch. I have had a problem with touching people my whole life. Even at age 4, I would only allow my parents to kiss the top of my head because I was so anxious about the "coodies". Human contact just didn't feel natural to me. But on the social side, I had (still do) have issues making friends and keeping them. The exception was that I wanted to be everyone's friend, and never antagonized anyone like my brother did. It didn't help

My parents and my brother with Asperger's still suspect I have Autism, at least high functioning, but that was ruled out by a psychological evaluation. My brother doesn't really exhibit much empathy for others, whereas I have a deep empathy for other people's emotions, but I still have a hard time approaching and reading people. I don't pick up on sarcasm, and can't handle change. I have to mentally prepare myself days in advanced just to go to a party where I know will be more than 5 people there. I didn't know that was part of Dyspraxia until I read the previous posts. But a lot of my life does make more sense now! It seems I know more about my bother's condition than I do about my own.

The U.S. doesn't recognize Dyspraxia as a legitimate disability, so there is no help for me out here. The only suggestion that I got from the psychological evaluation is that I would benefit from treatment for Asperger's. :/
ALADDIN
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by ALADDIN »

It depends on the main disability, if the main disability is dyspraxia, they may have aspergers traits.

I have heard of 2 people who have dyspraxia moderately, dyslexia and aspergers traits.

I know, 2 people, who have dyspraxia, and aspergers traits.

A person who has a main disability of asperger syndrome, has dyspraxia traits and poor coordination.

I was told , I had dyspraxia, after attending, a short speech therapist session, aged 23. My coordination has always been a problem.

The information on adult dyspraxia , 10 years ago.

A few people thought, I may have had aspergers. I had a non -standard diagnosis of aspergers traits , the psychiatrist says there is no problem.My score on the autistic spectrum quotient is 24/25/26, meaning I have aspergers traits or borderline aspergers syndrome. My mother said that no has said, no one has said that I have had difficulties socially because of my conditions. My sister who is a doctor and a Pakistani psychitarist do not think I have any aspie traits.

I learned about adult dyspraxia and realised my problems were not aspergers traits but dyspraxic. Having aspergers traits, does not help me at all.

When I received my diagnosis of dyspraxia, I was told that it was not massively severe, but it is problematic, I can get support.

I think the stress of life and my dyspraxia causes me to have aspergers traits.

Apparantly, a significant proportion of dyspraxics have aspergers traits.

The local support of dyspraxia is parent led, and suited to adults who were diagnosed as children. The
National Autistic Society seem to treat everyone like an experiment (having full traits -asperger syndrome or no diagnosis).

We need to talk about dyspraxia, from an adult perspective and much more research needs to be done to explain dyspraxia, 10% of the population have dyspraxia, too many people are slipping through with neuro-diverse conditions.
Shadwell
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by Shadwell »

I kind of agree with you Alladin, there is too many people slipping through the net so to say.

I taken an online test for aspergers a couple of months ago, and scored 32 when their scoring was up to 32 and plus. but in some ways I don't think of myself say as bad as my cousin who has full on Aspergers
Willr0490
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by Willr0490 »

I was diagnosed with both Dyspraxia and Aspergers, though not together (they were a few years apart during my childhood).
bookgirl
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by bookgirl »

I was told by the lady who diagnosed me that the best way to think of it is: Aspergers is dyspraxia without the empathy.
Speedless
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by Speedless »

electric_blue101 wrote:hi there,
i'm dyspraxic but would say that i generally have good people skills and am quite empathetic and understanding towards others. i've also been told that i come accross as "outgoing" and go out socialising quite a lot.

sometimes though, when i feel anxious/overwhelmed/distracted, i'm less aware of my non-verbal communication and get told that i seen like i'm not listening and am quite figety. i also tend to be quite repetative in speech and end up in terupting people which tends to annoy people. i sometimes also have difficulty controlling the volume of my speak. i also feel anxious that people will precieve me as being "wierd" but these are very different symptoms from aspergers even though the do, to an extent effect me socially.

You've pretty much just described me to a tee! :D

Edited by Shadwell
mattie
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Re: Dyspraxia vs. Aspergers

Post by mattie »

I have many AS traits. I get obsessions and I don't always know how to behave around others. But I am improving and gaining in confidence. :)
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