Is anyone in the process of getting assessed for their dyspraxic and/or other disorders at the moment?
So far I saw my GP in November time and have been referred to see a neuro-psychologist at a local hospital, although this isn't until March! These things don't happy quickly! Even then I have no idea how long it will take to arrange an assessment, if this is an option at all. As I'm off travelling in April, it seems unlikely I'll get assessed any time soon.
I'd be interested to know how others have managed to get assessed. It seems that it's reasonably easy to get assessed if you're in full-time education, but how about those outside of education? Have you managed to get assessed? Where did you get assessed? Perhaps you haven't managed to get assessed at all.
Let hear your story and experiences, as assessment seems to be a major issue with a lot of adult dyspraxics.
Getting assessed?
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For those of you on Dyspraxic teens you will have been aware of how my Dyspraxia improved, but for those of you on this forum let me tell you.
I went to the DDAT centre (Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and attention Deficit disorder) centre and did balancing tests on a machine, I was then given a exercise programme , which included tasks like throwing a bean bag from one hand to the other. After doing these exercises on a daily basis I improved greatly.
I'm not saying that this will work for everyone and it isn't cheap either and has gone up in price a lot since I went, but if anyone has severe Dyspraxia then they may want to look into it. My Dyspraxia isn't as severe as some people I have read about, but I feel the place helped me.
In terms of assessment, I beleive I was diagnosed when I was around 4, but only due to my Mums persistence. I think I had coordination tests run on me If I remember correctly.
I went to the DDAT centre (Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and attention Deficit disorder) centre and did balancing tests on a machine, I was then given a exercise programme , which included tasks like throwing a bean bag from one hand to the other. After doing these exercises on a daily basis I improved greatly.
I'm not saying that this will work for everyone and it isn't cheap either and has gone up in price a lot since I went, but if anyone has severe Dyspraxia then they may want to look into it. My Dyspraxia isn't as severe as some people I have read about, but I feel the place helped me.
In terms of assessment, I beleive I was diagnosed when I was around 4, but only due to my Mums persistence. I think I had coordination tests run on me If I remember correctly.
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rhubarb_crumble
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I had difficulty finding somewhere to get assessed as well.
In December 2004, I went to see my GP. I never heard anything back, I was worried she might have forgotten all about it but I didn't mind too much as I had already self-diagnosed myself. In July '05, my tutor asked if it would be possible for me to be properly diagnosed as Dyspraxic so I decided to look into it again. I chased up with my GP and she hadn't forgotten after all. She rang up an educational psycologist the day I first went to see her but the educational psycologist wouldn't assess me because I was out of school but didn't bother getting back to my GP about it.
We then tried looking for an adult psycologist but although I was almost 18 during the search they said they couldn't assess me because I wasn't an adult yet.
In the end I decided to have my assessment done privately. I contacted the Dyspraxia Foundation and the Dyslexia Institute (who can also assess Dyspraxia but don't specialise in it) and I found that there was a Dyslexia Institute in Leeds where I could get assessed and that is where I went.
In December 2004, I went to see my GP. I never heard anything back, I was worried she might have forgotten all about it but I didn't mind too much as I had already self-diagnosed myself. In July '05, my tutor asked if it would be possible for me to be properly diagnosed as Dyspraxic so I decided to look into it again. I chased up with my GP and she hadn't forgotten after all. She rang up an educational psycologist the day I first went to see her but the educational psycologist wouldn't assess me because I was out of school but didn't bother getting back to my GP about it.
We then tried looking for an adult psycologist but although I was almost 18 during the search they said they couldn't assess me because I wasn't an adult yet.
In the end I decided to have my assessment done privately. I contacted the Dyspraxia Foundation and the Dyslexia Institute (who can also assess Dyspraxia but don't specialise in it) and I found that there was a Dyslexia Institute in Leeds where I could get assessed and that is where I went.
I've often overheard conversations at the DANDA socials about getting assessed, although the people there could of course be looking for assessment of all manner of disorders. It's sounded as if a number have had to go private to get assessed. I've heard figures such as £150 been mentioned for assessment. I don't know how much you paid, rhubarb_crumble, but if it comes to it, I wouldn't mind paying such an amount for the knowledge of my strengths, weaknesses and diagnosis of the relevant disorder.
Dan.
Dan.
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rhubarb_crumble
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I'm meeting the neuro-psychologist for the first time tomorrow. Does anyone have any suggestions what issues I should raise or what I should ask for?
I don't know exactly what they'll ask me on the first visit, but I'm planning to go with a list of what I'd like to have done (to see what's possible and what's not) as well as a list of the main problems I feel I face (which I presume will be asked about at some point.)
I don't know exactly what they'll ask me on the first visit, but I'm planning to go with a list of what I'd like to have done (to see what's possible and what's not) as well as a list of the main problems I feel I face (which I presume will be asked about at some point.)
Is this your first formal assesment? My psychologist was very very nice. She asked me lots of qu's like when did you learn to walk(no idea- Iwas quite small) and then we did lots of tests. What are you expecting from the appointment?
I've No idea what you should ask but I'll be thinking of you! Do you have a series of appointments? then if you think of a Qu. you can ask later.Hope it goes well.
I've No idea what you should ask but I'll be thinking of you! Do you have a series of appointments? then if you think of a Qu. you can ask later.Hope it goes well.
It would be interesting to see what diagnosic tools the psychologist is going to use. ( I wonder what the difference is between a Neuro-psychologist and a normal one, presumably a specialisation in brain psychology)
I looked up my assesment again and these are the tests she did;
Wecher Adult Intellegence scale
Verbal tests were in
Vocabulary
Similarities
Digit span
Arithmatic
Non verbal tests in
Picture completion
Block Design
Matrix reasoning
Digit symbol coding
Gray silent reading test of comprehension ( Wiederholt & Blalock, 2000)
Wide Range achievement test for Reading ( WRAT-3)
New Adult Reading test of individual woords ( Nelson,1977)
Dyslexic Adult Reading Test
DAST One minuet Writing Test
Wide Range Achievement Test for Spelling ( WRAT-3)
DAST two minuet Speeded Spelling Test
Blimey! No wonder I was knackered after all that lot!
If it were me I would write down what will happen next and contact details before the end of the consultation. I have taken a sheet with spaces for information to appointments before so I know what will happen next.
What time is your appointment?
I looked up my assesment again and these are the tests she did;
Wecher Adult Intellegence scale
Verbal tests were in
Vocabulary
Similarities
Digit span
Arithmatic
Non verbal tests in
Picture completion
Block Design
Matrix reasoning
Digit symbol coding
Gray silent reading test of comprehension ( Wiederholt & Blalock, 2000)
Wide Range achievement test for Reading ( WRAT-3)
New Adult Reading test of individual woords ( Nelson,1977)
Dyslexic Adult Reading Test
DAST One minuet Writing Test
Wide Range Achievement Test for Spelling ( WRAT-3)
DAST two minuet Speeded Spelling Test
Blimey! No wonder I was knackered after all that lot!
If it were me I would write down what will happen next and contact details before the end of the consultation. I have taken a sheet with spaces for information to appointments before so I know what will happen next.
What time is your appointment?
Well it rather inconclusive to be honest, and I got the feeling the dyspraxia fell under the NHS radar in terms of neurological conditions, and the neuro-psychologist was rather cagey about giving any labels to anything.
I'd rather not go into details, but essentially if I want assessing I'll have to get it done privately. It *can* be done on the NHS, but neuro-psychologists are apparently in very short supply and the waiting lists are 6 - 12 months long.
As it was, Mary at DANDA had prepared me for as much, and while I was hoping for more, I'm not surprised, and will pursue a private assessment from now on.
I'd rather not go into details, but essentially if I want assessing I'll have to get it done privately. It *can* be done on the NHS, but neuro-psychologists are apparently in very short supply and the waiting lists are 6 - 12 months long.
As it was, Mary at DANDA had prepared me for as much, and while I was hoping for more, I'm not surprised, and will pursue a private assessment from now on.