Dyspraxia or autism?

Getting assessed for your dyspraxia, getting help, disability allowance etc.

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Ff1
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Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by Ff1 »

I'm really confused about whether I have autism or dyspraxia I'm clumsy and have really bad handwriting the signs of autism I don't have are the social skills problems but I have read that women with autism don't have social problems so that confuses me, for most of my childhood I didn't have obsessive intrests but I remember liking mermaids for a while when I was around 7, i haven't had any strong intrests since that, I don't have problems with sarcasm, routines, and facial expressions. But I do have sensory issues and i have a good memory, It's stressing me out wondering what's wrong with me. if anyone can tell me how i can know for certain I would really appreciate it.
Tom fod
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by Tom fod »

Hi and welcome
We cannot (and it would be wrong for us to) make any kind of judgement as to whether you're dyspraxic or autistic based on the very limited info you've provided in your post. Both conditions have a variety of indicators but you may not tick enough of the boxes to be readily categorised as either.

Being different does not mean there is necessarily anything 'wrong' with you but it often seems like we don't fit in.

Obtaining a formal diagnodis as as adult can be an excercise in futility and not all GPs have much understanding or expereince of the condition and are likely to be further hampered by limited options for referring you to the appropriate services/professionals needed to confirm or rule out either condition. Sorry this is probably not what you wish to be reading. Many resort to arranging a private assessment though results can still somtimes be inconclusive.

The Dyspraxia Foundation have a website and helpline that you may also find helpful

Tom
Tom
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otis_b_flywheel
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by otis_b_flywheel »

Hi Ff1,
This is a really tricky one for a number of reasons:
- Many autistic and dyspraxic symptoms overlap;
- It's not unusual for someone to be on both spectra;
- Medical professionals, in my experience, tend to work in "silos" and if you go to an autism expert for a diagnosis (as I did a number of years ago), and they don't put you on the autistic spectrum (I'm afraid there are political as well as medical reasons for this happening), they won't necessarily be aware of dyspraxia or other conditions, and therefore won't be able to offer a useful alternative diagnosis.
I suppose the only advice I could offer is to be persistent with your GP, and if that fails and you have the resources, it might be worth seeking a private assessment.
Best of luck
Tim

"I may not be perfect, but parts of me are pretty awesome."
Ff1
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by Ff1 »

Tom fod wrote:Hi and welcome
We cannot (and it would be wrong for us to) make any kind of judgement as to whether you're dyspraxic or autistic based on the very limited info you've provided in your post. Both conditions have a variety of indicators but you may not tick enough of the boxes to be readily categorised as either.

Being different does not mean there is necessarily anything 'wrong' with you but it often seems like we don't fit in.

Obtaining a formal diagnodis as as adult can be an excercise in futility and not all GPs have much understanding or expereince of the condition and are likely to be further hampered by limited options for referring you to the appropriate services/professionals needed to confirm or rule out either condition. Sorry this is probably not what you wish to be reading. Many resort to arranging a private assessment though results can still somtimes be inconclusive.

The Dyspraxia Foundation have a website and helpline that you may also find helpful

Tom

I was asking if their was a way I could tell the diffrence
Tom fod
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by Tom fod »

Ff1 wrote:I was asking if there was a way I could tell the diffrence


Sorry, we'll put this down to miscommunication (not uncommon here). Most people generally seem to want to know how they might obtain formal confirmation/recognition/diagnosis or where to go/what to do and how they can come to terms with the revelation that they have (or might have) dyspraxia.

I agree with Tim in that it is not easy to distinguish

You haven't stated whether you have sought or received any professional opinions. As a Dyspraxia Forum I guess we're slanted towards the discussion of what our dyspraxia means to us. We have an infinitely broad and diverse membership here. Some have received formal diagnoses and/or also have other co-occuring conditions not limited to Autism, ASD ADHD, SPD and more. Others are seeking to understand why they are 'different' and may self identify as, or suspect they have dyspraxia and are seeking answers. There may be commonalities but we're all individuals with different perspectives so often there is no black and white, just a grey and nebulous cloud.

Personally, I'm not sure if specific labels necessarily serve us that well as we and those around us can become constrained by ideas of what someone with X condition is going to be like, can or can't do. I'm more comfortable with who I am these days but many of us still have difficult times. Comparing ourselves to others is rarely objective and all too often the path to misery.

I'm inclined to believe our learned coping strategies can perhaps provide false flags to unpleasant people who might say unkind things, or more insidiously seek to manipulate people who are, or appear to be, 'vulnerable' for their own ends/amusement, I've experienced situations where people have been abusive, sought to take advantage of me or been dismissive of me, because for some reason they've been under the impression that I might have some kind of learning difficulty (fortunately for them, I'm usually too shocked and floored by their stupidity and I don't consider them worth going to prison for 25 to life for the brief/lasting satisfaction of removing them permanently from society!)

I'm open to the notion that I probably do exhibit some mannerisms/characteristics that some might attribute to their idea of what someone with X condition is like/does. Be that because I'm chuntering to myself, vocalising my dislike of uncertainty/change or other's perceived stupidity and/or inability to conform to my version of what is logical . Some days the feelings that I'm being bombarded can be quite overwhelming. We all have our thresholds and these can vary depending on myriad factors. It's recognising that you're nearing your threshold and knowing when and how to give yourself the necessary timeout to regain equilibrium.

The following thread may be of interest http://www.dyspraxicadults.org.uk/forum ... ASD#p30469

Welcome to the madhouse! Step aside Donald and Kim and go chill over your shared experience of bad hair days! 8-)
Last edited by Tom fod on Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Because I can
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Ff1
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by Ff1 »

Tom fod wrote:
Ff1 wrote:I was asking if there was a way I could tell the diffrence


Sorry, we'll put this down to miscommunication (not uncommon here). Most people generally seem to want to know how they might obtain formal confirmation/recognition/diagnosis or where to go/what to do and how they can come to terms with the revelation that they have (or might have) dyspraxia.

I agree with Tim in that it is not easy to distinguish

You haven't stated whether you have sought or received any professional opinions. As a Dyspraxia Forum I guess we're slanted towards the discussion of what our dyspraxia means to us. We have an infinitely broad and diverse membership here. Some have received formal diagnoses and/or also have other co-occuring conditions not limited to Autism, ASD ADHD, SPD and more. Others are seeking to understand why they are 'different' and may self identify as, or suspect they have dyspraxia and are seeking answers. There may be commonalities but we're all individuals with different perspectives so often there is no black and white, just a grey and nebulous cloud.

Personally, I'm not sure if specific labels necessarily serve us that well as we and those around us can become constrained by ideas of what someone with X condition is going to be like, can or can't do. I'm more comfortable with who I am these days but many of us still have difficult times. Comparing ourselves to others is rarely objective and all too often the path to misery.

I'm inclined to believe our learned coping strategies can perhaps provide false flags to unpleasant people who might say unkind things, or more insidiously seek to manipulate people who are, or appear to be, 'vulnerable' for their own ends/amusement, I've experienced situations where people have been abusive, sought to take advantage of me or been dismissive of me, because for some reason they've been under the impression that I might have some kind of learning difficulty (fortunately for them, I'm usually too shocked and floored by their stupidity and I don't consider them worth going to prison for 25 to life for the brief/lasting satisfaction of removing them permanently from society!)

I'm open to the notion that I probably do exhibit some mannerisms/characteristics that some might attribute to their idea of what someone with X condition is like/does. Be that because I'm chuntering to myself, vocalising my dislike of uncertainty/change or other's perceived stupidity and/or inability to conform to my version of what is logical . Some days the feelings that I'm being bombarded can be quite overwhelming. We all have our thresholds and these can vary depending on myriad factors. It's recognising that you're nearing your threshold and knowing when and how to give yourself the necessary timeout to regain equilibrium.

The following thread may be of interest http://www.dyspraxicadults.org.uk/forum ... ASD#p30469

Welcome to the madhouse! Step aside Donald and Kim and go chill over your shared experience of bad hair days! 8-)
.

I'm diagnosed pdd nos when I was 7 but I remember saying yes to every question and I didn't know why I was being tested I didn't know whether it was a good or bad thing so I acted like I had it ( I know it's a weird thing for a child to do) I remember not looking them in the eyes cause my mother told me it was a symptom, I also liked attention so maybe I thought people would feel sorry for me if I had it but I think maybe if I told the truth I would be diagnosed with spd or dyspraxia, I have always brushed off that I have autism because everyone knows me as being really social since I was a child. I don't have many autistic traits only that I'm very good at remembering birthdays and I remember taking some things literally as a child but I think all children do that I used to sensory seek as well I don't know I'm very confused. Also my brother is clumsy has sensory issues and handwriting really bad like mine but hes know by how social he is
Tom fod
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by Tom fod »

I can see why you're confused! I had to look up PDD NOS as not something I'd ever heard of. Can completely understand why you have doubts about that label and maybe a different roll of the dice might have resulted in a dyspraxia diagnosis.

Whether you choose to pursue a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia or not, you're welcome here. I'd be nterested in your thoughts re my rant about labels.
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
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athletic dysprax
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by athletic dysprax »

If you have a sense of humor and understand social situations and jokes you more than likely don't have autism
jess11
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Re: Dyspraxia or autism?

Post by jess11 »

Hi There, Sorry It's a late reply but It does sound like dyspraxia, but also very much like the adult symptoms of the female presentation of Aspergers, these are very often co-morbid conditions, I have just been diagnosed with both and our lives sound eerily similar, This blog I found very helpful,

https://everydayaspie.wordpress.com/201 ... tha-craft/

This is also good and discusses both conditions :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH2Oh0U4V0c

Women can appear very "normal' particularly in social situations so don't take this to rule Aspergers out.
Hope this is helpful .
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