do people notice dyspraxia

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hanna
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do people notice dyspraxia

Post by hanna »

Hey was wondering do people normally notice that yer dyspraxic without telling them?? i think people normally think there something not quite right about me.... :(
AlleyCat
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Re: do people notice dyspraxia

Post by AlleyCat »

Yes, unfortunately people will pick up on something that's 'different' and quite possibly prejudge the person as a result (for example, in the workplace, an employer might wrongly assume that the person is less intelligent or capable and avoid giving the person any kind of responsibility as a result). At school, other children picking up that a child is in some way 'different' all too often leads to that child being bullied. Of course, prejudice is completely unacceptable, but I think it is more likely to occur if the person with dyspraxia has speech problems or awkward body movements. A few days ago, the Dyspraxia Foundation posted a fantastic video on Youtube, which you might want to check out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSmPueg355w

In my opinion, some of the people in the video would stand out as being 'different'. I'm not going to say which ones- see what you think. I don't know how many of the people featured in the video are gainfully employed, but everyone in the video seems intelligent and deserves a chance to have a fulfilling career. Due to other people's prejudices (whether they've known I have dyspraxia or not), I have encountered huge barriers in pursuing a teaching career.
hanna
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Post by hanna »

i know what you mean but im not even that bothered about employers and all that because am used to people thinking im stupid but i soon prove them wrong...and yah your right about the speech thing because i cant pronounce my Rs properly ...i was supposed to get speech therapy when was little but was stupid and stubborn and wouldn't..i wish more then anything that i did now!!!!am really depressed because a fella i was seeing ended things with me yesterday and i know its because of dyspraxia..because he was taking the **** of me for the way i talk the other night and last week i locked my bag with my phone and stuff in his friends house which made him miss his flight to England because i had to get it! and on Tuesday night we were in a night club and i got into a fight with a girl.. i cant control my temper and ripped her hair and punched her in the face..the bouncers had to carry me out and im barred from the club now..i feel so bad and then he said i must have no class if im acting like that which is aload of **** because fellas get into fights the whole time and knowone says nothing about it!!am so depressed because was trying soooooooooo hard to be normal and failed :( i would do anything 2 just be normal for once......
shadowgirl021
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Re: do people notice dyspraxia

Post by shadowgirl021 »

Reading through some peoples experiences, where I live must be quite tolerable. I have had people (Managers, Collages and maybe even friends and teachers) who must think there is something not quite right. I even had someone directly come up to me and say "what is wrong with you" and a few strange looks when asking people something that I should already know but no-one has been overly rude to me. But yes, people are more then likely going to pick up on things that are not "normal" about people, but try and not let them get to you. remind yourself of your good qualities and what you have to offer.
I saw the video, was a good insight about how people struggle in work. Made me feel that I am not the only one who struggles though work, happy now though :banana: and like how it stars adults in! yay!
Tom fod
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Re: do people notice dyspraxia

Post by Tom fod »

I agree in my experience some people are aware that I'm different but I don't think very many people at all could put a name to it unless they are already aware/have experience. While learning about dyspraxia was a good thing in some ways I don't like to advertise it as there just doesn't seem to be the right level of knowledge or acceptance out there yet of Dyspraxia or any other difference. I'm open about it with those I trust but I can count those people on my fingers. I just want people to accept me for who I am and what I can do on my good days.

On the negative side (sadly there are quite a few judgemental &$%£s out there who think and even dare to express to me (or worse still) people I'm with, that they think I'm some sort of halfwit. For a while I can be pretty upset as I'm perfectly capable of doing myself down so really don't need others to help! Sadly I can't deal out the treatment I'd like to subject these people to which is lucky for them, and me too. I don't like to take a superior attitude but I guess it's a human condition and it can work well as an alternative to getting myself into trouble or revealing a rabid state that scares everyone! Disregard the idiots and let those that do value you. colour your opinion of yourself

Tom
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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hanna
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Re: do people notice dyspraxia

Post by hanna »

thats really good advice tom that you should let people who value you colour your opinion of yourself :) am gonna try do that from now on
joy
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Re: do people notice dyspraxia

Post by joy »

I dont think that most people even know what dyspraxia is let alone notice it.They might just think that maybe your a bit clumsy or a bit ungainly with the way you might walk .That would also depend on how bad you are, I myself would have a good guess as to whether somebody was dyspraxic or not but only because I have Dyspraxia myself and so does my son and I know what to look for but for the majority of people I wouldnt think so.
AlleyCat
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Re: do people notice dyspraxia

Post by AlleyCat »

Other people definitely do notice when someone with dyspraxia has problems with speech. I experienced some particularly cruel bullying at school because of the way I spoke, although at that time I hadn't been identified as having dyspraxia. People notice when others don't speak in a way which they consider to be 'normal' and may treat them in a negative way as a result, even it they don't know the name of the condition that is causing someone's speech to be like that.

Due to my own experiences of being judged because of the way I spoke, I am very interested in finding out about how speech disorders can have an impact on the lives of others. Recently I found out about a condition called spasmodic dysphonia by watching videos of the condition on Youtube. Unfortunately, when a person has spasmodic dysphonia, it can cause others to assume that the person who has the condition is nervous or upset, when he or she might be perfectly happy- I really feel for anyone with this condition who has to attend a job interview. I don't know if Ed Miliband has been formally identified as having any particular condition which affects his speech, but if you google him you will see that quite a lot of people seem to have decided that he has some kind of speech impediment. What that could be, I don't know, although I have heard claims that he sounds quite nasal. The ignorance of some people has even led them to conclude that he could never be prime minister purely because of the way he talks! Sadly, we live in a very small minded world, where a lot of people are quick to judge someone on superficialities, rather than giving that person the chance to demonstrate what he or she is capable of achieving.
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