Flashback to the early 60s

A place to talk about your experience of living with Dyspraxia

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firemonkey
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Flashback to the early 60s

Post by firemonkey »

Flashback to the early 60s. My first school was observant enough to recommend I was taken to see someone albeit it was thought it might be what is now called cerebral palsy. Autism was a narrow diagnosis . NVLD unheard of. Dyspraxia ,or whatever it was called then , far less well known. With the initial suspicions dismissed other avenues were not considered to be explored . There was not the knowledge on such matters that there is nowadays. Fast forward to the late 60s to Mid 70s and in school correspondence I acquired I’m described as poorly coordinated ,bad at drawing and writing,messy and disorganised. There’s already a pattern long before of difficulty interacting with others . Again there are dots ready to be joined together but not the professional will and knowledge to do so.

Mid 70s the long period of psychiatric care begins. As is typical of psychiatry a finely detailed assessment of background is not done , and things not looked at from a whole person perspective. All the signs ready to be picked up on are overlooked. Indeed what should have prompted more intelligent people to consider what was going on (a reaction to being told I was being sent to make doll’s houses which I freaked out at because I have no manual constructional skills ) was instead scathingly dismissed by a less than empathetic and non too bright psychiatrist as my being “an awkward and troublesome teenager”.

Opportunity to help lost. A myopic and far from intelligent pattern of everything being related to the psychiatric diagnosis I had being the order of the day instead for the next 40+ years , and the thought of looking beyond that very much dismissed.

So many years ,so many signs, so much that was overlooked.


Without the support of a good partner then wife for over 20 years and now a good stepdaughter and granddaughters I would have been in a very bad place. Not that the psychiatric profession who have always tended to be rather callous ever cared much.
Tom fod
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Re: Flashback to the early 60s

Post by Tom fod »

If it helps with context Dyspraxia used to be known as Clumsy Child Syndrome.. I believe the Dyspraxia Foundation was only founded in 1986 though I've read the joining of dys and praxis dates from the late 40s

Times were less enlightened than they are now and I wonder if there was the same lack of appetite for giving someone a label for fear that would have a negative effect?

It must feel like you became a bit of a psychiatrists curiosity/guinea pig? I felt like I was some sort of medical curiosity since my mother while not really trusting of doctors , dragged me to see myriad medical professionals. This was something I found difficult to reconcile, even though her intentions were to try to help and give me the best chances..
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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firemonkey
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Re: Flashback to the early 60s

Post by firemonkey »

Whilst accepting that times were less enlightened back in the early 60s in terms of knowledge and understanding about such things quite a lot of progress has been made in the following 50+ years. The trouble is the psychiatric profession makes judgements and then is incapable of stepping outside its diagnostic bubble as more information comes in. This is primarily because it fails to take an intelligent,holistic approach and prefers to see everything through the lens of a psychiatric diagnosis .
Tom fod
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Re: Flashback to the early 60s

Post by Tom fod »

There are sadly many with unrecognised dyspraxia who have been let down by the medical/psychiatric profession or worse, have fallen foul of the criminal justice system. The term 'snowflake' seems to be bandied abput a bit these days but my counter-argument is I'm putting up with the shite they spout!

Some people are sadly still cynical/dismissive or just downright prejudiced against people with disabilities or anyone who is in someway different. Some people are ceaselessly and dare I say it annoyingly positive when at times it is cathartic to have a good rant if that's what is needed. Equally one can say you can't rewrite history but thinking aloud on here and getting it out is sometimes useful.

Hope my stream of consciousness is not too annoying? Do feel free to disagree!

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the emotional/psychological impact of unrecognised dyspraxia. I think another complication is that it is not something that is really 'treatable' per se?
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)
Elizabeth1

Re: Flashback to the early 60s

Post by Elizabeth1 »

I can remember as far back as around 1994 and most of the 90s. Ive had flashbacks before and past memory's pop into my mind for no reason. I can't remember before the 90s as I wasn't born. I have a strange memory to share though when I was a baby I remember staring at the ceiling on the carpet hearing a hoover, I don't think I was old enough to talk but I remember it clearly.
allesandro
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Re: Flashback to the early 60s

Post by allesandro »

Well, I an relate to your description of psychiatric care in the 60's and the 70's. It was no better in the US. The US is still woefully behind in its awareness and recognition of dyspraxia. Psychiatric care here is fairly well limited to psychopharmacological treatment. If one wishes to be treated by a psychiatrist the rate is in the range of $350.00 per fifty minute session. Psychologists generally cost a little less, and if you want to use your health insurance you will generally get substandard care.
allesandro
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Re: Flashback to the early 60s

Post by allesandro »

In the early 60's I had to be the King of clumsiness, alas there was no such diagnosis as Clumsy Child Syndrome. I think if it had even been mentioned it would have been regarded as a joke; just something derogatory to place emphasis on a child's clumsiness as an annoyance, if you will. In so many ways you Europeans are so ahead of us hear in the US. People here are still making up diagnoses and claiming to have discovered dyspraxia under another name. Then they come up with some medication they claim to be the treatment.
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