Do I need to get assessed?

[Pieman]

Hi. I'm just wondering if there is any point in getting assessed. Are there any benefits?

I'm 26 and work in an Autistic unit in a Secondary School which is how i heard about dyspraxia. It seemed to describe me so well and after speaking to a couple of my collegues and the Specialist nurse that comes into the school to discuss the students we have in the unit I decided to take a test with DORE. I scored very highly on the test.

I have very poor hand-eye co-ordination, I've never been able to catch a ball or kick a football straight, poor organisation skills, very scruffy handriting, I always bump into people , doors, my own feet, the floor etc, I find it difficult to judge distances and hate hights (even if i stand a few rungs up a ladder I get a feeling of dread and I cant move. I dont have trouble reading like dyslexia but i just get really stressed when im reading - if theres lots of writing i get lost and i get a headache very easily. I have a problem taking in what i am reading too - when i get to the end of thre paragraph i forget what happened at the start of it. I also find it hard to concentrate and daydream all the time even during activities like driving, talking and working. When i was a kid I had troublr with my speach and I got bored easily which meant i messed around a lot.

I'm not sure whaty to do now really - if i got a formal diagnoses it would give me answers as to why i had so many difficulties as a kid. I dont have all the symptoms like - difficulty with left/right, lack of rythum.

Anyone have any ideas / advise???

[babooshka2002]

I don't have all the symptoms either - I have no problem with left and right and my rhythm is excellent. I've been diagnosed with "some dyspraxic tendencies" and investigations are ongoing as to what other things I may have.

I guess only you can determine if it's worth getting assessed or not. Do you have trouble at work? Would an assessment help you at work because then your bosses might be able to provide something to not allow your neurological differences to prevent you doing as good a job as neurotypical people?

The reason I wanted assessment was because I have no job, haven't had one for years, and because of my difficulties it is impossible for me to think about what I could do, because they trip me up both literally and metaphorically at every turn! I needed recognition to be given to them so that when I do finally manage to get work, there will be an understanding of my problems and I wouldn't get immediately fired for being rubbish - because I'm not rubbish, I just have a disability. Unfortunately, to people not in the know, my disability can look like I'm just being a monumental pain in the bum.

Assessment will probably also turn out to be useful in terms of claiming benefits, because right now I'm seriously on the border with them with the difficulties that the DWP can see. They can't see all my hidden difficulties that make it so much harder - if I 'just' had foot and spinal deformities I think I'd be alright.

[Remus]

I think it really is down to you to decided that. What effect would have on you? Would it be a help or a hindrance? I would spent some time and summarise the good points and the bad points.

I don't have all the symptoms either. I was extremely clumsy as a kid, knocking things over, falling over etc but these days I rarely have accidents now as my condition has improved and it's more the mental side of things now which I have to deal with like memory, taking orders etc.

I went to my doctor to get diagnosed and to be honest, it was just a total joke. It took nearly a year to get seen and then I got this Italian doctor who I couldn't understand and he didn't even ask my questions. He basically said they was nothing wrong with me which was just insulting as I have entire files from special needs and extreme painful memories which complete counterract that. I figure I would try again later but for now, I'm good.

I wish you good luck with you decision and whatever it is, I hope it goes well.