Hiya

[ecco1983]

My name is Helen. I'm 22 (23 in July) and I am from Manchester in England. I found out I was dyslexic 18 months ago. I was doing a PGCE course and as part of a project, I had to research dyslexia. I read the symptoms and realised it fitted me. A few weeks I went to a Educational Psychologist and was formally diagnosed as dyslexic and dyspraxic although I am more dyspraxic. Its made me mroe confident about myself but I still get doubts on whether I am dyspraxic or not because I dont seem to have as many symptons as others. Is this normal?

Sorry if Im being paranoid :-(

Blessed Be!

Helen
xxxxx

[Pooky]

Hi Helen,

Welcome to the site.

I am over in Sheffield, I haven't been formally diagnosed with dyspraxia, but I posess many of the symptoms and from talking to other people on this site I have found very similiar experiences with stuff.

I was 21 when someone first mentioned I could be dyspraxic, four years of denying to myself that there could be something wrong with me and then I started to research into the subject and find out a little bit more. Similiar to you I started to read some books on the subject, and I couldnt believe some of the things I was reading as they sounded just like me.

Since then my aunty has told me that it does sound right and would explain why I was different to all my cousins when I was younger. Although she didn't feel it correct that something should be said to my parents

I have doubts whether I am or not (having not being formally diagnosed) as there are some people on this site who do seem worse than me.

However there isn't a day that goes by where I don't trip or fall over something or have an accident. At least it explains why I used to go to casualty two to three times a year when I was younger and why I was never any good at ball games.

[nick]

hi helen welcom to the forum my name is nick and i was diagnosed only about two or three months ago. i, like you, dont have all the symptoms that over people seem to talk about and even though i have been formerly diagnosed i still gat niggling doubts. i found myself thinking that it was because of all the drugs that i took in my youth, substance abuse is one of the common experiencs that some dyspraxics share, rather than being dyspraxic. of course i turned that thought around but it just goes to show how much of a hard habit it is to break, to stop beating myself up and blaming myself for being different. oh well i was just going to say hi and i've rambled on.

[Bear_ate_my_coffee]

Hello and welcome.

I think it is perfectly normal that you could have dyspraxia but have fewer symptoms then others. I have notice that the number and severity of symptoms from one dyspraxic to another can be dramatically different.
I myself suffer from verbal dyspraxia and lack most of the co-ordination problems dyspraxic people often talk about.

I have problems with pronunciation, spelling, grammar, distinguishing right from left and difficult in sequencing and planning my thoughts in to sentences. I however unlike many dyspraxic I have encountered am not that clumsy (I have my moments but I'm pretty okay in balance etc).

Then there are those dyspraxics that are the complete opposite of me and don't have any verbal or learning problems but have major balance and co-ordination difficult.

Dyspraxia is a condition that affects the way the brain processes information, resulting in messages not being fully transmitted to the body.
what symptoms you will have all the depends on what information is not being process and transmitted 'correctly'; and the severity of 'error' in processing the information and transmitting it will lead to the severity of the symptoms.
I think that's how it work someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

In short: it's normal to have different or less symptoms then other dyspraxic it just means your dyspraxia is affecting you in different ways then those others.

I also think your paranoia about whether or not you have dyspraxia is totally reasonable. I was diagnosis at a young age (about 7 years old) and got to see how knowing I was dyspraxic and being treated for it has made huge difference over the years; so there has never been a doubt in my mind that I'm dyspraxic. However for someone like you who are an adult and just be diagnosis after it had been missed for many years it's natural to be doubtful

I suggest if you doubtful about the diagnosis you do some more research on dyspraxia and when looking at the list of symptoms don't be too doubtful if you don't have many just look at one or two areas you have problems in and see if the symptoms match (e.g. if you trouble in speech and language check the symptoms that fall under that area if you have Perception check those symptoms or if you problems with motor skills check those etc.)

[jme]

Hey all!

This is from the DSM - IV (the official criteria used to diagnose DCD/dyspraxia)

Developmental Coordination Disorder
Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) also know as developmental dyspraxia, are characterized as being "clumsy" or "awkward". Children with developmental coordination disorder have difficulties with motor coordination as compared to other children of the same age. These children have difficulties in mastering gross motor coordination tasks such as crawling, walking, jumping, standing on one foot, catching a ball and fine coordination task such as tying shoelaces. Some children also demonstrate expressive speech problems.

The essential feature of Developmental Coordination Disorder is a marked impairment in the development of motor coordination.

Performance in daily activities that require motor coordination is substantially below that expected given the person's chronological age and measured intelligence. This may be manifested by marked delays in achieving motor milestones (e.g., walking, crawling, sitting), dropping things, "clumsiness," poor performance in sports, or poor handwriting.

The disturbance in Criterion A significantly interferes with academic achievement or activities of daily living.

The disturbance is not due to a general medical condition (e.g., cerebral palsy, hemiplegia, or muscular dystrophy) and does not meet criteria for a Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

If Mental Retardation is present, the motor difficulties are in excess of those usually associated with it.

Hope this helps.


Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia DVD (or Apraxia) is a type of dyspraxia but I have no idea about the diagnostic criteria for that!!

[catwoman]

Hiya Helen,
I noticed you are from manchester did you know there was a dyspraxia group in Manchester? and I am the founder and co-ordinator of it?
We are having a social this starday, let me know if you are intersted,
Coincedentally Im might be doing a PGCE at Bolton Uni in September, where are you studing yours?

[catwoman]

Sorry Hellen, bloody typical of me the social is a week on saturday 20th not sat 13th

[david456]

Hi Helen,

I'm David and I'm nearly 19, welcome to the forum. You may be Dyspraxic, but of course there are different severities of it, which could be why you are questioning whether you have it.

Plus in my opinion there are many similariities between Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, there names are similar for a start and affect the same sort of area of the brain.
I feel I am slightly Dyslexic as well as being Dyspraxic.

David

[fuzzy]

Hey Helen, welcome to the forums! I myself have not been diagnosed with dyspraxia but feel that I am indeed dyspraxic, as I have many of the symptoms. Hope you get all the help and support you need from the forums!

[ecco1983]

Me too although I feel Im more dyspraxic than dyslexic :-)

Hi Helen,

I'm David and I'm nearly 19, welcome to the forum. You may be Dyspraxic, but of course there are different severities of it, which could be why you are questioning whether you have it.

Plus in my opinion there are many similariities between Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, there names are similar for a start and affect the same sort of area of the brain.
I feel I am slightly Dyslexic as well as being Dyspraxic.

David

Blessed Be!

Helen
xxxxx

[ecco1983]

Hiya Helen,
I noticed you are from manchester did you know there was a dyspraxia group in Manchester? and I am the founder and co-ordinator of it?
We are having a social this starday, let me know if you are intersted,
Coincedentally Im might be doing a PGCE at Bolton Uni in September, where are you studing yours?

No I havent heard of it but Ill definetly keep it in mind :-)

I passed my PGCE last summer and I did mine at Bolton Institute :-)

Blessed Be!

Helen
xxxxx

[Daniel]

Welcome to the forum Helen!

[Ruth]

Hi Helen and welcome to the forum.

it's my understanding is that there are a range of dyspraxic traits and then we canhave some, a few or all of them!! I'm 33 and was diagnosed about a year ago. i have accepted now that i have dyspraxia but I ciuldn't really believe it initially.

This forum has helped me tremendously, folks here are just great. Another thing that helps is going back to see the psychologist who diagnosed me. i got this huge report ( well sort of 5 pages) talking about what i can and can't do. I didn't understand it and someone here ( can't remember who sorry) suggested going back to talk about it. I gave me a better understanding of my difficulties and what dyspraxia actually is - i feel this follow up consultations is essential.


So enjoy this lovely place now you've found it! and by the way how did the PGCE go?? I hear they're really hard!!

[pussinboots]

I've just found this forum again. I only knew I had dyspraxia about a year or so ago. I always knew there was something wrong though.

I did my PGCE at Bolton as well!!! I did mine in 1991/2 though. So did my mate Martin. He got a job in Sutton Coldfield. I didn't get a job. I've had loads of unrelated jobs since though but that's another story.

It's lovely at Bolton Uni. I was at Chadwick Street Campus and I made lots of friends there and I'm still in touch with a few of them. I hope you have a great time there Helen.

Pussinboots

[Lithium_joe]

I am doing a PGCE at Sheffield Hallam this year.

First Teaching practice on Monday.

Meep.