Biggest problem from dyspraxia?

Post by **Daniel** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:33 pm

Dyspraxia seems a varied thing, and seems to affect different people in a range or ways to varying extents, so I'd be interested to know what you see as the biggest problem you encounter from the effects of your dyspraxia.

For instance, I would say that I've largely got to grips with balance problems, and I can get by with banging into walls and standing on people's feet in busy venues, but I would say that my biggest problem (as I neither drive nor partake in outdoor activities) is either communications related or to do with my memory and concentration, as each of these I encounter everyday at work.

What are yours?

Post by **Pooky** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:22 am

One of my main problems is making small chat with people I am not familiar with, I just don't get how people do it. I never know what to say.

The other one is again social, you know when people come round and show you their latest holidays snaps or something and other people in the room are genuinly interested and make remarks like "oooh", "don't you like your having fun", etc, etc. I just don't get it, I find it difficult enough to outwardly express myself anyway without having to really struggle to make interesting comments.

As an aside to that, Does anyone else suffer with the problem people think you are moody all the time, when you aren't, your actually quite happy inside? Comments like "Cheer Up" bug me.

The other one is my speech, I suffer with prounciation of some words, and talking too fast so most people can't understand me too well until they know me better. I also have the problem I say different things to what I am thinking or I can't remember simple words and get them out of my head into speech. I also stutter occasionally.

Although co-ordination and spatial awareness are problem, I can persevere away. Although I get frustated and upset that I can't do stuff straight away I will just go back for more and try again.

The only things that do bug me is bumping or tripping over stuff. Say for instance your eyes see a mug in the middle of the room. Brain thinks I must step over the mug to get past, but unfortunately this doesn't get to the leg and the foot ends up kicking it

Or you pick something up and it I don't know what it is with me, things just have a habit of getting broken in my hands, I just don't know how it happens.

keiraknightleyfan27 · Post by **keiraknightleyfan27** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 5:14 pm

Pooky wrote:One of my main problems is making small chat with people I am not familiar with, I just don't get how people do it. I never know what to say.

The other one is again social, you know when people come round and show you their latest holidays snaps or something and other people in the room are genuinly interested and make remarks like "oooh", "don't you like your having fun", etc, etc. I just don't get it, I find it difficult enough to outwardly express myself anyway without having to really struggle to make interesting comments.

As an aside to that, Does anyone else suffer with the problem people think you are moody all the time, when you aren't, your actually quite happy inside? Comments like "Cheer Up" bug me.

Although co-ordination and spatial awareness are problem, I can persevere away. Although I get frustated and upset that I can't do stuff straight away I will just go back for more and try again.

i have problems with making small talk as well. It is hard, but I am getting better. I think practice helps. I also have trouble interpreting people's comments sometimes. ONe time my friend was just joking and I thought she was serious. It was hard because I couldn't tell if she was being serious or not. I have trouble with time management, mostly. Also it is hard for me to get my homework done in a timely manner. Explaining myself is also hard sometimes. I can't find the right words to express myself.

It makes it hard to talk to people sometimes when I can't explain myself and sometimes I offend them.

I get upset with myself when I make a fool of myself after offending them. Also, spacial awareness is sometimes hard for me. coordination in dancing or other things like sports is tough too. I can't do a backward roll in gymanstics. I still like to play sports though, even though I have trouble sometimes. I think baseball or soccer or basketball or track are the best sports for me since I have practiced these all my life. I have more coordination in them than other sports like ice skating (my nemesis). I hope i have explained myself enough.

Thirteen-thirty-seven · Wed Feb 08, 2006 9:47 pm

My co-orcination difficulties aren't so frustratijg now that I don't have to do sport any more. I think my short-term memory is my biggest problem.

david456 · Post by **david456** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:46 pm

I have the small talk problem and the social one, sometimes I don't appear sincere or I appear too sincere. People think I'm unhappy when I'm not and I struggle to have good conversations with new people, as I'm not sure how I'm being interpreted or what to say. I always like to leave a good impression, but I'm not sure of the opinion formulated by thoss around me is a good one. I hope I am perceived as an intelligent and articulate kind of guy, but I really don't know.
Sometimes people say things like you are too... whatever and I will think am I? I didn't realise I was like that.

carrie · Post by **carrie** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:25 pm

Im no good at expressing myself I can never say what I mean and my writing is awful my coordination is bad but im used to it now .. i know im clumsy and make up for it accordingy

Danni · Post by **Danni** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:55 pm

Writing. It is incredibly painful, and my handwriting is nearly illegible. I'm just glad all my coursework needs to be typed!

mr_mallow · Post by **mr_mallow** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:23 am

Danni wrote:Writing. It is incredibly painful, and my handwriting is nearly illegible. I'm just glad all my coursework needs to be typed!

I will second that. I usually avoid writing as much as I can, but I just started a new job, so had to fill out a bunch of forms. Wow, painful and illegible! Ended up having to tpye it up and print it out at I kept getting called over to admin "what does that say...?".

Oh, and maths. I can't even use a calculator, as my maths are that bad.

Danni · Post by **Danni** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:54 am

I'm expecting a letter from the DLA lot asking me what on earth I wrote on the forms (last time they just contacted the hospital, as they couldn't understand it- the hospital basically told them what was up with me).

Unless they have dyspraxia translators

Post by **Daniel** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:30 am

If I write quickly my handwriting ends up looking more akin to Arabic, becoming a collection of often indiscernable squigles! Thank goodness for keyboards!

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:27 pm

My biggest problem is what I call the 'Orac moment'. Anyone a fan of blakes seven? Old tv sci-fi programm. The computer in it was called orac and was basically a perspex cube with flashing lights in. When Orac was computing the lights would freeze and it'd make an awful uuuurrruuurururuurururu sound. This is what my brain does if it gets overloaded! I am rendered incapable of functioning and have to sit and stare at the wall until it goes away - VERY embarrasing at work!!

Post by **Daniel** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:06 pm

Ruth,

I think I know what you mean. I have times at work when I'm asked something strange or difficult and my brain just doesn't work in giving me something to say.

Unfortunately I am too young to remember Blakes 7, but it seems to be the style of 1970s sci-fi to have ridiculously noisy computers with loads of flashing lights!

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:11 am

I don't know kids today $\:D/$

I'm actually having a bit of a blip at the moment and I'm having real trouble focusing and organising myself. And I feel really tired, I haven't been this bad since I've been aware of the dyspraxia and I'm slightly allarmed! Do you guys have good phases and bad phases?

I'll just have to chill and see what happens

keiraknightleyfan27 · Post by **keiraknightleyfan27** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:07 pm

Ruth wrote:I don't know kids today $\:D/$

I'm actually having a bit of a blip at the moment and I'm having real trouble focusing and organising myself. And I feel really tired, I haven't been this bad since I've been aware of the dyspraxia and I'm slightly allarmed! Do you guys have good phases and bad phases?

I'll just have to chill and see what happens

Yeah, I had one kind of meltdown thing last weekend where I realized something. I guess it was an epiphany or something. I have those every once and a while. I just try to do my best.

quote from Lance Armstrong:

"I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days or great days." -Lance Armstrong

I think that I should live the way that Lance seems to live, having only good days or great days. It's all in the way you think of it. I can think of the day I had my meltdown as a bad day and be sad about it or I can think of it as a good day because I had a good lesson and get on with life. I think I will choose the second option.

P.S. I don't know what Blakes 7 is either.

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:38 am

Very inspirational thankyou.

I've managed to loose my pures twice this week so far and I got lost on campus ( only been going 2 years!) and I forgot my computer passwords for a whole day BUT i know why and I'm not beating myself up

Someone said

'And these things too shall pass'

Lord alone knows who it was though - It is marvelous having a ramble on you know. Worried I migt be skewing the thread though so what are your main difficulties with it all? and if it's ok to ask what did you figure out last weekend and is all ok now?