is the information on dyspraxia insulting?

[hanna]

i recently googled information about dypraxic people..is it me or dose it make out that we are complete retards??like i find it really insulting the way they describe dyspraxic people like another species or something..i dont advise anyone to look it up because you'll only get depressed off your head!!also i would be embarrassed to tell anyone i have it because if they looked it up they would think im retarded...dose anyone else feel like this??

[BinaryBovine]

I know what you mean. I was professionally diagnosed as dyspraxic by several experts, but when I look at some of the descriptions of 'dyspraxic people' online I think, "Wait a minute, thats nothing like me!"
I think part of the problem is dyspraxia is so vague and has so many aspects to it people tend to lump every possible symptom together as a description of dyspraxia- where in reality most people will have less than half of the symptoms and still be dyspraxic.
So confusing....

[AlleyCat]

Yes, some of the information on dyspraxia focuses too much on things which people with dyspraxia can find difficult, which can then lead others to have low expectations of us. I think there needs to be more information out there about the strengths which people with dyspraxia can have (such as being particularly empathetic, creative or having good language skills). Where employment is concerned, I think it's extremely important for employers to know that, just because someone might not be the fastest or most efficient person at performing menial tasks, his or her higher level thinking skills could have a lot to offer an employer. Unfortunately a lot of people still believe the old idea that you 'work your way up' in a job, starting off by proving your ability at making cups of tea and doing all the filing- the old idea of 'proving yourself' in a job by being good at menial tasks is just not appropriate for people who have dyspraxia.

[Tim G]

It is confusing as it seams though to be dyspraxic you have to fill every catoragorie, however that not the case. - Everyones ND profile is diffrent and allthough there are common difculities some may not have the same diffculities as others, and find things more diffcult or easer. That dosent mean they are or anrt dyspraxic, it is on a scale. Its even more complacated that its under the umbrella of the nurologicial diverse which covers many diffrent aspects (dyspraxicia, dyslexicia, ADHD, aspergus, autisium, mental helth etc) and some are compleatly oppersit to dyspracicia.

I think really the thing is to stick to your own digignosis and that will say where you strenghs and weekness are and with what you know yourself. Base it on a inderpendent level insted of a overall scale as thats just a guide and its raie that you will fix exactly on it.

I hope I have explaned it better but I am still as confused

[Kimiann]

I think there should be more info on the things we are good at, the info out there does seem to be "this is wrong with them". We can be very talented. My sons OT said it would take him longer to learn something but then he wpould be better at it then his peers. It's very true - he joined the army and was an excellent shot! I'm very empathetic and I'm very good at spelling and grammar - hopeless at maths n science though!

Kim

[BinaryBovine]

I think there should be more info on the things we are good at, the info out there does seem to be "this is wrong with them". We can be very talented. My sons OT said it would take him longer to learn something but then he wpould be better at it then his peers. It's very true - he joined the army and was an excellent shot! I'm very empathetic and I'm very good at spelling and grammar - hopeless at maths n science though!

Kim

This is true! I'm terrible at maths too, but I love to read and write, and I've passed that love on to my daughter who's learning to read and is an advanced set for it at school now. I'd like to think my encouragement has played a part in that. Even though my dyspraxia may prevent me from being super organised, or driving a car, I can still be creative, and am great at bringing out the best in kids in fun ways. There definitely needs to be some emphasis on the positives of being dyspraxic- because I hadn't even thought of it till this thread came up- thanks Kimjann!

[Tom fod]

I'd agree with that. Would add that it all too often seems like a very uncaring world with people all to apt to dismiss others out of hand just because they're different from what is portrayed as desirable or 'normal'. We generally have to work much harder at stuff and while sometimes being told you'll never amount to much can act as a positive driver to prove them all wrong! Other days it can all seem too much!

Doesn't help that medical professionals can take a high handed or patronising tone and that most Dyspraxia-related literature is aimed at the parents of younger people. Besides it is never going to be easy or right to try and categorise us.

Tom

[alice3rd]

I very much agree, the information out there is nothing short of a disgrace !
My mum once bought this book about this dyspraxic girl, when she read it she underlined stuff that she said reminded her of me! This girl had severe dyspraxia though and my mum generalised all her problems to me and I was so insulted as her problems were far worse than mine and she had some problem thy I'd never struggled with before and it litterally sent me wild that the conparison had been made !
I hate that on some parts of the Internet it's called brain damage, because it's clearly not !

[Tim G]

I agree some of the infomation out there isent correct and is overgenralised and is also not helped by the medicial model which focuses on what somone can't do insted of what they can (the indervigual model).

To be honist I think that calling it brain dammage is reletivlie accurate as dyspraxicia can be caused by oxeygen affexaction during birth. Or in some cases later in life after a inguary which has affected the brain - both of thies cases are often defined / are brain dammage.
However dyspraxicia can also be inheareted by genetics and this is not known as brain dammage - its naturaly how the brain in some cases is formed.

What book did you mum look at and refered you to?