Ahoy there

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:34 pm

Hi Guys,

It's been great reading all the interesting posts here, finally a group of people who experience the world in a similar way to me. It's been helpful to hear how people have been dealing with the challenges life throws at us dyspraxics and I thought I'd say hello.

I'm currently in my 3rd year of studying speech and language therapy at Manchester University and have only just been diagnosed with dyspraxia. It was mentioned to my parents when I was at primary school because I could read better than most people my age and was bright, but my writing was illegible, I couldn't catch a ball and I could not sit still, but I wasn't assessed and nothing was done about it. I presume this lack of action was largely because I wasn't a naughty/troublesome child, I managed to get reasonable grades throughout school by being logical (despite never writing fast enough to finish exams) and usually got reports saying "bright and refreshingly inquisitive, seems to grasp teh subject, but slow to start and complete tasks, worries too much and doesn't fulfil her potential" At uni I tend to cope ok with assignments and exams, but my placement earlier this year was impossible! The social strain was immense, as I had to meet new people every day had the pressure of somebody assessing me all the time (even in the staff room at lunch), so didn't really know how to act and ended up being too formal and quiet, as chit chat scares me! The patient sessions themselves were fine, but I had to fill in reams of handwritten notes and paperwork whilst keeping up a rapport with patients and whilst having questions fired at me by other clinicians which were too fast for me to process! 1st of all I got told off for being too slow at taking notes and not understanding the impact my time management had on others (I did understand, but couldn't write faster) then when I tried to speed up, I got told off for leaving gaps and inaccuracies.I suggested the use of a dictaphone or a laptop, but they said that it is not how things were done, you'd think health professionals would be a little more understanding! Anyway, by the end of the placement I was a nervous wreck with no confidence and decided it was time to get assessed. As I expected I was diagnosed with dyspraxia, but I was also given the label of dyslexia, but knowing people with dyslexia and having read up on it, i'm pretty sure that I'm not dyslexic, as my spelling isn't too bad, I play scrabble all the time (and beat most my friends) plus I'm a book worm and have been able to read single words since I was 18 months old! Does anyone know if Dyspraxia is meant to be a subgroup of Dyslexia or something? I don't really understand my Ed Psych report!

Anyway, apart from that, I'm obsessed with listening to and playing music (play the clarinet, sax and piano). My other hobbies include swimming, trampolining, hiking, playing scrabble, reading and having good discussions.

Apologies for this turning into such a long essay and I look forward to hearing from you all.

BrainThrust · Post by **BrainThrust** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:42 pm

I read your post Nicky and pretty much your sentiments and history echo mine exactly. It's comforting to know that others had to deal with the same stuff as I did.

I'm at Manchester Metropolitan but I don't get any help for my Dyspraxia (personal choice).

As a similar thing, I'm not quite sure of the dewfenition of Dyspraxia, but I do know it isn't a sub group of Dyslexia.

AFAIAA Dyspraxia is a condition where some of the nerves in the brain do not develop properly causing a neurochemical dysfunction. Thats what they told me anyway.

Nice to meet you by the way! Glad to see a fellow swimmer.

Wilf

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:18 pm

Thanks for your reply, I didn't think it was a sub-group either, but it seemed to be the wy the term was used in my report. I have a sneaking suspician it's becuase Dyspraxia isn't so widely known or understood.

By the way, I do like your tag line!

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 5:52 am

Hiya, I'm a newbie too, hope u like it here as much as me!

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:25 am

Greetings and salutations :)

After the ahoy I was vaugley hoping that you'd turn out to be a pirate captain, the real world is never as exciting as the way it goes in my head :P

The way to make universities do what you want is to start citing...ah what's the name of it again...the disabilities discrimination act? I think that's it, it's in my notes somewhere (along with the exact wording of the sale of goods act, my best friend is a lawyer so I pick up any law that can be used to make beurocrats I encounter dance) I'm not sure how far they can intervene with the placement thing though :S Well I guess you got through it and seem to still be okay (I figure if you're a brain in a jar hooked up to a computer I reckon you wouldn't list hiking amoung your hobbies)

I second the above, dyspraxia is not a type of dyslexia, they're just derived from similar bits of latin (The morphenes dys, lexia and praxia are derived from latin aren't they? I forget, I forget again) So yeah, if you know about dyslexia and are sure then you're probably right.

Those school reports sound familiar from somewhere, it's frustrating isn't it? The 'not living up to your potential' part is always accusative. I had the advantage of an early(ish) diagnosis but it was still the same.

Those be good hobbies (though I don't share many of them my housemates do and we get on fine, you can tell a lot about a person from their hobbies) I like discussing things too, I find that the only way people ever improve is to talk, compare opinions and adopt better thought out positions when they come across them. Or modify their own to suit. I find it hard though, especially in larger groups of people. I'm never sure when you're allowed to talk, who's got right of way so to speak. Conversations need roadsigns.

There's never any need to apologise for an essay. Wouldn't read what people wrote if it wasn't interesting/entertaining, if there's more of it then I just get more of those things.

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:14 pm

Hi Nicky

WElcome to the forum. That placement sounds like a nightmare. Have you talked to anyone yet as to how things can be sorted for next time?

Dyslexia deffinately is different to Dyspraxia. there are paople here that can explain it better than me but I'll give it a shot. There is this idea of neuro - typical i.e the majority of the population, and the neuro - divergent special people like us. we include dyspraxics, dyslexics, turette's Aspergers, Autism and adhd that I can remember. theses are all different conditions with different symptoms and often overlap. I'm diagnosed Dyspraxic but have mild turette's and Aspergic(?) traits. hmm does that make sense?

When I got my diagnosis it took 3 return visits before I understood it to my satisfaction, perhaps you could book a follow up appointment to have the Dyslexia slant explained?

Good luck for your 3rd year - are you just starting os just finishing?

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 4:21 pm

Thanks for that. I did actually book a follow up appointment, but the adviser didn't know what dyspraxia was and couldn't explain much about the report to me. I do know the differences, as I've had to touch upon both on my speech therapy uni course, but I don't see how the terminology is being used in this context.

Btw. Greg, I totally agree with you about some conversations needing road signs!

Post by **Daniel** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 12:36 am

Hi Nicky!

Welcome to the forum, even if you're not sailing the seven seas in search for plunder!

Your placement did sound challenging. I can certainly relate with the problems you encountered trying to cope with several things going on at the same time; I think that's a typical dyspraxic experience. I also tend to default to the formal and quiet setting if I don't know how to deal with a social situation too. Well done on getting assessed though, hopefully you'll start receiving the help you need from here on in.

Dan
(roaming Japan at present)

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:17 am

Thanks. Sounds like you can do the piratical roaming on my behalf! I hope you're enjoying your travels.

jme · Post by **jme** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:02 am

Hi Nicky, great intro. like everyone else, i could really relate to what you wrote.

I can also relate a bit to your experiences with your prac. However, im sure most people feel a bit overwhelmed in the beginning... you'll get the hang of it. I have a psych backround and am learning some (really basic) language assessments for work. Luckily I have noone watching me! it's hard to write while you're assessing so I actually record responses and score it later. this isnt anything special - they actually want me to do it like that so i can focus on the child. They installed special software on my laptop for recording. Its crazy that they wont let you use any recording devices. people (with or without a disability) find this very useful. It's too hard without it especially for people dont write very fast. I also find telling people to "slow down" useful but I dont say it quite enough!

I also love listening to music (and play (well attempt to play) the cello. Having said that, i havent played for a while cause ive been too busy... should get back to it

). what sort of music do you listen to? im also very impressed that you hike!! wow

jme

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:19 am

Cool, do you play your Cello in any orchestras or anything? I listen to an eclectic mix of classical, rock, punk, metal, ska, bluegrass, jazz, blues, show, opera and folk music (basically anything that isn't hip hop or r'n'b). What do you listen to?

david456 · Post by **david456** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:37 pm

Hi Nicky.

I'm David, welcome to the forum.

nick · Post by **nick** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:50 pm

Hi Nicky , my name is nick. i found your ijntro facinating and can only appologixe for coming across it so late. I was only fairly recently diagnosed with mild dyspraxia and like you have a certain confusion around dyslexia and dyspraxia. my mentor and university who also did my screening was surprised that i was only diagncosed with dyspraxia and not also dyslexia (i was not however). I still find how autisim sprectrum explanation very confusing and have read a couple of books, neither of which clarified it for me, and can only assume that the common ground is centered around the diversity issue.

ALso i was interested to read about you placement experience and was wondering what it is that you are studying at university, you mention other clinians and health proffesionals. i wonder about this because i am studying psychology and have an interest in clinicall psychology. If this is your situation do you have any advise for me about placements etc etc?

i hope i have not been to nosey

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:00 pm

Hey Nick,

You've not been nosy at all! I'm studying speech and language therapy. I can't really give you much advice for placements, as I've not as yet done especially well on any! I hope that now I understand why I find certain things challenging, I may manage to make the next one work. I'll keep you posted. Do you have placements in clinical psychology?

Nicky.

jme · Post by **jme** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:15 am

It's good that you get experience doing the placements during your degree. ...with psychology you only start doing things like that *after* you complete a 4year degree! however i probably would have freaked if i had to do practical placements in 3rd year.

That certainly is an eclectic mix! I don't really play in any orchestras or string groups cause.. well.. hmm.. im not particularly good. no matter how far i get i remain equally bad. the ratio between playing level and badness remains constant. i can't play in time for starters. However i'm so glad i learned! its something that i like to do when i get stressed.