I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Getting assessed for your dyspraxia, getting help, disability allowance etc.

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lizzie1991
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I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by lizzie1991 »

Hi everyone, I am typing this to explain why I think I have a form of dyspraxia. When I was very young around infant school age (5 to 7) I used to fall over in the playground almost constantly mainly backwards onto my head. This happened so frequently that the school ended up writing letters home. I used to trip over running and walking to places. I could not balance on the P.E equipment and fell off and this made me have a fear of climbing onto things I considered high and i would scream the room down.

Even now I am scared of climbing onto certain objects because I know I will get hurt, I end up bumping into things very often and i can't keep my room or the house tidy for a long time. I struggle to do more than one thing at once and i get stressed very easy and have an anxiety disorder. When I am stressed the old dyspraxia symptoms come back leaving me feeling infantile.

I am in my mid twenties now and in the past around 14 years of age the psychiatrist said i may have a dyspraxia mildly based on the clumsiness. I also find it difficult to remember complex instructions. Sometimes I am listening and as a person is talking the information from their previous sentence has evaporated from my brain i can only follow as they go along. I struggle to follow sequencing instructions and have to repeat the intructions until i get it right.

My right arm and hand is weaker than my left so i cannot play instruments with both hands and my right hand is slower and i cant press down hard with it alone.

I would like to know where i am mostly likely to get a referral and assessment from. I have contacted the psychiatrist and also booked a gp appointment.

I have spent this afternoon writing all my difficulties down onto paper in preparation if i get as far as an assessment and i have titled it "thing's i struggle with"

Thank you for reading.
Tom fod
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Re: I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by Tom fod »

Hi Lizzie

It's great that you've made a start by noting down all the things that are troubling you. I hope that your GP and/or Psychiatrist can identify some avenues for your getting some additional help. Provision for adults with dyspraxia is a bit patchy so you will likely be offered non specific assistance. Please feel free to read posts here and ask any questions. If you haven't looked the Dyspraxia Foundation's website may also be worth browsing. They also have a Helpline.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
lizzie1991
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Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:48 pm

Re: I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by lizzie1991 »

Thank you i have came across the website in the past and more recently because after thinking of past photographic memories i can point out what was going on and why i behaved in certain ways etc... A lot of what is listed does relate to me, i have poor maths skills,i strain myself in some situations to think inside my head and end up having to write things down. I relate most of my memories from photographic and sounds, conversations along with the photographic memory... I was never aware of a learning style or things like that in the past infact i didn't understand things in general regarding learning, all i could ever come out with is "i'm bad at maths."
Tom fod
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Re: I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by Tom fod »

You're welcome Lizzie

When you say photographic memory is this because you tend to see things in/as pictures? This is considered a bit of a characteristic of neuro diverse people.

I find I'm generally ok with basic arithmetic, but algebra and certain other mathematical concepts leave me cold. I too can remember stuff to a degree that can frighteningly weird and/or at times annoyingly inconvenient to others. My Short term/working memory is not really as good, so remembering exactly what someone has just said or knowing where I've just left an important item are potentially panic inducing!

Even though we're all here as people who identify ourselves as being, or possibly being Dyspraxic, we're all still unique individuals and won't have a tick in the box for all that is supposedly Dyspraxic.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
lizzie1991
Getting settled in
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:48 pm

Re: I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by lizzie1991 »

Yes i tend to see things in pictures and if it is a memory i can remember the sounds and conversations too (most of the time). Usually when I am typing or writing a letter or sending a text i don't necessarily plan every word or sentence in my head i just seem to type away.

I do press down to hard with pens as i am left handed and my smallest finger gets pen smudged on it and all over the paper although i don't do much writing these days. It used to happen all the time!

I have also noticed than when I go shopping or outside I have to put my backpack down as it is difficult to take things out and put things in while i am carrying it. I can also be slow at doing this if i am not rushing and i do rush most of the time.

I can only type properly with my left hand and fingers and tend to be heavy handed doing so. I am a slow typer and the right hand is just there as a pressing backup and makes no difference to my typing.

I also tend to go blank as to where i have just put something down less than 5 mins ago. I can tie shoe laces but i can't keep them tied long and i end up walking around with them undone so i don't wear them anymore just velcro.

I can remember things from years ago and if i ever brought things up to certain people they would be like why are you bringing that up? That was ages ago stop living in the past think about the present.
Tom fod
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Re: I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by Tom fod »

It's sad that people all too often seem to point out and are disparaging about things that we do differently to make them easier/preferable to ourselves and all the positive aspects just seem to become lost in a sea of negatives.

It's not easy for us to 'not give a monkey's' without being accused of 'not being a team player' or some such BS. We do want to feel included but being different and feeling we're on the outside looking in can make this blooming difficult. Everyone and everything seems to need to happen quickly and that does seem to contribute to anxiety. It is important for us to be kind and patient with ourselves, though I confess I too am not great at this.

Your long-term memory can and is a great asset if you can learn how to put it to good effect
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
lizzie1991
Getting settled in
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:48 pm

Re: I think I might have Dyspraxia where can i get a referral?

Post by lizzie1991 »

So far the psychiatrist has not rang me back regarding the dyspraxia. I left a message with the Secretary about a week ago so I'll see if i get a call this week.
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