What are your dyspraxia symptoms
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susanlovely
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- Posts: 7
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What are your dyspraxia symptoms
What sort of things do you struggle with?
Re: What are your dyspraxia symptoms
I'm a bit less exacting and not as much my own harshest critic as I used to be.
I strive for a degree of perfection but better at knowing when that may not be possible.
I can follow a recipe but not a massive fan of multi-componnent meals where you need to have everything planned to be ready at more or less the same time (meat n veg)
Not a great fan of fiddly things
Wish my home was less cluttered and untidy.
Not always a fan that I'll too often take the most awkward and least efficient approach for what I need to get done then wish I'd done it better way. Suppose I'm a frustrated perfectionist.
I personally use the term challenges rather than symptoms as latter is too overly pathologising for my personal liking.
Symptoms is still a valid term but like disorder I'm not a fan. Some would say I'm in denial.
I liken it to living with a mischievous goblin alter-ego. We have an uneasy truce. He likes to throw spanners into the workings of my plans. Some of the time I manage to stay just ahead of him and outwit him with humour, patience and good grace. Other times I just want to strangle the blighter!
I strive for a degree of perfection but better at knowing when that may not be possible.
I can follow a recipe but not a massive fan of multi-componnent meals where you need to have everything planned to be ready at more or less the same time (meat n veg)
Not a great fan of fiddly things
Wish my home was less cluttered and untidy.
Not always a fan that I'll too often take the most awkward and least efficient approach for what I need to get done then wish I'd done it better way. Suppose I'm a frustrated perfectionist.
I personally use the term challenges rather than symptoms as latter is too overly pathologising for my personal liking.
Symptoms is still a valid term but like disorder I'm not a fan. Some would say I'm in denial.
I liken it to living with a mischievous goblin alter-ego. We have an uneasy truce. He likes to throw spanners into the workings of my plans. Some of the time I manage to stay just ahead of him and outwit him with humour, patience and good grace. Other times I just want to strangle the blighter!
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)
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)
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FromtheHill
- New member - welcome them!
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2024 3:47 am
Re: What are your dyspraxia symptoms
For me the classic childhood symptoms included:
unable to tie shoestrings (until the very last day of Kindergarten. Since then it's been a struggle. I miss velcro)
could not ride a bike until age 10.
I was the worst player on the worst baseball team in little league.
Speech
Had to attend speech therapy from 3rd to 5th grade. They called it 'lazy tongue' back then. That was a confidence booster LOL.
I was very loud - unable to modulate my voice for volume.
Terrible singer - I lack the ability to have any control over singing.
speaking voice - same thing; I run flat/monotone; mumble words when tired.
Taste
Super finicky/picky eater from day one. As an infant if the food wasnt covered in chocolate pudding I didnt want it
certain food flavors are way too intense. I have no idea how anyone can eat Bananas. The consistency and flavor is nasty to me. I haven't eat the most basic food items from cottage cheese, pineapple, Mac & cheese, etc. Cooked/boiled vegetables I cannot eat. the texture of most foods creep me out.
Smell
Certain smells overwhelm me. I have to put a towel at the foot of my bedroom door if anyone cooks flavor intense foods. It's easier for me to let them cook their food and I'll manage my own issues.
Eyesight
I have amazing eyesight (Im 50 and wear reading glasses only for ease)
but spatial awareness & map reading etc I score myself super low. I get lost a lot while driving and add in extra time.
I dont use GPS for fear it'll cause me to have accidents
**I didnt even want to learn how to drive until 18.
Fine Motor Skills (for these I have gotten better at age - but still struggle from time to time.)
buttoning a shirt took at least two attempts. I always had one more button at the top and an extra loop at the bottom
putting on a belt - I would miss a loop all the time; not even realizing it.
Zippers on jackets - those things are a menace. I jammed them up all the time.
tying a tie - I couldn't do it until early 20s. And I couldn't do it by watching myself in a mirror. I nearly failed Cub Scouts due to my lack of knot tying skills
Penmanship - my handwriting is atrocious; especially cursive. I quit cursive by 12th grade. No teacher ever scolded me for that.
Shop class - I was a solid D student. I cannot draw the same thing twice - meaning I could never be a cartoonist.
Personal Hygiene
By hair is very wavy/curly/tangly if I grow it long. And In the 1970s/1980s we all did. My hair looked like a rat's nest. I couldn't comb my hair at all. I wish I had kept it short & tight as I do now.
Dental hygiene - also terrbile. I cant floss due to small motor skills. And teeth brushing skills are rather subpar
Balance
I rode a skateboard once for two feet if that
I put on rollerblades and couldn't even stand up
I fell about 50 times on cross country skies the one afternoon I used those
when the escalator is not working I hold on to the rails for dear life (and vertigo is a real thing)
Executive Functioning
I can cook two things at once maximum. Would never contemplate doing a thanksgiving dinner
at work I have to write out and screenshot every step possible to be able to do processes (habit forming is super important.)
video games - I put those at super easy difficulty level. I love RPG games and those help me on how to navigate menus & accounting systems in fast hectic paced situations. That helps with me being an accountant.
Memory
I dont know if this is related to dyspraxia; but if I am stressed out with people demanding answers I completely blank. They tend to get frustrated so my brain decides I better say something and hope for the best. People have thought I was a liar. It's more that Im playing the odds I might be right and they need to go on their way.
Touch
I hate people touching me. A simple gesture from a friend or co-worker makes me recoil. (the recoiling is very slight - but I know it's there.). I do not initiate touching or hugging. both due to the way it feels and impaired social skills from having this.
In infancy if I was sick my parents left me alone in the crib - if they picked me up I was only worse.
As a kid I hated corduroy pants. Certain fabrics I steer clear from. I prefer rough/thick clothing.
I layer clothes and I am frequently cold. I run a heater at work in the summer.
Strength
I was and still am very physically weak for my body size.
I dont lift to quote Dr. Niles Crane
I hate shaking hands due to the strength issue and holding hands (as above)
Frustration Level/Emotions
I am considered 'easily frustrated' - yet with Dyspraxia we all burn through our daily allotment of frustration way sooner than everyone else. (Remember that if you have a child with Dyspraxia. They dont quit trying - they just have hit their limit for the day)
Self-esteem/Self-confidence was obviously super low through life.
The Filter - if I am super stressed; off goes the filter and curse words and insults flow freely!
I discovered I have dyspraxia about 6 years ago. It has made me far less hard on myself. Im more accepting. When I have a bad day when things pile up I now know why. Writing alot helps. And talking to myself outloud. It's the main ways I've learned to organize my thoughts.
unable to tie shoestrings (until the very last day of Kindergarten. Since then it's been a struggle. I miss velcro)
could not ride a bike until age 10.
I was the worst player on the worst baseball team in little league.
Speech
Had to attend speech therapy from 3rd to 5th grade. They called it 'lazy tongue' back then. That was a confidence booster LOL.
I was very loud - unable to modulate my voice for volume.
Terrible singer - I lack the ability to have any control over singing.
speaking voice - same thing; I run flat/monotone; mumble words when tired.
Taste
Super finicky/picky eater from day one. As an infant if the food wasnt covered in chocolate pudding I didnt want it
certain food flavors are way too intense. I have no idea how anyone can eat Bananas. The consistency and flavor is nasty to me. I haven't eat the most basic food items from cottage cheese, pineapple, Mac & cheese, etc. Cooked/boiled vegetables I cannot eat. the texture of most foods creep me out.
Smell
Certain smells overwhelm me. I have to put a towel at the foot of my bedroom door if anyone cooks flavor intense foods. It's easier for me to let them cook their food and I'll manage my own issues.
Eyesight
I have amazing eyesight (Im 50 and wear reading glasses only for ease)
but spatial awareness & map reading etc I score myself super low. I get lost a lot while driving and add in extra time.
I dont use GPS for fear it'll cause me to have accidents
**I didnt even want to learn how to drive until 18.
Fine Motor Skills (for these I have gotten better at age - but still struggle from time to time.)
buttoning a shirt took at least two attempts. I always had one more button at the top and an extra loop at the bottom
putting on a belt - I would miss a loop all the time; not even realizing it.
Zippers on jackets - those things are a menace. I jammed them up all the time.
tying a tie - I couldn't do it until early 20s. And I couldn't do it by watching myself in a mirror. I nearly failed Cub Scouts due to my lack of knot tying skills
Penmanship - my handwriting is atrocious; especially cursive. I quit cursive by 12th grade. No teacher ever scolded me for that.
Shop class - I was a solid D student. I cannot draw the same thing twice - meaning I could never be a cartoonist.
Personal Hygiene
By hair is very wavy/curly/tangly if I grow it long. And In the 1970s/1980s we all did. My hair looked like a rat's nest. I couldn't comb my hair at all. I wish I had kept it short & tight as I do now.
Dental hygiene - also terrbile. I cant floss due to small motor skills. And teeth brushing skills are rather subpar
Balance
I rode a skateboard once for two feet if that
I put on rollerblades and couldn't even stand up
I fell about 50 times on cross country skies the one afternoon I used those
when the escalator is not working I hold on to the rails for dear life (and vertigo is a real thing)
Executive Functioning
I can cook two things at once maximum. Would never contemplate doing a thanksgiving dinner
at work I have to write out and screenshot every step possible to be able to do processes (habit forming is super important.)
video games - I put those at super easy difficulty level. I love RPG games and those help me on how to navigate menus & accounting systems in fast hectic paced situations. That helps with me being an accountant.
Memory
I dont know if this is related to dyspraxia; but if I am stressed out with people demanding answers I completely blank. They tend to get frustrated so my brain decides I better say something and hope for the best. People have thought I was a liar. It's more that Im playing the odds I might be right and they need to go on their way.
Touch
I hate people touching me. A simple gesture from a friend or co-worker makes me recoil. (the recoiling is very slight - but I know it's there.). I do not initiate touching or hugging. both due to the way it feels and impaired social skills from having this.
In infancy if I was sick my parents left me alone in the crib - if they picked me up I was only worse.
As a kid I hated corduroy pants. Certain fabrics I steer clear from. I prefer rough/thick clothing.
I layer clothes and I am frequently cold. I run a heater at work in the summer.
Strength
I was and still am very physically weak for my body size.
I dont lift to quote Dr. Niles Crane
I hate shaking hands due to the strength issue and holding hands (as above)
Frustration Level/Emotions
I am considered 'easily frustrated' - yet with Dyspraxia we all burn through our daily allotment of frustration way sooner than everyone else. (Remember that if you have a child with Dyspraxia. They dont quit trying - they just have hit their limit for the day)
Self-esteem/Self-confidence was obviously super low through life.
The Filter - if I am super stressed; off goes the filter and curse words and insults flow freely!
I discovered I have dyspraxia about 6 years ago. It has made me far less hard on myself. Im more accepting. When I have a bad day when things pile up I now know why. Writing alot helps. And talking to myself outloud. It's the main ways I've learned to organize my thoughts.