Hello,
Im not actually Dyspraxic myself but my son who is 5 was recently diagnosed with Dyspraxia, currently waiting for Educational Psychologist appointment as he also shows some symptoms of ADHD and Autism...really im on here as the information I can find on Dyspraxia is based on childhood and im interested in what it could mean for his future.
Would like a realistic idea of what we and he will experience through his childhood, teens to adult hood really from others with this condition and maybe anything that I could do specifically to support him really
Thanks
Hi
Moderator: Moderator Team
Re: Hi
Hi Ryallke,
Welcome to the forum.
It's really hard to say what you can expect for the future because it depends so much on how severe his dyspraxia, ADHD & Autism are. I also have a 7 year old with possible dyspraxia / Aspergers & can absolutely understand your concerns!
I have recently discovered that I had dyspraxia through school (at a time when no one had heard of dyspraxia) and I really struggled with handwriting and various other tasks (although I could do some sports, I did learn to cycle and swim (age 10)). However I did get some help in an unexpected way - through playing piano - through a new teacher who was so understanding of me and through a new friend who just played with me in the piano room for hours. I later went on to get a reasonable set of O'levels, scraped my A'levels & got a degree & a career as an engineer(although I am not working at the moment.)
There are others on here who have managed to get good qualifications and good work, and others who have struggled to get either. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, I may only have mild dyspraxia. But one thought that is always with me in this is Never Give Up on them!!
Einstein also showed signs of dyspraxia (he never learned to tie his shoe laces and never learned his tables! - I love that one because I never did too!)
Thinking back to my childhood and what I wish was different: I think Encouragement is the most important thing, never tease about the 'different' things he does or the things he cannot do (and really do your research because it's amazing what it can affect). Home should be a safe haven from the teasing and criticism he will get from the outside world. Self esteem is one of the things that suffers the most in a child with dyspraxia & without some self belief, he won't feel able to try new things.
I've recently read 'Caged in Chaos" by Victoria Biggs & OK, she is a 16 year old girl, but very good with describing what it is like (although not everyone will have exactly the same experiences as her!)
Welcome to the forum.
It's really hard to say what you can expect for the future because it depends so much on how severe his dyspraxia, ADHD & Autism are. I also have a 7 year old with possible dyspraxia / Aspergers & can absolutely understand your concerns!
I have recently discovered that I had dyspraxia through school (at a time when no one had heard of dyspraxia) and I really struggled with handwriting and various other tasks (although I could do some sports, I did learn to cycle and swim (age 10)). However I did get some help in an unexpected way - through playing piano - through a new teacher who was so understanding of me and through a new friend who just played with me in the piano room for hours. I later went on to get a reasonable set of O'levels, scraped my A'levels & got a degree & a career as an engineer(although I am not working at the moment.)
There are others on here who have managed to get good qualifications and good work, and others who have struggled to get either. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, I may only have mild dyspraxia. But one thought that is always with me in this is Never Give Up on them!!
Einstein also showed signs of dyspraxia (he never learned to tie his shoe laces and never learned his tables! - I love that one because I never did too!)
Thinking back to my childhood and what I wish was different: I think Encouragement is the most important thing, never tease about the 'different' things he does or the things he cannot do (and really do your research because it's amazing what it can affect). Home should be a safe haven from the teasing and criticism he will get from the outside world. Self esteem is one of the things that suffers the most in a child with dyspraxia & without some self belief, he won't feel able to try new things.
I've recently read 'Caged in Chaos" by Victoria Biggs & OK, she is a 16 year old girl, but very good with describing what it is like (although not everyone will have exactly the same experiences as her!)
Re: Hi
Welcome to the Forum.
like Shakey said though, even though the Dyspraxia might be there, you will probably notice the Autism, and ADHD a lot more than the Dyspraxia side, and like everyone says it is the hidden disability. so you probably won't see it apart from getting him to do something like buttons, or shoe laces, or balancing awkardly, or walking. or something like that, or how he holds a pen, and writing are the other things that come up often for kids.
but feel free to ask questions, I am sure there are people here in a simalar boat as you. or knows people with Autism/ADHD. like myself, as my cousin has both Autism, and ADHD.
like Shakey said though, even though the Dyspraxia might be there, you will probably notice the Autism, and ADHD a lot more than the Dyspraxia side, and like everyone says it is the hidden disability. so you probably won't see it apart from getting him to do something like buttons, or shoe laces, or balancing awkardly, or walking. or something like that, or how he holds a pen, and writing are the other things that come up often for kids.
but feel free to ask questions, I am sure there are people here in a simalar boat as you. or knows people with Autism/ADHD. like myself, as my cousin has both Autism, and ADHD.
Re: Hi
My son (now 25) was diagnosed at five and one of the biggest things that helped him was a great kindy teacher. She was very supportive and whenever he looked like he was struggling, she would make up a special workbook for him, with work in it she knew he could do. This allowed him to build his confidence again before starting some new work.
We helped him a lot at home, especially with maths. Lots of praise and lots of time for him to achieve things at his own pace. Down the track, explain dyspraxia to him, I actually gave my son some info for him to read, as taking it in verbally was hard for him. Now, when he gets a bit one tracked I say "you're being dyspraxic", he goes OK and we laugh.
We helped him a lot at home, especially with maths. Lots of praise and lots of time for him to achieve things at his own pace. Down the track, explain dyspraxia to him, I actually gave my son some info for him to read, as taking it in verbally was hard for him. Now, when he gets a bit one tracked I say "you're being dyspraxic", he goes OK and we laugh.
Re: Hi
Thanks everyone. Im also looking at some books just because id like to know more about it/understand it myself really as i hadnt heard of it until now. I do try to do things at home with him like he does enjoy working on the phonics books (preschool) and we use lots of stickers as rewards then once a month he gets a treat but with the adhd symptoms hes literally jumping up and down while trying to write so its difficult but he is improving.
At first his teacher actually didnt tell me there were issues, to then saying he was 'silly' and 'disruptive' to now telling me that she can see he is trying since the diagnosis. I can appreciate he can be hard work and i guess thats why i try to be relaxed about it with him but its portraid as ''too laid back'' as my sister put it but i think thats what he needs because he already has confidence and self esteem issues like hiding under tables and chairs and basically doesnt speak at school. I wasnt sure about joining the forum because i know its for Dyspraxic adults and didnt want to be jumping in with it being about my child so really do appreciate the replies and finding out some interesting and informative stuff from looking at the forums.
Thanks again
At first his teacher actually didnt tell me there were issues, to then saying he was 'silly' and 'disruptive' to now telling me that she can see he is trying since the diagnosis. I can appreciate he can be hard work and i guess thats why i try to be relaxed about it with him but its portraid as ''too laid back'' as my sister put it but i think thats what he needs because he already has confidence and self esteem issues like hiding under tables and chairs and basically doesnt speak at school. I wasnt sure about joining the forum because i know its for Dyspraxic adults and didnt want to be jumping in with it being about my child so really do appreciate the replies and finding out some interesting and informative stuff from looking at the forums.
Thanks again
Re: Hi
Shakey has made an excellent point, which cannot be over-emphasised. It is soooo important that a child who is growing up with dyspraxia feels that the home environment is a safe one, where he or she is free from ridicule. As a result of how family members reacted when I couldn't do things very well, I then became very reluctant to try new things- looking back, I can clearly see how dyspraxia had a far more negative impact on my life chances than it should have done, largely due to how family members responded to me when I was growing up.Home should be a safe haven from the teasing and criticism he will get from the outside world. Self esteem is one of the things that suffers the most in a child with dyspraxia & without some self belief, he won't feel able to try new things.
Re: Hi
Thanks for your support folks. Though I have to say we all have bad days & even though I try really hard to be supportive of my son, there are days when I get it wrong - today he insisted on breaking an egg when we were cooking and got most of it on the worksurface!! I should have .... well I did get a bit cross, though I did try hard to calm down & encourage him as much as possible with the rest of it. He weighed out some of the dry ingredients brilliantly. The point is that as parents we can't beat ourselves up about getting cross with them every once in a while (although it gives me insight to why I got shouted at so much as a child!) it is going to be frustrating raising a child with dyspraxia & next time I will learn some lessons: #1: make sure we have spare eggs so we can try again! ...