Dyspraxic/ADD

[dragontail]

Hi, all.

My story: I'm a 37-year-old American, diagnosed with ADD at age 19 . Before then, I never even heard of it. When I was growing up, only hyperactive little boys got that diagnosis, and I was a quiet girl with inwardly directed type ADD.

In addition to having ADD (I do believe that's the right diagnosis; I identify with it strongly, and with the people I've met through ADD support groups), I've always had something not quite right about my balance and coordination. Subtle, but there. It's not enough to interfere with most day to day activities. It was enough to destroy many dreams--especially when I had no name for it and no way to identify with it.

When I was learning about ADD and in the process of being diagnosed, I requested the records from the occupational therapy I had the year I turned six. According to the records, I had been referred for evaluation, and later therapy, because of my "short attention span and difficulty with ball games." The short attention span part probably lent itself to my ADD diagnosis.

The details in the occupational therapy records sound like I had (have?) a sensory processing disorder. I don't remember this myself, but the details are consistent with the type of memories I have: when I started therapy, I couldn't stand up straight with my legs together, I couldn't climb a ladder, I crashed into things with my body, and I couldn't stand being brushed.

In an effort to explain that, recently (these issues resurfaced in therapy, and I found the occupational therapy records again, during major housecleaning, around the same time) I started searching the internet for sensory processing disorder. Most of what I found, I couldn't relate to. Adults with sensory processing disorder talk about how they can't tolerate heat or cold, scratchy blankets, tags in clothes, etc. None of that bothers me. My terrible balance and coordination does.

One of my searches brought up a mention of the dyspraxia subtype of sensory processing disorder. Bingo. That's something I can identify with.

So here I am, looking for others with the problem that for me, really has no name.

[Willr0490]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Although I do not have Attention Deficit Disorder, I do have dyspraxia (dignosed when seven years old).

[joy]

Hi welcome
Both myself and my son have ADD as well as Dyspraxia.

Dyspraxia wasnt even called that when you where a youngster,was more lightly to be either clumsy child syndrome ,Minimal brain Dysfunction, Organic brain Dysfunction, and numerous other names over the last fifty years, so people that were diagnosed with one of the other names it has been called may actually have Dyspraxia they keep on changing the name so many are not aware it has now been changed yet again and is now called DCD Developmental Co-ordination Disorder.
Not everyone has everything that is listed for Dyspraxia will have all of the things that are stated, everyone is different.
Balance and co-ordination,catching a ball,climbing ,and generally being clumsy are all related to Dyspraxia.