Dyspraxic Adults

Hi

My uni tutor mentioned to me yesterday that she felt I might be dyspraxic due to struggles I've been having.

I thought it unlikely I have it especially as I don't consider myself particularly clumsy and I can ride a bike. However reading on through the list of symptoms I have a LOT of them - I've never been able to hit a ball with a bat, not good at team games, ALWAYS the kid who couldn't catch the ball and got whacked on the nose with it! Can not for the life of me do rhythmic activities such as aerobics.
and the more I think about it the more things that have happened in my life and the way I am makes sense.

I am thinking that I may have moderate dyspraxia and that it is mainly in the form of learning thought and memory issues and sensory issues. I am so disorgansed - I used to think I was organised but actually I completely rely on lists of what I'm doing each day and alerts on my phone to remind me where I need to be and I am constantly losing keys, wallet etc. Even with these things I seem to be hopeless. In the past years I've had 2 car accidents that were at slow speed but I was unable to judge the distance / speed correctly and my reactions weren't quick enough and I went into the back of the car in front.
Now my tutor has picked up that my thought process can not logically compile information into a structured essay and that this could be a sign of dyspraxia. This is always an issue i have had and been unable to demosntsrate adaqualtely in school my capabilities. She dismissed it when she asked if I was clumsy as i don't think i am particularly.

I have e-mailed my uni to ask for advice and I phoned the Drs' to ask if there was anyone in particular who specialised in diagnosing learning disorders. I wanted it to be general and just to test the waters but she ended up asking my name and is getting the dr to phone me. Is it silly to not be ready to approach the dr yet?
I hate talking on the phone at the best of times so to discuss something like this and try and explain why I might think I have it when I don't have the main symptom of clumsiness is making me nervous. Also I went to him last year with an issue - that may or may not be related and he was a bit dismissive.

As I thought about talking about it I feel nervous but also hopeful that it might explain all the above and the other symptoms I have. I had a bit of a cry - feel really emotional.

Is it possible to be Dyspraxic but not have the main symptoms of clumsiness? It seems to me from my reading on line and on here that clumsiness is one of the main signs!

Hi freida74

Check out the Dyspraxia Foundation website, there's loads of info about the various symptoms of dyspraxia and you can download any that is relevant to you to take to your Uni/GP.

Hi Frieda, I am very sorry for all the problems you seem to be having I do feel for you so much. I am Dyspraxic have Dyslexia and Dyscalcula too. Now from my research on these conditons there seems to be varied symptoms of these conditons some will have more some will have less and what one person has to contend with another may not have not all Dyspraxics will have the same thing. I do not know if I am making much sense here or not. But I do recomend that you get in touch with the Dyspraxia Assosiation who can give you more advice and help than I would be able to do and can perhaps put you in touch with some group near where you live that can be of help to you. Hope things go well for you. Am always happy to listen any time if it helps you.

Mops

Thank you both so much for your reply. Mopps - you made perfect sense!

I've had a look on the dyspraxic foundation and I've also done on an online assessment through Dore - surprisingly (as this focuses on the motor skills which I don't feel I have a serious issue with) it shows I have a moderate probability of having it.

For me the perception / senses and the thought processes listed on the foundation website I am pretty much every single one going - wow thats me - oh that's me too and not even having realised it could be the sign of something - I just thought it was me - particularly the more obscure things like over sensitive to taste, noises and light.

Also things like ironing and make up and hair - I wouldn't say I struggle with it - but I am one that finds it too much effort 90% of the time. I can;'t remember the last time I ironed - probably september. and I only do make up if it is a ig night out which I wouldn't say i struggle with but i'm certainly not that good at. I just thought that was me and a 'couldn't be bothered' thing!

My dr phoned me yesterday and we had a chat and he said that what i was describing sounded very much like i had it and i can be refered if I wanted either to an educational psychologist or an occupational therapist. I'd described my need to have lists to remind me of what I'm doing ( I even put taking the children to school which i do every day) and that i set alarms on my phone to remind me of things. so he said i seemed to have things in place to help me cope. he also said I am doing an MA so can't be struggling that much so I said I might not pursue a diagnosis as not sure if it would help or not. He said I can go back to him anytime and ask him so I will think about it a bit more.
I have come away thinking it was my MA tutor that picked it up because I am struggling so maybe i do need help but i;m not sure what help i can get with that.
Its not the intelligence side of it or the contents of my work its my processing of it and not being able to logically bring my thoughts together. This is what i struggled with through school because i was not able to express my thoughts properly.
I can work well in an exam because its an outpouring of knowledge in no particular order but essays which are supposed to have structure and logical flow are harder for me.
Really not sure what to do - I obviously don't have a serious case of it and apart from day to day tidying, ironing, sorting etc being an effort I can do them. I almost feel silly wanting to pursue it when I know some people have it and must struggle with so many daily things.
On the other hand it would be self-satisyfing to know that is why I have struggled with xyz for so many years. I've e-mailed the foundation with copy of their list and I've put next to each one whether i have it or not and if I only have it slightly and said I don't seem to have the main gross motor / fine motor issues to a large extent and asked them their opinion.
Thank you so much for your help and advice its much appreciated.