dysTalk Dyslexia Vs Dyspraxia - Dyspraxia - Forum - dysTalk

noone's explained to me the differnce between dyslexia and dyspraxia? I know that one is bad coordination, and one is bad at spelling and reading but do the two share any symptoms too? I think my son might have both. Is that possible?

04/09/2008 19:51:04
Julia (Member)

Madeleine Portwood's 'Developmental Dyspraxia' spells out the fustrations to look for in terms of dyspraxia:

- Poor articulation

- difficulties in dressing and feeding

- limted concentration

- inability to follow instructions

- heightened sensitivity to sensory information, e.g. differences in noise and changes in lighting

- an inability to record anything on paper

Dyspraxia Foundations definition is also useful: 'Dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement. Associated with this there may be problems of language, perception and thought'.

Don't know much about dyslexia I'm afraid but hope this helps with part of your question.

20/09/2008 17:04:12
Sandy

I came across a quite tidy definition (given its complexity) of dyslexia on the JISC Dyslexia Discussion Group. A bit scientific but hopefully useful to some:

''The only consensus defintion that i can come up with goes something like this.

Dyslexia is about having problems with a man made communication system, the visual notation of Speech, which varies from culture to culture.

There are many sensory, and motor information processing deficits / disorders,

which individually or as part of a co-morbid package of deficits can cause the

dyalexic symptoms, having problems with reading writing and spelling.

Some of these underlying cause of the dyalexic symptoms can share other common symptoms such as poor memory, and poor orgnaisational skills for a

range of different reasons.''

22/09/2008 00:10:36
Dana12

It is possible to have dyslexia as well as dyspraxia as they are very closely linked. Dyslexia comes in many different forms. We are all people of extremes. It is also possible to have autism, ADHD, dyscalculia or tourette's syndrome alongside dyslexia.

18/10/2008 19:16:19
Michelle Key

Yes,

My son is 8 years old and I am sure he had tendencies towards both.

dyslexia has been diagnosed.

24/10/2008 23:28:35
Lisa Riddle

I am a Mum of a child who was statemented with Dyslexia when I later found out he had Dyspraxia, I started my own free website please read my story as I started my own exercise programme to develop underdeveloped motor skills in reception and 7 year later and 120 children we no longer have children being diagnosed with Dyslexia as Dyspraxia(you only get this label if you dont prevent it)was the root cause.There is Dyslexia and Dyspraxia but we are somretimes causing it.

10/04/2009 14:29:50
Hazel carr

This is the first I am hearing of DYSPRAXIA but my daughter at age 6 was diagnosed with dyslexia and we have supported her and have tried many of the interventions we could and today she is in a university in Canada,She will take a longer time to complete her degree but has learnt to advocate for herself.The university gives added support.But it is an ungoing process and I talk to her and guide her on line very very often.We need always to be there for them

11/06/2009 18:48:02
Bernadette Richards

This is from the dyslexia forum - from Mark:

Sir Jim Rose in his report for the government has defined dyslexia as a: ''learning difficulty which primarily affects skills involved in accurate and fluent word-reading and spelling''.

Do people generally agree with this definition?

22/06/2009 20:41:38
Will

I have dyspraxia and dyslexia. I struggled to do a course, I did it and want to continue to the next level but would like some help. The course organisers advised me to get a letter from the Doctors, would he/she be able to diagnose me now that I am 40+

05/07/2009 17:44:12
Tracy

I agree with Sir Jim Rose`s definition of dyslexia - I believe it is a learning difficulty that could have several different causes.

02/08/2009 19:16:03
Michelle

HOW OLD DOES A CHILD HAVE TO BE TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH DYSLEXIA OR DYSPRAXIA OR BOTH

07/08/2009 13:51:08
NICOLA

im 14 and i am dylexic. i was told that every one who has dyslexia also has a bit of dyspraxia too. i dont know if this is true but i do have very bad balence. i found this site which explained dyslexia symptoms well. hope this helps.

General

Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.

Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, ''not trying hard enough,'' or ''behavior problem.''

Isn't ''behind enough'' or ''bad enough'' to be helped in the school setting.

High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.

Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.

Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.

Seems to ''Zone out'' or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.

Difficulty sustaining attention; seems ''hyper'' or ''daydreamer.''

Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

Vision, Reading, and Spelling

Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.

Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.

Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.

Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.

Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem.

Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.

Reads and rereads with little comprehension.

Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

Hearing and Speech

Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.

Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.

Writing and Motor Skills

Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.

Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.

Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Math and Time Management

Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.

Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper.

Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.

Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math.

Memory and Cognition

Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.

Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.

Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

Behavior, Health, Development and Personality

Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.

Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.

Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).

Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.

Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.

Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.

Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.

Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.

22/08/2009 18:23:07
lottie

I have a child who has dyspraxia and is quite a handful, I also think he is dylexic as he spell very phonetically and miss letters out. what do i do

22/08/2009 21:53:29
rachel

My son is 9 he has been diagnosed with both dyslexia and dyspraxia. He is about to start in year 5 and at the end of July we were told he is now 2 years behind in his work despite our best efforts to help him at home and extra help at school. I feel at my wits end in how I help further. I keep being told that he wouldn't be entitled to a statement however why not and I am thinking of trying for one. Does anyone have any advice? Does anyone's child have a statement for these difficulties?

26/08/2009 18:02:59
Victoria Bowrey

my son is 9 had has strong eveidence of dyspraxia and dyslexia he has got a psychrometric test and they want 2 test for further thing what should i expect from these tests

26/08/2009 20:39:29
carol j barber

my 12 yr old son has dyslexia and dyspraxia,

he was issued with a statement of special needs two years ago it made an enormous difference to his confidence having extra help from an LSA especially in written tests as she would scribe for him also it means they get extra time for reading the questions ETC,it is quite a long process and will involve several professionals eg school doctor, educational psycologist and an occupational therapist, it also helps if the school senco agrees with you,

you need to prove that your son's acedemic ability is way above his output, for example when he writes his handwriting is two or three yrs below his age because he will use very simple language and may not write very much because it's difficult for him, where as if an LSA was to scribe for him he will come out at his right age or older because he will use a wide range of vocabulary and all the ideas he has locked in his head will spill out because the pressure of writing has been taken away allowing him to use his imagination without worrying about forming his letters and spelling the words correctly,don't give up get an OT on your side and push the school to try for a statement your son deserves as much help as you can get for him.

30/08/2009 21:15:13
Chris Bamford

i am now 20 and i think that i am dyslexia and by reading all the inf on this page and other i think i am and i know now y i had it hard at school but i scared that my child will be if i have them can any one help

13/09/2009 23:06:19
lesley

Yes, it's perfectly possible to have both conditions. Many people have marked dyslexia or mild dyspraxia, or vice versa. However, it is possible to have dyslexia but no dyspraxia, or vice versa. Dyspraxia is poorly recognised and very often lumped in with Dyslexia - the wrong thing to do as they need seperate strategies.

It's important to remember that Dyslexia is more than just misspelling words - it can affect every area of your life, especially organisational skills and sequential reasoning, and dyslexic children and adults tend to be more emotionally sensitive.

Parents who think their children may have a developmental disorder like dyspraxia or dyslexia should keep an eye on the mile stones. If your child is not reaching their developmental milestones then there IS a problem - don't rest until you have it diagnosed. The earlier dyslexia and dyspraxia is diagnosed the better their chances of having a normal life.

If you have dyslexia or dyspraxia and think your baby might have it too, try the following things to help your child

- use brain gym and teach your child how to use chopsticks. I know this sounds crazy, but using chopsticks helps childresn coordination and development.

- Try baby signing to develop language skills and communication

- when your child reaches reading age, use Toe-by-Toe to teach them to read yourself DO NOT LEAVE IT UP TO THE TEACHERS. Toe by toe teachs you to teach your child.

18/09/2009 20:10:46
Lucy

I have been told that there are other symtoms of dyspraxia, such as not wanting to drink; preferring to drink from a bottle or through a straw, and feeling more pain when having the hair brushed, is this true?

15/11/2009 22:00:24
sarah

If you think your child is dyspraxic (with or without dyslexia. The 2 are very closely linked) try to get a referral to an Occupational Therapist. This can be done via your GP or sometimes via school. They are best placed to identify and advise on dyspraxia. OTs also tend to be very helpful in fighting your corner in the education system. Sometimes the waiting lists are really long but it should be well worth the fight!

18/11/2009 22:13:52
Justine

This thread and the dyslexia dyspraxia question is fascinating. It slightly raises the question as to whether there should be a dyslexia dyspraxia separation if dyslexia and dyspraxia co-occur so regulary. Or is there a more scientific distinction between dyslexia / dyspraxia.

12/01/2010 14:30:18
Eli

my friends little boy has dyspraxia. He is getting worse with his behavioural problems and is hitting and biting her then tantruming. is this a symptom of the condition. I dont know how to help

17/01/2010 21:54:57
jillian Barber

My son was diagnosed with severe Dyspraxia when he was 3 and had a statement put into place for when he started school. He does not have dyslexia, they are different. My son's main difficulties are speech, organisation, memory, writing, spelling and immature behaviour. He is now 13 and up until now we have coped very well and his schools have been very supportive. My son has always been well behaved and had lots of friends. Unfortunately since starting secondary school things are not going well at all. Far more is expected of your child and alot of teachers don't seem to bother to read anything about your childs difficulties, he is therefore constantly in trouble or struggling to keep up. Despite a statement still being in place and having LSA's in some lessons (some of them are as useless as the teachers)we are still constantly ringing the school because people won't take 10 minutes out of their day to google the word dyspraxia and look at the list of difficulties these kids face so that they can support and understand them better. I think sometimes they are only interested in the regular kids and it is easier just to exclude yours from lessons. The teenage years are supposed to be the most difficult, and I just starting to understand why. If anyone can offer any advice it would much appreciated.

01/02/2010 11:38:47
Concerned Parent

I wrote ages ago about how I have written a book and started a website. I did this (my own expense) for people to have the same success as I have in the school I work in. If you have motor skills difficulties this can cause learning /behavior difficulties and the eventual diagnosis of Dyspraxia. If you have just dyslexia this can not be prevented. I know this because I have 130 children over 6 years to prove that these labels and difficulies can be prevented.You have 2 sides of the brain, One side see's ''individual'' letters. The other see's ''whole's'' Working together they make whole words when reading and writing. If a child has a weak right side they cant do this. I saw children in reception who could do individual phonic sounds but were unable to carry on and blend. They also had a weak right side (physically)when screened. Weakened nueral pathways in there brains also caused slow processing, which also showed up in their movements.These children were put on an exercise programme (I do it) in reception when they showed motor/learning difficulties for 30 minutes daily. Their bodies were strengthened/co-ordinated and so their brains were kickstarted. Processing especially increased and children that were being investigated/eventually diagnosed for mild Autism/Aspergers/ADHD/Dyslexia/learning/behaviour difficulties were no longer. We dont have strategies any more like we used to and chopsticks may be very useful but we prevent children having years of struggling. As for the hitting and behavior. We used to have this because children use behavior as an avoidance strategy when they cant do things, and years of frustration and low self esteem can cause this in children. If a child also has slow processing they are slow to react to situations and hit out, we used to have this in many children and for years I watched them become labelled as ''bad'' and move up the SEN register. We dont have this anymore. Goggle Hazel Carr Dyspraxia OH! and its all free. If every school did this we would STOP years of children struggling and miilions of pounds in supporting damaged children.

09/02/2010 13:10:36
Hazel