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Physical problems

jasysmum

Hi

I have only joined this week. My daughter is 11 and autistic, I think high functioning because she can speak well. Physically she is very slow awkward and very uncoordinated. It's her physical ability I am concerned about she wobbles when she walks and needs to hold her hands up for balance. She can't use a knife and fork etc.

When I asked her paediatrician if she could be assessed for dyspraxia he told me all autistic children had problems similar to my daughters, but all the ones I know don't.

I help coach a disability swimming team and my daughter seems to have more physical difficulties than the kids with mild cp. I think school have picked this up because 2 children in her class have cp and a physio comes in each week to exercise with them and my daughter now goes in there group to do the exercises.

Does any one else have a child with these sort of problems or should I be looking for a diagnosis other than autism to explain them?

  • Thanks minnime

    It's nice not to feel alone!

    My daughter does swim and it is one of her favourite things to do. For years she would simply float under water and enjoy the sensation of floating. Now finally at the age of 11 we can do a version of all 4 strokes but very slowly. She has also competed in disability swimming competitions. In fact swimming (other than school which she does not have a choice about) is one of the few things she will leave the house (and her own little world) for. She still can't ride a bike though.

  • Hi Jaysmum, when my son was seen by the ed psych (before he was diagnosed with ASD), she said he was definitely dyspraxic.  He has the same kinds of problems you describe, can't (won't) ride a bike, awkward and badly balanced.  Because of this he tends not to like any kind of physical activity, which leads on to the next problem for a lot of these kids - obesity.  I worked in SEN supporting children with Asperger's and Autism and many (but not all) suffered similar kinds of problems. It has taken many years, but finally my son enjoys swimming and my advice to you would be to find something physical your daughter enjoys and run with it!