Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all, so this is my first post here and I'm not on any social media, this is quite overwhelming for me so please be kind! I have a 5yo son who was diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia at age 3 after i really pushed for help. I had suspected he was on the autistic spectrum from appx 18 months although lots of "clues" were there from birth. He has not had a diagnosis though. On all reports spanning nearly 3 years "social communication difficulties" keeps cropping up. If you look at him in a blanket way - he makes eye contact, he laughs at an age relevant joke, he doesn't mind physical games with peers that he knows.... paediatricians mention the lack of social communication but dont mention ASD due to him being ok with these things. He will only let me kiss him in one particular spot on his cheek. He gets fixated on particular friends at school. On playdates with boys his age he tends to end up playing with the younger siblings instead. He is more emotional than peers at school, he needs instructions repeated directly to him by teachers as he doesn't absorb what is said to the group. He has motor tics and is currently in the habit of peeling his nails (picking at them) theres more but i cant list everything. Has anyone had similar please? Thanks for your time and sorry such an essay !
Hi there, I may be of some help as I was diagnosed with dyspraxia after having met with a perceptual therapist when experienced difficulty in primary school before SATs, though my symptoms were clear to me upon starting preschool, and even earlier.
I am now in my 30s and suspect my dyspraxia to be a comorbid condition along side ASD, because I exhibit social deficits and a state of overall confusion when it comes to reading people or situations, and environments, and increased sensory sensitivity which leads to lack of emotional regulation.
Would there be something specific you would want to ask me, that you think I may help explain in your son?
Beansquad said:he needs instructions repeated directly to him by teachers as he doesn't absorb what is said to the group.
This is something you as a parent must watch out for when your son begins his education. It may be different now, but when I was a child the teachers assumed I was a problem child (which I was not), simply because I could not follow instructions or complete classwork fully - this was due to a delay in processing and then making sense of information, instead of asking for help I instead stay in a state of confusion and will have a puzzled expression, but then grin and make believe I understand the task.
During preschool, I had trouble with reciprocal play, but instead had fixated repetative behaviours I would do with toys, such as stacking blocks, or when at home stacking of cushions.
Proprioception is a typical behaviour of dyspraxia and ASD and used when 'stimming'. Common ones for me were spinning, flapping my arms against my body, sliding down carpeted staircases repeatedly, rocking in order to eleviate built up fatigue in muscles and when I was older moving my legs (RLS) which contibuted to my insomnia.
I have a strong vivid memory of when I was playing in a park for P.E or during school outings I would fixate on something while the other students and teachers were wanting to leave - the act of fixating on things is a very big part of my condition and defines my obsessionary interests.