The beginning...

The idea of starting a blog to discuss my oldest son’s dyspraxia has been brewing in my mind for quite a while, but I would always talk myself out of it.  Will people really want to read what I have to say?  Will they think that I am merely looking for attention?  As I dropped him off for high school orientation today, I decided that the answers to those questions really don’t matter.  He is, in my mind, a success story and if I can help one child, one family, by calling attention to an often overlooked and misdiagnosed disorder, then putting my words down on a page will be worth it!   I asked my son how he felt about me blogging and sharing his story and there was absolutely no hesitation when he gave his blessing.

 If you decide to join me on this journey, WELCOME!   He received the diagnosis in kindergarten so, obviously, I can’t tell the entire story in one blog.  I guess the best place to start is to define dyspraxia. Chances are, you have never heard the term, but I can almost guarantee that you have seen or know someone who fits the description.  Dyspraxia is a neurologically based disorder and affects a person’s ability to plan and carry out motor tasks.  It’s been called “Developmental Coordination Disorder” or “Clumsy Child Syndrome” over the years.  Much of the research has come out of the U.K. and one of the best books I’ve read on the subject calls it “the hidden handicap”.  It affects approximately 1 in 10 and is much more common in boys.  It can make even the simplest of tasks extremely difficult and is worse on some days than others.  It often occurs with other disorders like ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder, which further complicates things. 

Some people think (trust me, I know this because I’ve been told as much) such things should be private and not discussed, but when has that ever helped anyone?  I will never regret the decision my husband and I made to be open and honest with our son about his difficulties from the very beginning.  I won’t lie, it’s tough.  He is such a smart kid and it’s hard to watch him struggle with tasks that most of us complete with little effort.  One of his teachers told me that she cannot imagine how intelligent he really is to overcome what he does on a daily basis and still make such good grades.  I certainly don’t have all the answers and I can’t take credit for his success.  Much of that is thanks to wonderful therapists and teachers.  The one thing I wish to offer as I share his story…hope.