HI there,

This is the one and only online forum I could find for Dyspraxia in the U.S.

I am, like most of you, a scared and sad mom of a dyspraxic boy that I love so very much. 

We always knew something was wrong, since he was very little.  Our story is that our son Scott was way behind his siblings in hitting any milestones - crawling, walking, eating, dressing himself (would freak over tags etc.) potty training was very delayed (I was still helping him wipe himself up until 5th grade.) To that my mom would say "This is just not normal he can't wipe himself.. what is going on with him?"  He stuffed shoe laces in shoes to avoid tying... He still, to this moment, will FREAK out if we mention riding a bike.  He tried it once or twice - fell and his fear of it is huge.  He was always 'losey goosey' runs like wet spaghetti - low muscle tone, extremely pale (not sure if related) and underweight.  The craziest thing I read about was hypermobility and dyspraxia... I almost cried.  He has very strange joints - double jointed elbows - funny knees.  He has had all the stitches and injuries in this house.  We are a family of competitive athletes - my father - a football player and lover would throw him the ball and my heart broke trying to watch him attempt to catch.  He panics when my dad comes over as he is afraid he'll ask him to play catch with the other kids (his own brother and cousins)  He often is the ref when the neighborhood kids come over and shoot pucks or play baseball, football.  My scotty eats nothing - hence the palor and low weight.  He spills everything.  He can't drink out of a cup right - he puts his tongue on the cup and makes a huge slurp.  As indicated with dyspraxia - he has very low confidence.  To the contrary I have two other children that are almost over confident / cocky.  How I wish I could spread it evenly.  He is VERY self depricating and at the same time - blames everyone for his troubles or problems.  We got him tested in elementary - no surprise it was glossed over.  But being in middle school has overwhelmed my poor boy to the point where all of these symptoms are very glaring and the teaching staff reached out to us.  Poor writing, executive functioning, reading - organization - hyper sensitive to any feedback from teachers (His lip trembles and he tears up.)  I'm missing so many things....  He stands with his hands crossed in front of his private parts in a very nervous stance or position.  And lastly, and more recently, he's been talking in all sorts of different voices and accents.  It makes his siblings laugh - but he can't stop and I said to him today - I can't remember your real voice you have to stop speaking like everyone BUT Scott. 

I am reaching out because with his recent Dyspraxia diagnosis came an ADD diagnosis (co-morbibity) and I had to request an evaluation by SPED as my son's teachers said they think an IEP is what he needs - not just a 504.

He has a private tutor that just began as well.   

I am here to understand more, to read your stories and to learn of any successes in the past as well as the latest and greatest treatments, therapies, supplements, technologies and medicines to help my son be the absolute best he can be now and throughout his life - and he can find the confidence and self love he so deserves to feel.  I can tell him all the BEST things about him, how awesome he is and how much he is loved and adored until I'm blue in the face (and I'll never stop) - but I'm learning, to my dismay, he needs to feel it from within by feeling better equipped for life - in his heart and mind 

Much appreciation to have found this group.  I haven't read posts yet but am going to now. 

Thank you for any help or direction.