NickyP

It is good to hear that your daughter is coping so well. If you met Joseph you wouldn't know immediately that there was anything wrong or at least nothing that you can put your finger on. He avoids sports with other kids so you wouldn't notice that he is so far behind he just comes across as being reserved and a bit clumsy, but it is hard to deal with the temper and frustration that goes with this as a parent. He is enjoying his swimming and taekwondo and is keen to try golf so we will do what ever we can to help his confidence and coordination. We just try not to make a big deal of it and be as supportive as possible but it can be hard to watch him have trouble with social situations as he really panics but is desperate to have his own friends. I think that he stands a good chance of getting a circle of friends where he is as the kids are very good at this school, he is certainly more relaxed there which is a good start.
Thanks for the thoughts everyone I will check them out especially the oils as he is already on iron for anaemia so he could cope with taking something else without too big a fuss.
Nicky

annqldau

There was also a big thing in UK about balls and throwing and catching to do with dyspraxia in UK but I never went into that but may be something on internet, think it was something you paid for some sort of special therapy.

caz41

The one thing that has, I think, helped Dan is his love of sport, we encoraged it and took him to watch anything he showed an interest in, and the result is he gradually gained confidence to have a go, his ball catching skills etc have improved dramatically and he will now engage in games with his peers without any worries.

so I think try anything and everything.

Caz

annqldau

I was buggered on the sports front as he is short sighted and they won't let him wear glasses for sports but he is getting contacts in next few weeks so hopefully his sporting chances will improve. Saying that I could see to play sport and was still crap at it as like him have no cordination (think he gets it from my side even though they say normally goes down the male side).

sarahge

Hi Nicky
My daughter was diagnosed with mild dyslexia and dyspraxia when she was about 7 (in the UK) the school did everything they could to help her and a friend who is a teacher gave her private tuition, but she just didn't get it' and couldn't retain any information. She was unhappy because she tried her heart out at school and just didnt get anywhere, she was also really clumsy and didnt learn to ride her bike until she was about 6 1/2 whereas all her friends had been doing it for years!!
We saw something on TV about DDAT (DORE here) - it was showing someone throwing a ball from one hand to another and then under their leg and catching it in the opposite hand. Apparently its something to do with the right and left side of the brain working together. We were at the stage where we would try anything to boost her confidence so decided to give it a go. It was expensive and at times hard because she had to do her 'exercises' twice a day, even if she was staying with friends or family, we had a few tears, but it was well worth it. After a few weeks we noticed a difference. She stayed on the program for over a year i think and at times we did wonder if it was worth it, but the change in her was dramatic.
She changed from someone who felt into a happy confident girl, who didnt panic when a new subject was introduced at school. Her spelling improved, her coordination improved and her bruises reduced!!
Good luck, hope you find something that works for you and your son.
Sarah

draper5

Hi
My son is severely dyslexic and has been doing DDAT (Dore) exercises for just over a year. It has been really frustrating getting him to do the exercises when he just doesn't want to some days (and in fact for my sanity's sake we miss it occasionally). I wouldn't say the effect has been spectacular, but I do think it has made a difference . In fact when he broke his foot and was in plaster for 8 weeks and couldn't do exercises, his progress slowed. In so much as a few weeks after he had plaster cast off, his maths teacher wanted to know what had changed, cos his work had suddenly improved! (nothing had changed bar the removal of the cast!)
I feel that it is expensive (and to bribe my son to do exercises regularly he's on the promise of a drum kit when he's completes the course!!), but basically as parents you try whatever you can to help your kids. It is worrying me rather, when I read threads about the lack of provision in schools in Oz for SEN kids - inclusion is all well and good if the resources are there to support the pupils and teachers, and unfortunately it seems in Oz (and UK) they're insufficient.
Good luck and give DDAT a try - you never know it might help!

NickyP

I have contacted DORE and am waiting for their information pack as I will give anything a go that has a chance of helping. We were just going through the study packing things up for yet another move and I found his old school report which nearly made me cry. When he started school at age 4 in Belgium they were so impressed with him, he was bright and seemed more than able to more than keep up with the other children in his class. We still see the bright spark there and he is able to play complicated board games and understand advanced concepts but it is increasingly being swamped by his inability to get his ideas in writing and his lack of coordination is preventing him from making strong friendships with children his own age. He gets frustrated and cannot deal with shades of grey in relationships and lacks the social awareness that his sister has. I know that a lot if it is a boy thing socially but it is painful to watch his stuggle no matter how supportive everyone is.
Our daughter is dyslexic and although she has some coordination problems she has none of the social difficulties that Joseph has and is confident and able to make friends. Just being able to join in a game of footy or cricket would help him so much at school.
We have found that the help available here is very good but I have heard less encouraging stories from elsewhere in Australia. The school are being excellent and it is their early intervention that has lead to this being picked up within 3 months of us comming here. Thanks for all of the replies everyone it is good to know that we are not alone dealing with this.
Nicky

Rachel1978

Hi Nicky,

I don't know anything about Dyspraxia but I hope that you find the help that you need through DORE. I can imagine that this must be quite stressful. Are you going to the next meet in Mordialloc next month?

walla

do some research about schools, some are better than others, if there's a good Principal in place you stand half a chance....

NickyP

Thanks for that, we are moving at the begining of March as the guy who owns our house wants to move back in . So I am not sure whather we will make it or not, but we will try as I am sure that I will need a break by then and the kids love the meets, even with the huge drive.
Hope that things are going OK for you, it looks like a bit of a nightmare with your house build, can't say that I envy you.
Nicky

NickyP

Thanks we have seem to have fallen on our feet with the school as it has an excellent head teacher and the teachers themselves are fully committed to the kids which really helps. The children started the school in October and Joseph had seen the occupational therapist by December and the school have been really positive about it all. I wasn't feeling really settled here but I wouldn't consider moving as the schools are so good and I feel that it is really important for both Joseph and Bethany that we get this right after all of our moving around.
Nicky

Rachel1978

It is a bit, certainly puts you off ever building again, although the house will be lovely when completed.

Hope the move goes well, have you found another rental. Hopefully you can make the meet, if not, see you at the next one

NickyP

We are moving around the corner and will get the keys on the 1st. Only Maggie and I have seen it yet so I have to hope that the others like it when they see it on Wedensday , there are so few 4 bed houses here that we had to go for the first one that came up as it was in the right area.
We are hoping that we will be able to build our own house when we are ready to buy but I am not looking forward to the stress. We will have to wait until I am earning, especially if we are having to pay out for specialist help for the kids, so we won't be buying for a couple more years.
Good luck with it all.
Nicky