Wyatt is a 6 year old.
When did you become aware that there was something unique about your child? What did you notice?
Wyatt hit all of his major milestones early: crawling, walking, and talking. By the time he was 1 he was practically speaking in full sentences. However, he could not make any sound that required his tongue to hit the roof of his mouth: D, N, T...typically the earliest sounds a baby makes. He replaced those sounds with the letter G instead. So while he was speaking in sentences, it was difficult to decipher what he was saying.
We took him to a speech therapist at the age of 2. The speech therapist noticed that he was a bit uncoordinated in his movements and recommended OT and PT where we became increasingly aware of the overarching issues. Turns out he could not coordinate the muscles in his tongue to make the correct sounds.
How did you address any challenges you or your child were having at home, school, or work (include any therapies you received, if you’re comfortable sharing)?
Speech, OT, PT, biking, swimming, rock climbing...trying everything and making it FUN!
Which therapies/approaches were most effective?
Sports, at home work.
What coping strategies do you find most helpful in your daily life?
Structure/schedule. Breaking down steps. Celebrating small wins. Positive self-talk. Regulating emotions with breathing techniques.
What is the worst thing about living with Dyspraxia/DCD? B. What would you like others to understand about Dyspraxia/DCD?
Dyspraxic kids CAN. It just takes longer. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of love. Break the steps down, give them 1:1 individual lessons. They are more than capable.
