information sheets for dyspraxics (and others with disabilities)

i find when filling out health forms, or trying to explain to someone why i am clumsy, or have a bad memory, the word dyspraxia means nothing to most people. many people dont ask what it means, or look into it at all, so when i start to have difficulites, thay may not understand, i have created a data sheet that i will give to people if i need to explain it, or atttach to health forms. this means that they dont have to put much effort in to find out what dyspraxia is, or how it affects me.

these can be created for any disability, illness, or condition, i personally have created one for a friend who has dyspraxia, dyslexia, and aspergers. i always include a section on how it affects me, as most conditions vary an awful lot. you shoud be careful that you dont portray yourself as a person not capable of anything.

the one below is mine, i created it for me, and the bit about how it affects me, and the final paragraph is personalised. you are welcome to copy and paste it to adapt as your own version, or use it as a starting point or for ideas to make your own from the beginning. i made it to fit on a single side of an A4 sheet, as i find people wont read more than this, and the bullet point format is good as it simplifies the reading.

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Dyspraxia

People with dyspraxia often have difficulties with;

· Motor skills

· Speech, but these difficulties are rarely severe once a person has learned to talk

· Difficulty tracking movements with their eyes smoothly without moving their head.

· Over, or under sensitivity to sensual stimuli

· Social difficulties, such as being over-literal, or difficulties in reading people

· Poor sense of direction

· Poor awareness of where their body is without looking (can lead into tripping easily or walking into things)

· Poor short term memory

· Easy distraction

· Poor balance

· Being slow to finish specific tasks

· Being erratic, have good and bad days

· Impulsivity

For more information, please see the dyspraxia foundation website - http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/index.php

This affects everyone differently, but the way affects me is mainly:

· Clumsiness (mostly if distracted or new to a task) - very poor handwriting

· Tripping more often than most, especially on uneven ground or stairs, or when distracted

· Poor short term memory – may ask for instructions to be repeated

· Sensory processing problems – I dislike being touched, especially if not expecting it, I dislike bright light (it can trigger migraines) so I wear a hat (as good as) all the time, I dislike unexpected loud noise

· Being over-literal and not reading people well - if I’m wrong, feel free to point it out, but quietly and to the side please, not making a big thing of it.

· Easily distracted from most tasks – not normally a problem, unless I have to do something I’m really not interested in or can’t see a point in.

· I am variable, I have good and bad days

· I can be slow to finish some tasks, but not all – please don’t nag if I’m struggling.

· Difficulties with left and right if I can’t see my hands – not a problem if I can see my fingers.

· Poor balance, especially when crouching – I don’t crouch, I normally end up damaging something, often myself

· Extreme difficulties with running (but I am sorting these out)

· Separation difficulties – doing different things with each hand takes extra practice.

it does not affect intelligence, its mainly phisical.

Overall, please don’t make a big thing of it, I’m normally ok with teasing, but if I say stop, I mean it. If I am struggling or will struggle, I will say. There is nothing I cannot achieve, but I might take a different route or more time to achieve the same goal as everyone else. I am not afraid of hard work to reach a goal.

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please dont make fun of spelling/typing errors, or make comments that are simply insulting my disability, or disabled people. all other comments are welcomed. if you like it, please pass it on, so many others may benefit from this idea.