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Dyspraxia diagnosis

So I met my DSA assessor today and she said she probably thinks I have dyspraxia but as she is not a specialist can't diagnose me… I asked how to get a diagnosis and she said not to bother and she didn't know anyway…. however I don't agree - I feel I should get a diagnosis.
Anyone know how I go about this?
You will need to pay for an assessment via an educational or clinical psychologist.
Go to your GP and ask for a referral.
Reply 2
Avatar for NJones
NJones
6
Dyspraxia has to be 'diagnosed' by a multi -disciplinary team. You will need agreement from medical, psychological and educational specialists to make up the diagnosis, therefore it can't just be done by an Educational psychologist, unless they also have the suitable professional registrations.
Original post by balotelli12
You will need to pay for an assessment via an educational or clinical psychologist.
Go to your GP and ask for a referral.


Original post by NJones
Dyspraxia has to be 'diagnosed' by a multi -disciplinary team. You will need agreement from medical, psychological and educational specialists to make up the diagnosis, therefore it can't just be done by an Educational psychologist, unless they also have the suitable professional registrations.


Ok thanks I will speak to my GP
Reply 4
Avatar for River85
River85
17
Original post by NJones
Dyspraxia has to be 'diagnosed' by a multi -disciplinary team. You will need agreement from medical, psychological and educational specialists to make up the diagnosis, therefore it can't just be done by an Educational psychologist, unless they also have the suitable professional registrations.


I realise that a multi-disciplinary assessment is the best means of diagnosing dyspraxia and the NHS recommend this approach. But is this the only "official" means of diagnosing dyspraxia, at least in respect to having it recognised by funding bodies?

My brother was diagnosed by a young trainee clinical psyhcologist in Sheffield's department of psychology back in 2004 (while he was a student in Sheffield). I was diagnosed by a more experienced clinical neuropsychologist in Durham in 2007. The funding bodies (my LEA, then SFE) accepted the medical evidence and diagnosis. Admittedly I was never happy that my assessment, although it was thorough, and still suspect I have an ASD.
An ed psych is capable of diagnosis among many others according to this site

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/dyspraxia-adults/
Reply 6
Avatar for NJones
NJones
6
Original post by balotelli12
An ed psych is capable of diagnosis among many others according to this site

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/dyspraxia-adults/


I can't see anything that specifically refers to an Ed Psych there, but the page states that 'People with dyspraxia usually have a combination of problems' and 'The appropriate psychologist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist or occupational therapist can then assess your child for dyspraxia.' Due to this combination it needs to be a multi disciplinary diagnosis- an educational psychologist is not qualified to diagnose medical conditions or symptoms of dyspraxia such as motor skills (even thought some of them think they are). Speech and language therapists and occupational therapists are often involved.

Even the NHS site at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Dyspraxia-(childhood)/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx details that a GP 'may refer your child to another healthcare professional who cannot confirm the diagnosis by themselves, but can provide additional information to help with the diagnosis process.'
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by NJones
Dyspraxia has to be 'diagnosed' by a multi -disciplinary team. You will need agreement from medical, psychological and educational specialists to make up the diagnosis, therefore it can't just be done by an Educational psychologist, unless they also have the suitable professional registrations.


Not true, My dyspraxia was (eventually) diagnosed by an educational psychologist through my college after years of other "experts" saying I was borderline/not severe enough for a diagnosis. An educational psychologist alone can diagnose. As, I believe can an occupational therapist and a few other qualified people. To say it has to be diagnosed by a multi disciplinary team is rubbish.

OP, what is your education status at the moment? Are you currently in college or anything? If you see the student support team (you should have this or something similar) they may well be able to get an ed psych in to test you paid for by the college. This is how I got my diagnosis. If not, I would suggest speaking to your GP for referral. There are also a few groups on facebook like these where you can ask people who've been through dyspraxia and various forms of diagnosis who it would probably worth asking.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2213789638/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403648909747260/
Reply 8
Avatar for NJones
NJones
6
Original post by Kabloomybuzz
Not true, My dyspraxia was (eventually) diagnosed by an educational psychologist through my college after years of other "experts" saying I was borderline/not severe enough for a diagnosis. An educational psychologist alone can diagnose. As, I believe can an occupational therapist and a few other qualified people. To say it has to be diagnosed by a multi disciplinary team is rubbish.

OP, what is your education status at the moment? Are you currently in college or anything? If you see the student support team (you should have this or something similar) they may well be able to get an ed psych in to test you paid for by the college. This is how I got my diagnosis. If not, I would suggest speaking to your GP for referral. There are also a few groups on facebook like these where you can ask people who've been through dyspraxia and various forms of diagnosis who it would probably worth asking.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2213789638/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403648909747260/


Our Ed pysch with 40+ years experience will not diagnose and advises that the student seeks further evaluation to obtain a diagnosis. Rubbish? read the NHS page. The guidelines SFE use state 'At the assessor’s discretion, performance in a range of other tests may be reported in the' (Other Relevant Information) section may additionally consider it appropriate to use recognised checklists to identify whether a student
might show signs of dyspraxia.' Screening may show signs but is not a diagnosis. Unfortunately there are Ed Psych's out there who over step their mark with this.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by NJones
Our Ed pysch with 40+ years experience will not diagnose and advises that the student seeks further evaluation to obtain a diagnosis. Rubbish? read the NHS page. The guidelines SFE use state 'At the assessor’s discretion, performance in a range of other tests may be reported in the' (Other Relevant Information) section may additionally consider it appropriate to use recognised checklists to identify whether a student
might show signs of dyspraxia.' Screening may show signs but is not a diagnosis. Unfortunately there are Ed Psych's out there who over step their mark with this.


The fact that doctors, DSA assessors, learning difficulty specialists at uni, occupational health at work have accepted the detailed ed psych report as diagnosis suggests otherwise. This plus the fact that when this question is presented on the dyspraxia support groups on facebook (people who have actually been through diagnosis) have been diagnosed by an ed psych or OT - not a team supports that.

Of course, it is possible that the assessment and diagnostic criteria has changed recently, but I'm more inclined to trust information from a variety of experts and the direct experience of several people experiencing the condition than a paragraph on the NHS website which could be poorly worded and misinterpreted.

Dyspraxia foundation http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/faqs/ suggest that teams can be used and are usually used in children, but they do say that other specialists, not just teams can diagnose. more than one qualified person may be needed if there is a lack of past evidence to support a diagnosis.
Reply 10
Avatar for NJones
NJones
6
As a DSA Assessor I regularly see Ed psych reports where dyspraxia 'is indicated' and not formally diagnosed as they are not qualified. SFE will not normally agree to fund DSA assessments without formal diagnoses but some do get through the net. If an Ed Psych also happens to hold the qualification of a Clinical Psychologist then evidence if accepted. To quote the standard paragraph in reports we get from Ed psych 'For 'dyspraxia' to be formally identified, it requires more detailed evaluation by an appropriately experienced physiotherapist, occupational therapist or neurologist. If you wish, you can request this via your GP.' No reference to 'team' anywhere- read more carefully.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by NJones
As a DSA Assessor I regularly see Ed psych reports where dyspraxia 'is indicated' and not formally diagnosed as they are not qualified. SFE will not normally agree to fund DSA assessments without formal diagnoses but some do get through the net. If an Ed Psych also happens to hold the qualification of a Clinical Psychologist then evidence if accepted. To quote the standard paragraph in reports we get from Ed psych 'For 'dyspraxia' to be formally identified, it requires more detailed evaluation by an appropriately experienced physiotherapist, occupational therapist or neurologist. If you wish, you can request this via your GP.' No reference to 'team' anywhere- read more carefully.


So a clinical psychologist's opinion would or wouldn't be accepted by SFE? Sorry I am a bit confused.
Reply 12
Avatar for NJones
NJones
6
Original post by HairyCanary
So a clinical psychologist's opinion would or wouldn't be accepted by SFE? Sorry I am a bit confused.


If the ed pysch happened to also hold clinical psych qualification/ registration (HPC) this would be accepted by SFE. Its all in the semantics of the titles and their registrations.

I think SFE and DSA regs are deliberately confusing sometimes!!

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