We talk a lot about weird adhd and autism symptoms, now as someone who wasn’t diagnosed with dyspraxia until adulthood, let’s talk about dyspraxia symptoms!
1. Taking forever (or never being able) to learn how to
Especially if you have a hard time explaining why the task is difficult.
2. Being slow at, or regularly messing up, tasks like
using a key to open a lock
eating (especially eating quickly)
pouring or carrying liquids
controlling your speed/volume when speaking
walking on a narrow line (like a curb or balance beam)
staying balanced on one foot
picking up and organizing things
wrapping presents neatly, applying tape and stickers neatly
3. People with dyspraxia are more likely to
Choke on their food/drink
Injure themselves/break a bone doing something banal (especially when they are very young)
Get lost, lose sense of direction
Press their pen through their paper or not press hard enough
Have bad handwriting, or settle on an unusual or stylized handwriting quite young
And now for the weird/uncanny symptoms:
Girls with dyspraxia are more likely to choose not to wear makeup and “reject femininity” - both because of texture sensitivity and because they struggle more with application.
Camoflaging symptoms - people with dyspraxia, especially the “gifted” ones, often unconsciously cover up their symptoms with creativity or obstinacy. They’ll do their school projects a little differently than instructed, saying they prefer their way better. Or say they won’t do something because they “don’t see the point”. They get a reputation for being original, defiant, creative, individualistic, or lazy.
Getting misdiagnosed with oppositional defiance disorder, especially at some point in your youth. Alternatively getting misdiagnosed with OCD (because you insist on doing things a certain way because of your physical limitations, but since those limitations can’t be measured or explained, they think it must be a compulsion).
Developing a weird relationship with “hard work” as when you are trying your hardest is often when you’re most likely being berated, often specifically for being lazy or not trying hard enough.
Generally being known for dawdling or stalling or being slow.
Being worse at tasks when someone is showing you how to do them or making you do them “properly” (i.e., being a mediocre bowler, being shown proper bowling stance, trying to execute proper bowling stance, being worse somehow. Being shown how to hold a pen and your handwriting getting markedly worse as a result)
Reaching a certain level of proficiency at a physical skill, and then hitting a wall when challenged further. (Being promoted to advanced courses and then demoted back to basics or a prior course when you can’t compete in the advanced class. Being too advanced for beginners but not advanced enough for regulars).
Forgetting how to do shit that is ingrained for most people once they learn it (riding a bike, folding origami, hand games).
Calling yourself “limb dyslexic” or “key dyslexic” or similar as a joke
Hating standing for long times. Just wanting to sit or lean.
Sleep disorders. All of them.
I’m probably missing stuff. But yeah. Shout out to dyspraxics out there. And if this sounds like you, maybe look it up.
