Adult Dyspraxia and Dyslexia
Writing for a living when you are Dyslexic and Dyspraxic. I thought I would write a post about about dyspraxia in adults. Firstly why do they make those words SO hard to spell when that’s the definition of the problem? Feels like such a cruel joke 😉
Dyspraxia and Dyslexia in Adults
It occurred to me the other day what a funny thing it is that my job is writing for a living when I spent so much of my youth struggling with writing at all. I thought it might make for a fun post if only to show that labels don’t define you and not to let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do. We all need motivational posts in the new year right? I am nothing if not cliche!
I have both Dyslexia and Dyspraxia to varying levels. I was told I have a reading age of five higher than average and a writing age of five years lower. I’m not sure that’s how they grade people once you’ve left school but I guess its a good marker to describe the fact that my issues with dyslexia and reading are not a problem for me where as writing is. I think it’s a common misconception that with dyslexics that those issues go hand in hand
Am I dyslexic?
I’ve always LOVED reading, we didn’t watch a huge amount of TV as children (we didn’t have one for the longest time and after that what we watched was selected by my parents and time-limited) and I was a bit of a loner friend-wise so I spent pretty much ALL my free time, reading or drawing. I also used to write my own stories, something my parents encouraged a lot but ones that were littered with bad spelling and grammar. I didn’t let the fact that it was perfect affect my enjoyment of creating and I’m really glad my parents never made
Once I had started school I was taught pretty quickly that I wasn’t ‘good’ at writing. People would tell me the more I read the easier it would be to learn to spell but it just didn’t work that way for me. Throughout my school experience although I was bright enough I struggled massively with poor confidence and a lot of stress about my spelling. My vocabulary is quite wide but I struggle to communicate that when writing, opting to chose words I know I won’t get wrong. I can’t tell you how time-consuming googling how to spell a word that spell check doesn’t recognise is!
Dyslexia Signs
I also started to realise at some point in my teens that my dyslexia symptoms meant I struggled to find the words I knew I knew when speaking. I put it down to anxiety about speaking to anyone but the thought of my mind going blank or ‘umming’ when trying to reach the right word gave me even more anxiety so I preferred to speak as little as possible. It felt like the word was always there but just hiding in some part of my brain I couldn’t reach, so again I would simplify my language to substitute.
If you are wondering ‘am I dyslexic’ then it would be worth getting a dyslexia test. You can also book online dyslexic tests like this. Dyslexia symptoms aren’t as obvious as struggling to read and can affect lots of other aspects of life.
Whilst I was diagnosed with Dyslexia at around 13 it wasn’t until I was 18 that I found out I was Dyspraxic. Something not often talked about but incredibly important – dyspraxia in adults. You might’ve heard it mentioned in passing, maybe not at all, or perhaps it’s a part of your daily life. I think it’s one of those topics that could do with a little more understanding and a lot more conversation.
What is Dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia symptoms, or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), isn’t just a childhood thing; it journeys with many into adulthood. It’s this quirky, often frustrating companion that affects coordination, planning, and sometimes speech. Imagine the brain and body not quite syncing up, like trying to dance to a song with a slightly offbeat rhythm. It can turn everyday tasks into a bit of a dance-off with gravity and logic.
For adults navigating through life with dyspraxia, simple routines can be challenging. Misplacing keys becomes an art form, and tripping over that rug you swear moved on its own becomes a daily adventure. It’s like your body is on its unique wavelength, sometimes not quite catching the tune the rest of the world is playing. But, hey, that’s just one part of the symphony that makes you, you.
What’s truly amazing, though, is the resilience and creativity many adults with dyspraxia show daily. Finding inventive ways around challenges, rocking out unique problem-solving skills, and often being incredibly empathetic – because knowing struggle, you understand others’ battles too.
My experience with being Dyspraxic
Those words that were there were still there but my brain just didn’t access them in the same way as other people. Likewise the bruises I constantly found (and still do) on my hips and side of my legs were because my brain just couldn’t work out where I was well enough to not bump into things. It sounds quite comical (and is to be honest) but if you see me walking through a door I’ll more often then not bump myself on the frame as I pass as I didn’t realise how big I was or where I was in relation to it. Clinically Clumsy is the way I like to explain that part!
It always bugged me that studying art for my degree still meant I would be graded on spelling. I finally left with a 2:1 a couple of marks from a first and those lost points pretty much all due to the fact I had to write a dissertation.
Dyspraxia in adults
Opening up the discussion about dyspraxia in adults is vital. It’s about sharing that you’re not alone, understanding that these quirks make you uniquely incredible, and fostering a community where support and genuine understanding are aplenty. If you wanted to take dyspraxia test you can check this one out here.
Sending hugs and the reminder that your dance, however offbeat, is beautiful. I’d love to know if any of you have the same issues are were able to work around them! Let me know also if you have experience of
If you enjoyed this post you may also like:
Amazing Dyslexics – famous dyslexic people
Deciding to take an Interior Design diploma
Bookbeat Vs Audible