Is Dyspraxia classed as a disability?

[Guest Spiral]

Hi there,

 

One of my parents has a year two daughter with a diagnosis of 'mild dyspraxia'.

 

The school has classed this as a disability, which mum contests.......any thoughts?

 

Spiral :-)

Edited January 29, 2013 by Spiral

[Rea]

I'd say yes it is. My friends son has it, he needed help at times at school and attended a conductive education setting once or twice a week.Having said that he's the only child I know definitely diagnosed with it.

No-one wants their child to have a disability, maybe she needs help to understand her daughter may need help and this is how to get it.

[Susan]

Im not sure about that classification but she should certainly be on their Special needs register, if only at school action.

 

However, if she has had a diagnosis this means her condition must be quite noticeable as I have found it is really quite difficult to get children I have been very concerned about recognised and helped. As she has a diagnosis it will also probably mean that that she is at school action plus on the SEN register. She is likely to need some special provision for writing?

 

I can understand that mum does not want her child labelled disabled but she will also want the best opportunities and provision for her child and I would try and talk her through this. There are lots of hidden disabilities and it need not be a bad thing but more a recognition of her needs.

[finleysmaid]

as a mum of a child with dyslexia i always knew my child was on the sen 'list' at school and because we had a tutor she was classed as school action plus (i was told from the beginning she would never get a statement) but no-one ever classed her as disabled. I would be fearful of this description i think and don't feel it is an appropriate one for this type of learning difficulty....my daughter would never describe herself as disabled

[Rea]

I suppose it depends on how you use the word and why its being used. I claimed disability living allowance for my youngest for a few years when he was little because of his asthma and eczema. I never thought he had a disability but if it helped to agree with the wording I went with it.

[JacquieL]

The prefix 'dis' means 'not' or the 'opposite of' so dis-praxia is a dis-ability in the development and the organisation of movement. I expect Mum is finding it difficult to think of it as that, because of all the connnotations that the word disability conjures up, and more especially so as her daughter's dispraxia is mild. Perhaps you could point her in the direction of the Dyspraxia Association, who might be able to give her some advice and support.

 

( I seem to have deleted this post earlier but have found it again)

[JacquieL]

I've just had a look at the Equality Act 2010 and there is a legal definition of disability. It is not so much the what the difficulty is but the effect of the problem on someone's daily life. Both dyspraxia and dyslexia are included as possible reasons why someone may be classed as disabled. It makes interesting reading.

http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wor/new/ea-guide.pdf

[catma]

Its to do with the DDA isn't it....if you have a recognised disabilty then you are covered by the DDA and the school must by law take this into account in how it supports you.

Cx