Getting a Dyspraxia Assessment for SEN Kids Through GP

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inthewind

New member
Update/edit: Thank you SO much everyone for the input, I've read every single post and it's striking how varied everyone's experience can be depending on location. My son is in a special school for autism and it was their in-house OT who diagnosed SPD and suggested the GP/referral route for a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia, and she will provide relevant reports to support this. Possibly because the school is in a different Local Authority to us, I don't know.
If I could be really cheeky and ask a follow up question..... How has your child's dyspraxia affected their life, and how much therapy/support do you receive following diagnosis?
Thank you, again
❤️

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Parents of SEN kids: has anyone gone through the GP to get a dyspraxia assessment? My autistic 10yr old sees an OT once a week and she says he has profound sensory processing disorder, I think I need some medical "ammunition" to help us secure extra funding for his EHCP and to my mind he ticks all the dyspraxia boxes.
Just looking for experiences if anyone has been down this road, what I should expect. Thanks
❤️
 
This goes back a few years. My son was assessed for this and the referral was either playschool or the school nursing team
 
I went to GP / then paediatrician/ then OT! My son has Verbal Dyspraxia / dyspraxia / hypermobility / sensory processing disorder. Everything but the verbal dyspraxia was diagnosed by OT x
 
@cbussey123 DCD is not assessed by an EP (although we can identify that they have some needs in visual perception) but by an OT and confirmed by a Paediatrician. A Paediatrician is a necessary part of the diagnostic pathway because they rule out any other medical causes for motor skills issues.
 
The OT will do the dyspraxia assessment anyway, the g.p only confirms the diagnosis after the OT has done the assessment. Best thing to do is ask the OT if they think your son has dyspraxia and if she will assess, then if she confirms a high chance of dyspraxia take it to your g.p to confirm.
I will say I was 100% sure my autistic son was dyspraxic and he wasn’t. Part of the autism causes similar issues to dyspraxia but it’s just part of the autism planning issues.
My other son had the assessment after my first son and I could see the obvious difference in the two and my second son scored quite severe on the DCD assessment where as my first son just couldn’t plan the intended movement of that makes sense xx
 
OT should do a sensory assessment for EHCP and Ed Psych. Generally, the LA professionals sit on the fence in terms of making specific, quantifiable recommendations of provision. If it's provision in Section F you're after, if you can, it would be best to secure private reports. That's what I had to do
 
OT should be able to assess unless the services are commissioned separately in which case you will need a referral to OT dealing with motor skills, but usually they’ll sit within Paediatric team so if she can’t assess she should be able to refer to a colleague. Once the assessment is complete the information needs to be considered by paediatrician to give the diagnosis. Alternatively look at your local offer it should include diagnostic pathways if your services are commissioned differently.
You are welcome to join my SEND /EHCP support group
 
The OT carried out the full assessment for Dyspraxia but then the Paediatrician reviewed the reports and did final test checking reflexes etc and confirmed the diagnosis. The OT did the physical assessments tho over 2 seperate appointments.
 
It depends on you area. In Kent, a GP cannot refer for dyspraxia as it has to go through school, but if the school do not have a traded agreement with an assessor, you need to go private.... i
 
My son had a private OT assessment and ABC assessment ( he was 13 so too old for NHS!) The GP then referred us to paed to ensure no other neurological reason for issues , then he was diagnosed
 
Hiya school did the referral for my son and was diagnosed by ot. Waiting for spd for my daughter but told there isn't a provision to diagnose it where we live! School can do a snapp assessment now which screens for things like dyspraxia so that will add to evidence fx
 
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