It’s #TimetoTalk

Today is #TimetoTalk day, a national day by Time to Change (http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/) asking everyone to talk about mental health. The Dyspraxia Foundation believes that the views of people with and affected by dyspraxia/DCD are important. In 2016, feedback from a consultation by the Dyspraxia Foundation with young adults with dyspraxia found;

• Anticipatory anxiety – fear of embarrassment and worrying about things that might go wrong meant teenagers with dyspraxia sometimes avoided situations and events, putting them at risk of social isolation and limiting opportunities for positive experiences when situations/activities went well.
• Anxiety about learning new skills – young people worried about how they would manage new tasks and activities. Their preference for predictability and familiarity sometimes limited opportunities to develop new skills necessary for independence.
• Young peoples’ confidence was also affected by adults and professionals who had low expectations of teenagers’ performance because they judged teenagers’ intelligence by their presentation rather than the content of their work.
• Some members of the youth group had a strong sense of empathy which they regarded as both a strength and a challenge. In some cases, individuals felt overwhelmed by the strength of their emotions because they over-empathised with others.
• Some individuals had difficulty regulating their emotional responses, particularly when tired or anxious or when experiencing sensory overload. Fear of embarrassment affected social relationships

The full report can be downloaded by clicking here.

For more help with anxiety and Dyspraxia/DCD please download our free information sheet, young adults should visit our dedicated youth website and join our closed facebook group for peer support.

Youth member Rosie has also written a blog for today, ‘Time to Talk Day 2017 – Conversations Change Lives‘.

New: Parents Toolkit 

Today we are also launching our new Parents Toolkit. Priced £7.99
This toolkit was developed by the Dyspraxia Foundation for parents/carers of young people with dyspraxia (also known as developmental coordination disorder – DCD), a condition that affects gross and fine motor coordination in children and adults and that can also affect speech, organisational and planning skills, memory and perception. The toolkit offers a wealth of information and practical suggestions to help parents address the daily challenges experienced by children with dyspraxia/DCD at home, at school and in their leisure activities.
Essential reading to help parents/carers build their child’s independence and resilience, ensuring they can reach their potential in all areas of life. Chapters include: accessing professional help; how parents/carers can help at home; working in partnership with schools; supporting your child’s wellbeing; and supporting your child’s participation in social and leisure activities.
You can download the toolkit for Kindle devices, and across Android and iOS with the Amazon Kindle App today!