Dyspraxia associated with autistic traits in adulthood.

Post Reply New Topic

Coordinated movements and successful interactions with other people are important for many activities. But are motor skills and social skills related? A large study carried out between researchers at Coventry University and the Autism Research Centre tried to find out. The research team, led by Dr Sarah Cassidy, compared the rates of dyspraxia in adults with and without autism spectrum conditions (ASC). The team also took measurements of social skills and empathy, to see if adults who had a diagnosis of dyspraxia, but not ASC, have social difficulties that mirror those experienced by adults with ASC.


http://www.psychiatry.cam.ac.uk/blog/20 ... adulthood/

They could be related---if only because of the fact that people who seem awkward often are scorned, especially in school situations. They are seen by the ignorant as having "something wrong" with hem.

There are many people who are dyspraxic and have Aspergers/autism. On the other hand, there are many people on the Spectrum who are not dyspraxic in any way; in fact, they are athletic, and speak very well.

I have mild motor dyspraxia--but not speech dyspraxia (even though I spoke very late).

I have never been diagnosed with dyspraxia but recently came in possession of correspondence between my prep school headmaster and public school headmaster. My prep school headmaster described me as not very well coordinated ,and having difficulty with writing and drawing especially geometrical drawing.
A report for the purpose of disability benefits a couple of years ago described me as having very poor social skills.

In the 1960s-1970s, whenever somebody had poor social skills, poor impulse control, and clumsiness, that person would invariably (in the US) be diagnosed with something called "Minimal Brain Dysfunction." It's a totally defunct diagnosis now.

I, myself, was diagnosed with "brain injury" in addition to autism. Partially because of my clumsiness.

I honestly thought dyspraxia was a component of autism like sensory processing disorder is.

From what I remember, since an early age, adults regularly pointed out that I fell more than the other kids did and walked differently. I also remember figuring out how to use eating utensils later than the other kids. My teachers, peers and family all complained at some point that I moved too slowly or was clumsy. One teacher got concerned about my clumsiness, but my parents brushed it off as me being careless.

Perhaps dyspraxia was the culprit all along.

I don't know. I know ASD who don't have it and NT's who do have it. I have a separate diagnosis for both. I do know they overlap when someone has both.

To answer the OP's question, the answer is it may or may not. Some dyspraxics are socially aept, others are not. For example it is quite common for someone to have dyslexia and dyspraxia and be very good at social stuff. If you're neurodiverse there is no middle ground. You're either extremely good or extremely bad at something.