Dyspraxia Week : Empowered and Limitless - or scared and invisible?

Sophie Negus, Dyspraxia Foundation Trustee

My dyspraxia does not limit me, but can you help create a world where people with dyspraxia are supported, empowered and understood?

Can you be there for our dyspraxia community? Your kindness during this awareness week provides a vital place to turn for the many who feel alone and limited.

A recent dyspraxia survey highlighted the terrible amount of loneliness experienced by people living with dyspraxia. A shocking number of people reported they often feel lonely and misunderstood by those around them. Personally, when someone asks me what life is like living with dyspraxia, I always find this a little difficult to answer – it really is ‘just my life as I know it!”

What I would say is that life can be very tough at times, especially as dyspraxia isn’t a well-known disability, as well as being a disability which is not very visible.

I think that having any sort of invisible disability leads to some degree of loneliness. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 22 so before that I always felt different and that I didn’t quite fit in with other people, but didn’t know why.

Despite having several dyspraxic friends, I didn’t know of anyone else who had the same struggles that I did with activities that so many take for granted, such as learning to drive or riding a bike.

My biggest hurdle has been learning to drive

Having moved to a new location, I found it was a struggle to get to new places without transport. My ability to join new clubs and meet new people was very limited due to not being able to drive. I pride myself on being independent so having to rely on people for lifts to places definitely makes me a bit uncomfortable.

Once I was diagnosed, I did a lot of research on it and came across The Dyspraxia Foundation. They have made such a difference to my life, I firmly believe that I would not have the confidence I have now without them. Their conferences and meetings, networks and knowledge create such a safe space for people, where they encourage us to be authentically ourselves.

Masking is so common in neurodiversity

I know masking is so common for the neurodiverse community so it’s empowering to be somewhere where this isn’t needed and everyone can just be themselves. Being in the dyspraxic community is great because you are surrounded by people who just ‘get it’ in a way that non-dyspraxic people really can’t. It’s a place where you automatically belong. The dyspraxia foundation team are so amazing, they are so friendly and supportive of us all. It genuinely is like one big (clumsy) family.

We are just different, not less

Sometimes living with dyspraxia can be tough, especially if you are consistently comparing yourself to neurotypical people

I work in the charity sector as a project support coordinator, and I am privileged to be a Trustee of the Dyspraxia Foundation. I also am involved in an outreach project for the homeless in my town of Northampton. It is often said that those with dyspraxia have higher empathy levels and I like to think this is the case with me.

My hope is that one day dyspraxia will as widely known as dyslexia or autism is today. I hope that people will understand what it is, what our limitations can be, but also the strengths that we possess. Dyspraxia does not limit me personally, but living in a world where it is not understood really does.

Yes, I want to be there for and empower those with dyspraxia to be limitless - donate now!

£10 could provide a friendly ear at the end of our dyspraxia helpline
£25 could support more informative and practical webinars on dyspraxia
£50 could go towards helping young people thrive through the dyspraxia youth group
£100 could go towards supporting the set-up a of new volunteer-led dyspraxia support groups across the UK