Ideally children with dyspraxia should be diagnosed around five to six years old by a multi-disciplinary paediatric team at your local Child Development Centre. The team should have a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist and a Paediatric Doctor.
The recommendations from your child’s school and some parental persistence are often needed to get this NHS service. Unfortunately in some areas the NHS cuts have badly affected the provision of services for children with conditions such as dyspraxia and the service may not be available at all. In this case your GP can be approached to fund a private assessment, though most often parents have to pay themselves. To find a Paediatric Occupational Therapist who is able to assess, with the support of a local Paediatrician, go to website www.cotss-ip.org.uk.
Discuss with the therapist their experience of diagnosing dyspraxia and if possible get a sample report from them to see if this is what you require. It is very helpful if you can have guidance to take to the school regarding adaptations, extra time in exams, use of laptops etc as this prompts the school to provide what is necessary. Be aware that there may be aspects of dyspraxia needing more than one therapist. For example your child may suffer from verbal dyspraxia (SALT) and fine motor coordination problems or difficulties with vision which may be assessed by a physiotherapist or occupational therapists. Therefore a service offering a range of therapists is ideal for children’s diagnosis.