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They Said I Was Lazy. Turns Out, I Had A Learning Disability
A diagnosis of dyspraxia shaped my childhood. And the system failed me every step of the way.
My teachers thought I didn’t care. That I was either lazy or not very bright. But I had been diagnosed with Dyspraxia, which explained why every task felt much harder for me to do. I found it difficult to tie my shoelaces, kick a football, or do anything else many of my classmates did without a second thought. It wasn’t just about the physical difficulty, though. It was also the frustration of never feeling like I fit in, and the exhaustion of trying so hard and still coming up short.
“Dyspraxia, also known as developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), is a common disorder that affects movement and co-ordination,” per the NHS. “It can affect your co-ordination skills such as tasks requiring balance, playing sports, or learning to drive a car. Dyspraxia can also affect your fine motor skills, such as writing or using small objects.”
My teachers saw a kid falling behind and assumed the worst. They didn’t see the hours I spent trying to decode sentences. Or how much energy it took to sit still and focus in class. And no one slowed down. No one explained. I was just supposed to catch up. But I couldn’t. Not like that.
