About Me
My name is Sara Jane Gorman.
I work as a visiting lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton.
I teach student learning disability nurses.
I also worked in advocacy and learning disability training.
I worked with Mencap and other disability organisations.
My Background
I was born in 1969.
I had a lack of oxygen to the brain at birth.
I grew up in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
At that time, there was very little understanding of disability.
There was very little support.
I did not get a clear diagnosis when I was young.
My family saw I had difficulties.
But the conditions were not well known.
Now we understand more.
This is why early diagnosis is important.
My Conditions
I live with:
Autism
Dyspraxia
Dyslexia
ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
Epilepsy
What Dyspraxia Means
Dyspraxia is a long term condition.
It is not an illness.
It is not a disease.
It affects movement and coordination.
It can also affect thinking and learning.
Dyspraxia is Often Hidden
People with Dyspraxia can:
Walk
Talk
So people may think everything is fine.
But inside everyday life can be very hard.
How Dyspraxia Affects Me
Dyspraxia can slow things down.
It does not stop life.
But it makes many things harder.
Some examples for me are:
Tying shoelaces
Doing zips
Fast hand movements
Daily tasks
Daily Life Challenges
Dyspraxia can affect:
Personal care
Dressing
Cooking
Carrying things
It can also affect:
Planning
Memory
Coordination
Emotional Impact
Dyspraxia has affected my feelings.
It has caused:
Anxiety
Frustration
Stress
Low confidence at times
Important Life Impact
Dyspraxia can affect big life choices.
For me it affected:
Having children
Physical ability to care for babies
This was very difficult and emotional.
Important Message
Dyspraxia is different for everyone.
Not everyone has the same difficulties.
Some people need more support than others.
Support
Support is very important.
But not everyone gets enough support.
This can be because of:
Funding
Services not being available
My View
Dyspraxia needs to be taken seriously.
It is often misunderstood.
People need:
Understanding
Support
Respect
Strengths
Even with Dyspraxia, people can have strengths:
Creativity
Determination
Strong memory in some areas
Ability to keep trying
Final Message
Dyspraxia is real.
It affects daily life.
People should not be judged.
People should be supported.
People should be believed.
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