Plenty of people only start to wonder about dyspraxia in their twenties or later. Maybe a friend mentioned it, maybe you read something that described you a little too well, or maybe work has started asking more of you in ways that feel harder than they should. Realising you might be dyspraxic as an adult can bring relief and a lot of questions at once.
Dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), affects movement and coordination. It’s often talked about as a childhood condition, but many adults were never assessed at school. This guide covers what dyspraxia can look like in adults, how to get an assessment in the UK, and what support you can ask for.
What dyspraxia can look like in adults
Dyspraxia shows up differently for everyone. The NHS page on dyspraxia in adults lists signs such as:
- bumping into things, tripping or dropping things more than other people
- finding fine motor tasks harder, such as typing, tying laces or using a tin opener
- finding activities like driving or sport harder to learn
- taking longer to learn new skills
- differences in planning, organising time and remembering information
Dyspraxia often sits alongside other neurodivergent conditions. The NHS notes that dyspraxic adults may also be ADHD, dyslexic or autistic. Many women, in particular, go undiagnosed for years; our post on how dyspraxia presents in women explains why.
If you’ve spent years working around these things, you may have built strategies without realising it. Those strategies can hide the underlying differences, which is one reason adult diagnosis is so common.
How to get assessed
Start with your GP
Book an appointment if dyspraxia is affecting your work, studies or home life. Before you go, keep a short diary of the moments that feel harder than they should and how they affect you. It helps you explain things clearly when you only have ten minutes.
Your GP will ask about your experiences, consider other possible causes, and may refer you to a specialist such as an occupational therapist.
The specialist assessment
A specialist will usually ask about your childhood as well as your life now, and look at your movement, balance and coordination. They may want to speak to someone who knows you well. What’s available on the NHS varies by area, and some people choose to pay for a private assessment. Our guide on how dyspraxia is diagnosed goes through the process in more detail.
You don’t need a diagnosis to get support
Waiting lists can be long. While you wait, you can still try strategies, talk to your employer and ask for changes at work. A diagnosis can help, but it isn’t a gatekeeper for being taken seriously.
What can help day to day
There’s no single fix. The aim is to set things up so the way you move, plan and learn works for you, rather than to change who you are. The NHS mentions several options:
Occupational therapy can help with practical strategies for tasks at home and at work.
Physiotherapy can help with balance, coordination, strength and posture.
Talking therapies, such as CBT, can help if anxiety or low mood have built up after years of feeling out of step.
Exercise you enjoy may help mood and confidence. Swimming, yoga or dance suit some people better than team sports.
Technology does a lot of the heavy lifting too. Calendar reminders, task apps, speech to text and keyboard shortcuts can take pressure off the things that drain you most.
Dyspraxia at work
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, and dyspraxia can count as a disability. Useful adjustments might include a quiet workspace, written instructions alongside spoken ones, extra time for certain tasks, or equipment such as an ergonomic keyboard. Our list of reasonable adjustments for dyspraxia has more ideas.
The government’s Access to Work scheme can help pay for equipment or support that goes beyond what an employer would normally provide.
Hearing from other people helps. One of our team shared their own experience of working with dyspraxia, with practical tips that came from living it.
Talking to the people around you
You don’t owe anyone an explanation, but some people find it easier once friends, family or colleagues understand why certain things take them longer. A simple line like “I’m dyspraxic, so written instructions work better for me” can save a lot of misunderstanding. Connecting with other dyspraxic adults, online or in person, is also a good way to swap ideas and feel less alone.
How Enna can help
If you’re thinking about your next move, the Enna jobs board lists roles with employers committed to neuroinclusion, and our guide to finding dyspraxia friendly jobs covers what to look for. Set up job alerts and new vacancies will come to you.
