Psych said that 25-75 is in the normal range, which is why they don't see a fine motor issue. But it looks like a lot of scatter to me.
It's in what's called "normal" range, but it's also on the very low end of "normal". 25th percentile is a cut-off that's used a lot in US schools as a guideline for SPED eligibility (or at least it's used in our school district). A kid who doesn't quite fall under that bar can still be incredibly challenged. I'm going to try to find my ds' Beery results this weekend if I can - I'm fairly certain he didn't fall below 25th percentile, but he definitely (and obviously) has DCD. I see the Beery as more of a tool to use to understand how a person is impacted rather than determining that they do or don't have a challenge.
I agree that some of his behaviours are not DCD-related - he zones out when I talk to him, forgets things, loses things. I'm sure he has EF issues. So, not totally against the idea of ADHD, although DH has concerns about stigma.
Our ds had a lot of those types of issues when he was your ds' age - still has some of those issues in high school. When he was your ds' age he had a mild ADHD diagnosis, but as he matured his neuropsych felt that it wasn't really ADHD and the symptoms that looked like ADHD were due to DCD. Most of what I've read about people's experiences with DCD/dyspraxia indicate that these types of challenges are common with DCD. The tricky thing about DCD is that it can be so different in how it impacts each individual. DS is 16 now, and he attributes his inability to see his lost pencil on the floor next to his shoe completely to his DCD - not flippantly but just as what he thinks it is. As he matured, it started becoming more obvious to me that his organizational challenges were coordination-related.
I really *really* have no problem or worries about an ADHD diagnosis, but I do feel that it's important to understand what the real diagnosis is (or multiple diagnoses), because once you have a diagnosis you typically follow a specific direction in dealing with it. Sometimes that direction overlaps with exactly where you would have gone with the actual diagnosis, sometimes not. ADHD is something that is becoming somewhat common in schools, DCD not so widespread. I wouldn't worry about having an ADHD diagnosis, but I'd worry about what you might miss in terms of missing a DCD diagnosis when it's present. Aside from the practicalities of making appropriate accommodations and remediation where possible, I think that having an appropriate diagnosis early helped my ds tremendously in developing self-confidence and learning how to accept his challenges for what they are - challenges, nothing more. Prior to his diagnosis he struggled tremendously with anxiety and self-confidence.
Sorry for the long ramble - hope some of it helped!
polarbear
