Q: Ever since my son has started writing in school, I have noticed that he struggles with holding his pencil and writing complete words that are legible. I thought at first that he might have dyslexia, but he has no problem with reading. Is there a learning disability that deals only with writing?
A: It’s hard for people to understand that children can have a learning disability that affects only writing. Most people assume that if you have no trouble reading, then writing should be a cinch. Or, parents assume that trouble with writing is a physical impediment rather than a mental one. Dysgraphia, a learning disability that affects writing abilities, debunks these myths.
Dysgraphia can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper. However, children who suffer from dysgraphia often have reading skills that are on par with other children their age. Dysgraphia is not simply a motor problem, but also involves information processing skills (transferring thoughts from the mind through the hand onto the paper). If your child has trouble in any of the areas below, additional help may be beneficial:
- Tight, awkward pencil grip and body position
- Illegible handwriting
- Avoiding writing and drawing tasks
- Tiring quickly while writing
- Saying words out loud while writing
- Unfinished or omitted words in sentences
- Difficulty organizing thoughts on paper
- Large gap between written ideas and speech
Depending on your child’s age, there are different strategies that are effective.
For young children who are just learning how to write, here are some suggestions:
- Use paper with raised lines so that children can feel the lines on the paper, allowing them to stay on track.
- Experiment with different pens and pencils.
- Practice writing letters with exaggerated arm movements. This will help improve the motor memory without the pressure of the paper.
- Consider introducing a word processor (through a computer) earlier than with other children, but do not eliminate writing on paper.
- Encourage proper grip, posture, and paper positioning. If you aren’t sure how to help your child with this – don’t push it off too long! The later you correct these concerns, the harder it is to unlearn the bad habits.
For children in elementary school, consider these modifications:
- Alternate the focus of writing assignments. For some assignments, put the emphasis on neatness and spelling and for others put the emphasis on grammar and style.
- Encourage the use of print or cursive, which ever is more comfortable for your child.
- Help make a checklist for editing written work based on: spelling, neatness, grammar, syntax, clear progression of ideas, and organization.
- Encourage writing through low-stress opportunities for writing such as letters, journals, and making shopping lists.
- Create a step-by-step plan that breaks writing assignments into small tasks.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when dealing with children who suffer from dysgraphia is that they are not “lazy” or “sloppy.” In reality, they are struggling mightily to do what most other children can do with little effort. Therefore, recognizing that they are suffering from a learning disability and then taking steps to mitigate their issues is the most beneficial way to address this problem.
It’s wonderful that you recognized this often undiagnosed learning disability. With your newfound knowledge, you can help your son immensely!
