Dysgraphia is a learning difference that mainly affects writing. It is caused by an issue with the body’s nervous system that affects the fine motor skills needed to write.
In children, dysgraphia usually occurs along with other learning disabilities, such as dyslexia or ADD/ADHD. Children with dysgraphia may be noticeable because they will often write or copy things more slowly than their peers. Dysgraphia makes it far more difficult for a child to write and think at the same time.
This can make creative writing tasks particularly hard, even where a child may verbally articulate their ideas clearly. A child with dysgraphia may have handwriting that appears to be commonly distorted or indecipherable and may produce unclear, lopsided, or erratic handwriting. This can include examples such as: unusual slants to letters, irregularly shaped letters, a mix of upper and lowercase letters within words, and the use of cursive & printed letters.
Indicators that a child may have dysgraphia can include:
- Unusual body or paper position while writing (e.g., awkwardly hunched over the paper or at an angle to it or the writing surface)
- A tense or cramped grip on a pen or pencil with an unusual wrist position when writing, often resulting in a sore hand
- Poor spatial planning when laying out writing on a page, and difficulty spacing writing within margins or lines
- Frequent rubbing-out of letters and words
- Varying spaces between letters and words
- Poor spelling, incomplete words and missing letters or whole words
Some strategies that may help a child with dysgraphia include:
- Discussing dyscalculia with your child so that they understand how it affects them
- Using a tablet or computer to type instead of writing
- Using simple exercises to improve coordination and the strength of muscles in the hands
- Teaching quick and easy ways to relieve stress before writing, such as rubbing their hands together or shaking them off
- Using wide-lined paper, graph paper, or purpose-made paper with raised lines to help with placement of letters and words
- Trying writing aids, such as a pencil grip, to increase comfort
- Only using positive reinforcement and praise for their hard work and not criticizing, as this can cause issues with self-esteem
Following a diagnosis, some of these accommodations may be made:
- Copies of class notes or hand-outs so that a child can focus on what the teacher is saying, rather than writing it down
- A tablet or computer to type instead of writing
- Use of dictation software
- Shorter writing tasks
- Video or audio assignments instead of written ones
- A ‘scribe’ to write, or oral exams instead of written ones