Many parents have experienced it. Their children’s (or their own) penmanship is barely legible. Even after several years in school, their handwriting is extremely poor. These learners may be bright, high achievers, but their handwriting does not reflect their academic ability. Teachers (and parents) may think the learner is “Lazy” or simply not putting forth effort to produce neat work. In some cases, this may be true, in others, a legitimate disability may be the cause of their poor penmanship.
Dysgraphia is a diagnosable disability that affects written expression. Orthographic coding (those things related to writing letters, language, printed symbols, etc.) is typically impaired among those with Dysgraphia. It’s not that these learners are lazy or indifferent about their penmanship; there is a cognitive issue present that makes writing difficult for them. Common symptoms of Dysgraphia include:
• Poor spelling
• Sloppy writing
• Slow writing
• Inconsistent slants
• Cramped pencil grip
• Complaints of sore hands when writing
• Frequent erasing
• Missing letters or words
• Odd positioning of paper, wrist or body when writing
• Poor spacing
Almost 60% of students with Dysgraphia also have ADHD. About 50% of students with Autism have Dysgraphia. According to statistics found at Edutopia.org, anywhere from seven to fifteen percent of general education students and four to twenty percent of the general population have Dysgraphia. However, identification and remediation of Dysgraphia is almost non-existent in schools. Occupational Therapy (OT) is frequently used to improve Dysgraphia, and OT is available in most public schools, but Dysgraphia is still largely neglected in public education.
If you or someone you know has a few of the Dysgraphia symptoms, consider having a discussion with your family doctor and school faculty. Don’t be surprised if your school’s faculty are not familiar with Dysgraphia. Many educators have never heard of it. Share information and concerns you have about your child anyway, and ask for their cooperation and collaboration to ensure your child’s needs are addressed.
Become familiar with Dysgraphia and how it might look in the school setting. Don’t overlook behavior issues your child may be having. The embarrassment and frustration that accompanies learning issues is often at the root of poor behavior in schools. There is no medication to treat Dysgraphia, but therapy and accommodations can help. Your, or your child’s handwriting, may signal the presence of a disability. Dysgraphia does not automatically equal a less productive future for anyone. Identifying, understanding, and remediating it is the key to future academic and professional success.
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