What is Dysgraphia
One of the most common misconceptions about dysgraphia is that it is simply a handwriting difficulty meaning that a child’s handwriting is messy despite them trying hard to learn how to write neatly. Dysgraphia is more than that. It is a neurological condition that manifests itself as a specific learning difference.
Children with dysgraphia have differences related to memory processing which impacts upon the fine motor skills required to write clearly, efficiently, and in a way that others will easily understand. They may also have difficulty with converting the sounds of language (phonemes) into the correct written representation (graphemes). This makes spelling accurately difficult. These difficulties are usually persistent despite good teaching and the best endeavours of your child to learn these skills.
It is important to remember that your child is not producing badly presented written work with spelling errors on purpose. They are doing their best but finding these difficult to acquire and master.
Signs of Dysgraphia
If you are worried that your child may have dysgraphia, here are some of the things that you might have spotted:
- Unclear, irregular, or handwriting that is inconsistent in style;
- Your child uses a mixture of upper and lowercase letters incorrectly, and inconsistent use of jointed and printed letters;
- You child may experience difficulties with or is slow in copying text;
- They use an unconventional or cramped handwriting grip and experience pain when writing;
- Inconsistent spacing or no between letters and words;
- Difficulties with spelling, missing out letters/sounds or unfinished words, incomplete sentences or sentences with missed words;
- Unusual or frequent moving of their wrist, body, or paper position while writing to try to find a comfortable position;
- Difficulty when thinking and writing at the same time leading to muddled work.
Diagnosis of Dysgraphia
Usually, diagnosis of dysgraphia is made by an appropriately qualified professional such as an Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist or Paediatrician. Your child may be asked to complete the following assessment tasks:
- IQ Tests: to measure overall cognitive ability;
- Academic Tests: to measure their skills in areas such as reading and written expression;
- Fine Motor Skills Tests: to explore their ability to complete tasks using their hands, strength of grip, and muscle tone;
- Handwriting Analysis: to understand more about the speed, legibility, and consistency of handwriting. This can include copying words and writing sentences.
Your child may also have a medical to rule out any other underlying conditions.
Strategies for Home -Daily Living and Practical Tips
There are lots of ways that you can support your child at home. When implementing any of these suggestions it is important to try to personalise them to match your child’s interests and developmental level.
- Look for the things that your child can do when they tackle written tasks and praise them using specific language to describe precisely what you have seen. Also praise your child for the effort that they have put into producing written work.
- If available, offer your child the opportunity to produce written work using a computer or laptop. Talk to your child’s school to see if homework can be completed in this way.
- To build your child’s confidence offer writing activities that are fun and purposeful such as writing a shopping list or helping with writing greetings cards.
- Break any written tasks into small steps with plenty of respite breaks.
- To build hand strength, dexterity and fine motor skills play with playdoh, pick things up with tweezers, have a go at threading and lacing activities, use chop sticks and sort small objects into piles.
- Your child might enjoy practising letter formation by writing large letters on a chalk board and writing messages in the air.
- Offer novel, fun writing experiences such as writing on the tiles in your bathroom during bath time with bath crayons and icing cakes with letters using icing pens.
- Set up a designated workspace for your child to complete homework or written tasks. Model for them correct paper placement and posture for writing when using this space.
Strategies for School/Educational Support
- It is important to build a positive partnership with your child’s school. Find out who the school Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) is. This is person with whom you can share any concerns that you may have and with who you can discuss the sorts of support that your child may need.
- Take time to share your understanding of your child’s strengths and differences. Share any strategies that might be working well at home. School may be able to implement them too.
- You can make suggestions about using technology to record written work. This could be typing using a word processing package or the use of voice to text software. You could also ask if it is possible for your child to have a scribe for longer written pieces.
- It may be possible for your child to produce their work in an alternative format to writing such as an illustration, diagram or mind map.
- Discuss the amount of time that your child is given to complete written tasks. Your child may need longer to allow for respite and refresh breaks.
- Ask for spelling lists to be given in advance so that you can practise them at home too.
- Explore what fine motor skills development programmes are available for your child to participate in.
- Discuss a multi-agency approach where, if needed, advice might be sought from an occupational therapist and/or educational psychologist.
Local Resources and Support Services
Although we are still learning about dysgraphia and how it can impact upon a child in school and at home, there are still lots of local and national resources and support services that can provide help and support for you, your child and wider family. Here are a few that you might like to explore:
The International Dyslexia Association has some dedicated pages to dysgraphia which share information about the potential causes of dysgraphia and the types of support that your child benefit from.
The Brain Charity website contains information about dysgraphia and explains how they can provide practical help on all aspects of living with dysgraphia. This includes practical help, emotional support via counselling, a befriending group and social activities.
Locally, you may wish to explore:
- Parent and family support groups;
- Advice regarding benefits via the Citizen’s Advice Bureau;
Information about who can help is usually also available from:
- The professional that made the diagnosis;
- Your GP surgery;
- Your local library;
- Your child’s school;
You can also explore social media – there are many advocacy and support groups who post regularly on Facebook and other social media platforms.
Family Support
Whenever your child is struggling with anything, no matter what it is, it can trigger a range of emotions and worries about the future which may feel overwhelming at times, especially as you learn to navigate what this means for your child and your family. That is why it is important to ask for support from trusted friends and family members when you need it.
It is important to share your information about your child’s dysgraphia with friends and family and to talk about what your child’s strengths and differences look like for them and the impact that it is having upon you. This will help those around you to offer support for you and your child. Don’t be afraid to be specific about what it is you need and when you need it. They may be able to:
- Help with everyday tasks so that you can have more time to focus upon you and your child
- Provide emotional support and care
- Attend support group or school meetings with you to share in information gathering
- Offer direct support to your child to help them with their writing
- Spend time with your child so that you can have some time for you
This article has been written by Beccie Hawes
Beccie has worked in all aspects of Special Educational Needs including mainstream, additionally resourced provision and specialist settings. She has extensive experience as a SENCo, Inclusion Manager, Lead Local Authority SEND Advisory Teacher and has set up and led an inclusion advisory service.
Beccie is currently proud to be the Head of Service with Cadmus Inclusive, part of Cadmus Services, which is based in Walsall. This service has a national reach and actively supports schools with all aspects of providing a high quality education for vulnerable learners. Beccie is the author of ‘The Complete Dyslexia Toolkit’ and co-author of ‘Getting it Right for SEND’ and ‘How to Create the Perfect Partnership with Parents’. Beccie also writes the national Ebriefing: SEND Bitesize. She has developed a number of educational resources to support learners which schools across the UK have purchased and use. Beccie remains very ‘hands on’ in the classroom and is passionate about being at the chalk face to support teachers and children to think differently for a brighter tomorrow. She is also the mum to four boys and a dog.
A Note To You
Dear parent (I’m sorry that I don’t know your name),
I understand that you may be worried that your child has dysgraphia or has been diagnosed with it. This may be new territory to you which has caused a mixture of emotions, questions and worries. Learning about dysgraphia is a journey and there may be days when you think you have cracked how to support your child and days in which you are battling up a very steep hill. Please remember that you are not a lone traveller on this journey of discovery. There are lots of families on the same path and you are all doing the best you can to support and care for your child.
Here are two pieces of advice: 1 – focus upon your child’s gifts, strengths and talents. There will be lots that they can do and this should be celebrated. 2 – remember to be kind to yourself – take time for you. You are doing the very best you can to raise your child without an instruction manual. You cannot pour from an empty cup so find ways to keep your topped up!
Take care – you’ve got this!
Beccie x
