Dysgraphia
Is a learning disability that affects writing abilities. It can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper. Because writing requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills, saying a student has dysgraphia is not sufficient. If your child is struggling with reading or writing, it can be difficult to know exactly what the problem is. Talking to your child’s teacher about what she has observed is a good starting point. Together you can develop a plan. There are lots of ways to help kids with reading and writing issues succeed in school. Kids may also find it hard to organize and express their thoughts and ideas in written form.
signs you may notice:
- Illegible handwriting
- Slow, labored writing
- Mixing print and cursive letters
- Spacing letters and words oddly
- Poor spelling and grammar
- Difficulty gripping a pencil
- Incorrect punctuation
- Run-on sentences and lack of paragraph breaks
- Trouble organizing information when writing
Possible emotional and social impact
Messy written work that’s full of mistakes may lead kids to hear they’re “lazy” or “sloppy.” Confusion or frustration at school can make them anxious. They may avoid taking risks and may have low self-esteem.
what can help
- Occupational therapy to build fine motor skills and dexterity
- Having kids take a break before proofreading their work
- A checklist for editing their work—spelling, neatness, grammar, syntax, clear progression of ideas, etc.
- Using graphic organizers
- Extended time on tests that involve writing
- Access to the teacher’s lesson notes
- Sentence starters showing how to begin a written response
- Being able to respond in other ways besides writing
- Breaking writing assignments into steps
- The use of a word processor in school
- Instruction in keyboarding skills
- Work on keyboarding skills.
- Use speech-to-text tools that allow your child’s speech to be translated to text.
- Try a handwriting program such as Handwriting Without Tears.
- Work on correct letter formation using techniques that don’t require writing, like finger writing in the air or in shaving cream.
Kids in Stride is therapy designed specifically for kids with developmental challenges in their movement, play, speech, language, learning and behavior. We are a privately owned practice in two locations Murphy 828-516-1700 & Franklin 828-634-7800, NC. Choosing Kids in Stride as your Therapy provider allows you to receive Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy on site, ensuring that you experience a truly integrated multi-disciplinary service. Our Pediatric Therapy is designed to deliver functional skills to increase independence. Our therapy programs are based around upper extremity functioning, fine and visual motor skills, and sensory motor integration.
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