Parents whose children find it difficult to write properly, should know about the indicants of dysgraphia, which is a learning disability. This article will give you more information on dysgraphia symptoms that can be observed in a person suffering from it.
People in the teaching profession may have come across students who have excellent verbal communication skills, but they seem to falter when it comes to writing. Such students are said to suffer from the problem of dysgraphia which is a learning disability that constitutes poor writing skills. However, although these students are unable to write properly, they are in no way intellectually challenged. Rather, they can be defined as children who are unable to express their thoughts in the form of words.
Though there are many students who suffer from this problem, not many people know about this disability. This is because often students who are not able to write are considered to be lazy or stubborn by teachers and parents, especially because they are very bright in the areas of reading and speaking. However, they do not realize that such students refuse to write, because they are not able to do so. Hence, it is important to know about the indicants so that one can help such students in improving their writing skills. Dysgraphia should not be confused with agraphia, which is an acquired loss of ability to write due to brain injury or stroke.
Defining Dysgraphia
It can be defined as a neurological problem that affects the person’s writing skills. Though not enough research has been done, experts are of the opinion that this problem arises because of improper motor skill development. Usually, children’s motor skills start developing when they are a toddler, and by the time they reach school age, they have complete control over their motor skills. However, children who have a weak motor development, may suffer from the problem of dysgraphia. Given below are a few symptoms that can help you in figuring out whether your child or one of your students suffers from this disability or not.
Observed Symptoms
Symptom #01
It is actually possible for parents to detect this neurological problem in their children quite early. For instance, children with poor motor development may not be able to put on their zippers or buttons, and sometimes, may not be able to tie their shoe laces as well. It has also been observed that such children may not like coloring, an activity that is loved by young children. This is because coloring can give rise to challenges, which they may not be able to cope with, and hence, they avoid doing it altogether.
Symptom #02
The best way of identifying dysgraphia is by looking at the handwriting of the student. Such children have a very poor or an illegible handwriting. They may not show consistency while using letters to write. For instance, they are likely to use a mixture of lower case as well as upper case letters while writing. Apart from this, they usually don’t stick to a particular font . In other words, they may use both print as well as cursive letters while writing.
Symptom #03
Another thing that you can observe in the writing of such a student is that there will be no regularity in the size of the letters. Even letters in a single word may not have a uniform size. They are also likely to get confused while writing words that look similar, such as ‘b, d, q, and p’. Other than this, they are also likely to make frequent spelling errors while writing. Another common indicant that is observed in the writing of such students is that they leave certain words and sentences incomplete.
Symptom #04
As students find it extremely difficult to write, they may try to avoid writing altogether. Moreover, if they are pressurized by their teachers and parents, they may get really frustrated, which can cause them to stress out further. These children also have a different way of holding their pens or pencils. It is said that they experience pain in their hands while trying to write.
If you notice any of these above-mentioned symptoms in your child or student, it is important to take him/her to a specialist at the earliest. Dysgraphia treatment is usually aimed at developing the child’s motor skills through occupational as well as cognitive therapy. Apart from the treatment advised by the specialist, it is also important for parents and teachers to pay special attention to the child. Rather than forcing the child to write, they should develop certain strategies which can help in developing the child’s writing skills. Training the child to use the keyboard, for expressing his/her thoughts, may prove to be beneficial in decreasing the child’s frustration over his/her impaired ability to write.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for the advice of a mental health expert.
