Dysgraphia is a learning disability which involves
impaired ability to produce legible and automatic letter writing and often numeral writing
, the latter of which may interfere with math. Dysgraphia is rooted in difficulty with storing and automatically retrieving letters and numerals.
Is dysgraphia a learning difficulty?
In summary, dysgraphia is
a specific learning disability that can be diagnosed and treated
. Children with dysgraphia usually have other problems such as difficulty with written expression.
Does dysgraphia affect intelligence?
Fact: It's a myth that people with learning and attention issues have poor intelligence, and children with dysgraphia are no exception. In fact, kids
with dysgraphia usually have average or above-average intelligence
.
How does dysgraphia affect behavior?
Children with dysgraphia
struggle to write
, often causing them to experience emotional stress and anxiety. Because they have good verbal skills, parents and teachers expect them to write at the same level as they speak; when they don't, they may be mistakenly thought of as lacking motivation or careless.
How does dysgraphia affect reading?
Kids may also find it hard to organize and express their thoughts and ideas in written form. An
issue that involves difficulty with reading
. It can also affect writing, spelling, and speaking. Kids may find it hard to isolate sounds, match sounds to letters or blend sounds into words.
Is dysgraphia a mental illness?
It is
not a mental health disorder
, but rather a brain-based learning disability marked by difficulty forming letters, spelling words correctly, staying within lines, writing legibly, or organizing and expressing one's ideas on paper.
At what age is dysgraphia diagnosed?
Therefore, DCD is commonly diagnosed
after age 5 years
, when the motor problems are becoming increasingly apparent (highlighted by the structured demands of the child' environment) and can no longer be attributed to a developmental delay.
Is dysgraphia a disability?
Dysgraphia is
a learning disability
which involves impaired ability to produce legible and automatic letter writing and often numeral writing, the latter of which may interfere with math. Dysgraphia is rooted in difficulty with storing and automatically retrieving letters and numerals.
Does dysgraphia affect math?
Impact of dysgraphia doesn't limit to words and writing—it also
affects a students' ability to learn, apply, and communicate mathematics skills
. For instance, students with dysgraphia may have difficulty in learning place value, fractions, aligning numbers, organizing complex mathematics expressions and equations.
How does dysgraphia affect everyday life?
Often uses
grammatically incorrect sentences in emails
or reports. May be overly reliant on simple sentence structures. Prefers to give or get directions orally, instead of in writing. Has trouble “getting to the point” in written communication; emails may be rambling, or reports may repeat the same ideas several times.
What are signs of dysgraphia?
- Forming letters.
- Writing grammatically correct sentences.
- Spacing letters correctly.
- Writing in a straight line.
- Holding and controlling a writing tool.
- Writing clearly enough to read back later.
- Writing complete words without skipping letters.
What is the treatment for dysgraphia?
Occupational therapy
is most often used in treating dysgraphia in children, but some OTs work with adults as well. Occupational therapy might include manipulating different materials to build hand and wrist strength, running letter formation drills, and practicing cursive writing, which can be easier than printing.
How do you test a child for dysgraphia?
- An IQ test.
- Academic assessment that includes reading, arithmetic, writing, and language tests.
- Measures of fine motor skills related to writing.
- Writing samples evaluated for spelling, grammar, and punctuation as well as the quality of ideas presented.
How can I help students with dysgraphia?
Provide pencil grips or different types of pens or pencils
to see what works best for the student. Provide handouts so there's less to copy from the board. Provide typed copies of classroom notes or lesson outlines to help the student take notes. Provide extra time to take notes and copy material.
Does dysgraphia affect speech?
Dysgraphia can
make it hard to express thoughts in writing
. (You may hear it called “a disorder of written expression.”) Expressive language issues make it hard to express thoughts and ideas when speaking and writing.
Is dysgraphia genetic?
Like other learning disabilities, dysgraphia
is highly genetic
and often runs in families. If you or another member of your family has dysgraphia, your child is more likely to have it, too.
