Affects a person's handwriting ability and fine motor skills. 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.
Is dysgraphia a learning disability under IDEA?
The DSM-5 classifies “an impairment in written expression” (dysgraphia) under the category: “
specific learning disability
.” IDEA defines a specific learning disability as something that makes it hard to understand or use language, either spoken or written, so it's difficult to “listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, …
Is dysgraphia an intellectual disability?
It was the term for
trouble with written expression
. Dysgraphia appeared in the DSM, the manual used to make diagnoses. While dysgraphia is no longer an official diagnosis, some people may still use the term. (Dysgraphia also isn't considered a learning disability under IDEA.
Why is dysgraphia a learning 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.
Is dysgraphia a nonverbal learning disability?
The most common types of learning disability include: Dysgraphia. Dyscalculia.
Nonverbal
learning disability (NLD)
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.
Does dysgraphia go away?
Fact: Dysgraphia is a lifelong condition —
there's no cure to make it go away
. That doesn't mean, though, that people with dysgraphia can't succeed at writing and other language-based activities. There are a lot of ways to get help for dysgraphia, including assistive technology and accommodations .
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.
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.
What are the advantages of dysgraphia?
Most dysgraphic children benefit from
being allowed to use a keyboard and a word processing program
, which reduces motor demands and allows them to edit and reorganize written work.
Can ot help with dysgraphia?
Some kids with dysgraphia struggle with the physical act of writing.
Occupational therapy can often
help with this. Therapists can work to improve the hand strength and fine motor coordination needed to type and write by hand. They might also help kids learn the correct arm position and body posture for writing.
What are signs of dysgraphia?
- Cramped grip, which may lead to a sore hand.
- Difficulty spacing things out on paper or within margins (poor spatial planning)
- Frequent erasing.
- Inconsistency in letter and word spacing.
- Poor spelling, including unfinished words or missing words or letters.
- Unusual wrist, body, or paper position while writing.
Is there a test for dysgraphia?
Tests for dysgraphia look
at physical writing skills
, knowledge of grammar and the ability to express thoughts. Testing for dysgraphia can help pinpoint why your child is struggling with writing. The results can determine what kind of writing accommodations might help your child.
Is dysgraphia a symptom of ADHD?
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that sometimes
accompanies ADHD
and affects writing skills, handwriting and spelling.
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.
