Learning to write can be a difficult process for many children. It involves both cognitive and physical skills. Producing writing is a complex process that requires co-ordination of motor processes (handwriting), language skills, and literacy skills. Some children find learning to write more challenging than their peers, even when provided with appropriate teaching and instruction. These children may have a specific learning disorder that affects writing skill development. This may be in the form of motor skill difficulties or difficulty writing cohesive and grammatically correct work. A difficulty that lies solely in motor skills is often called dysgraphia and a difficulty that encompasses grammar, punctuation, organisation, and spelling is known as a Specific Learning Disorder in Written Expression. These difficulties are often grouped together and are informally known as dysgraphia.
What is dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia is a persistent difficulty with accurate and fluent writing and can include poor spelling skills. These difficulties are unexpected when viewed in conjunction with the child’s other cognitive abilities and academic skills. The difficulties are present despite appropriate classroom teaching and instruction. Children with dysgraphia often have to work longer and harder to produce written work to a similar level as their peers.
Dysgraphia is neurobiological in origin – which means that the child’s brain functions differently to peers when writing. The writing difficulties are not caused by intellectual disability, vision difficulties, or hearing deficits. Dysgraphia can be motor based, language based, or both. Dysgraphia is a lifelong difficulty but with appropriate supports and strategies children can improve their handwriting and written expression.
How can I tell if my child has dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia impacts children in different ways but there are some common signs that you can look for. If your child has difficulty holding a pencil, forming letters, spacing letters, writing legibly, and avoids writing tasks they may have a motor based dysgraphia. If your child has difficulty with spelling, grammar, punctuation, misuses words, has poor organisation, and lacks detail in their writing they may have a language based dysgraphia. If several of these difficulties are present for your child, this may be worth further investigation. If your child displays only motor difficulties with writing an Occupational Therapist assessment will be beneficial. The only way to tell for sure that your child has a language based dysgraphia is through a formal evaluation with a Psychologist. This evaluation should include a thorough investigation of the child’s developmental history, input from their school, as well as cognitive, academic, and phonological assessment. In addition, the child must have received at least 6 months of targeted and evidence-based intervention for their difficulties before a diagnosis can be given. It is helpful to rule out common issues such as vision and hearing prior to a psychological assessment.
If you have concerns that your child may have dysgraphia an assessment can be completed at Lifeworks Psychology. We can also provide support and advice for parents as they process their child’s diagnosis and make plans to meet the needs of their child.
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Call or email Lifeworks psychology today – (08) 9382 3645 admin@lifeworkspsych.com.au