Learning to write words and sentences clearly and correctly is a key focus of
a child's elementary school years. All young kids have some difficulty when it
comes to writing or perfecting penmanship. But if your child's handwriting is
consistently distorted or unclear, that may be caused by a learning
disability called dysgraphia.
This is a nervous system problem that affects the fine motor skills needed to write.
It makes it hard for a child to do handwriting tasks and assignments.
Health insurers and most doctors call this condition "an impairment in written expression."
Scientists aren't sure why dysgraphia happens in children. In adults, it's sometimes related to a brain injury, like a stroke. In kids, this learning disorder usually occurs along with other learning disabilities such as ADHD and dyslexia.
Kids with dysgraphia have unclear, irregular, or inconsistent
handwriting, often with different slants, shapes, upper- and lower-case
letters, and cursive and print styles. They also tend to write or
copy things slowly.
Parents or teachers may notice symptoms when the child first begins
writing assignments in school. Other signs of dysgraphia to watch for include:
This learning disability also makes it hard to write and think at the same time. Creative writing tasks are often especially hard.
Here are some things you can try:
Talk to your child's teacher about their condition and needs at school. They may qualify for special education services and an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Some things you might ask for include:
Sources:
Learning Disabilities Association of America: "Dysgraphia."
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: "NINDS Dysgraphia Information Page."
Tourette Association of America: "Dysgraphia."
Understood: "Understanding Dysgraphia in Children."