DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES Dysgraphia: Volume 4, Issue 7 A learning disability resulting from difficulty expressing July 31, 2011 A Publication of the Office of thoughts and graphing. Training and Professional Development Serving People with Disabilities in Community Settings

Dysgraphia Signs and Symptoms What is Dysgraphia: graphia in adults generally for there to be multiple

1. Illegible printing and cursive Dysgraphia is a difficulty occur after some neuro‐ dysgraphics in his or her writing logical trauma or it might writing coherently, if at family. A parent or close 2. Shows inconsistencies: mix- all, regardless of ability be diagnosed in a person relative of the child tend tures of print and cursive, upper and lower case, or irregular to read. People with dys‐ with autism, Asperger’s to also show signs of dys‐ sizes, shapes or slant of letters graphia often can write, Syndrome, Tourette syn‐ graphia. However, there 3. Has unfinished words or let- ters, omitted words and may have a higher drome or ADHD. have been few studies in

4. Inconsistent spacing between than average IQ, but lack the field. words and letters coordination, and may

5. Exhibits strange wrist, body or find other fine motor paper position Types of Dysgraphia: tasks such as tying shoes 6. Has difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation difficult, although it of‐ There are three com‐ ten does not affect all 7. Copying or writing is slow monly accepted forms of fine motor skills. They 8. Shows poor spatial planning dysgraphia. on paper can also lack basic spell‐

9. Has cramped or unusual grip/ ing skills (having difficul‐ Dyslexic Dysgraphia: With may complain of sore hand dyslexic dysgraphia, spon‐ ties with p, q, b, d), and 10. Has great difficulty thinking often will write the taneously written work is and writing at the same time (taking notes, creative writing.) wrong word when trying illegible, copied work is

to formulate thoughts fairly good, and spelling is Dysgraphia Strategies The DSM IV identifies dys‐ on paper. bad. Finger tapping speed 1. Suggest use of word processor graphia as a “Disorder of (a method for identifying 2. Avoid chastising student for Written Expression” as sloppy, careless work In children, the disorder fine motor problems) is “writing skills that are generally emerges when normal, indicating the 3. Use oral exams substantially below those they are first introduced deficit does not likely 4. Allow use of tape recorder for expected given the per‐ lectures to writing. They make stem from cerebellar son’s age, measured intel‐ 5. Allow the use of a note taker inappropriately sized damage. A Dyslexic Dys‐ ligence, and age‐ 6. Provide notes or outlines to and spaced letters, or reduce the amount of writing appropriate education. required write wrong or mis‐

7. Reduce copying aspects of spelled words, despite Causes of Dysgraphia: work (pre-printed math prob- thorough instruction. lems) The cause of dysgraphia is unknown but whenever it 8. Allow use of wide rule paper Children with the disor‐ and graph paper occurs in an adult, it is der may have other dis‐ 9. Suggest use of pencil grips usually caused by head abilities; however, they and /or specially designed writ- trauma, some types of ing aids usually have no social or diseases or brain damage. 10. Provide alternatives to written other academic prob‐ assignments (video-taped re- When it is found in chil‐ ports, audio-taped reports) lems. Cases of dys‐ dren there is a tendency disorder, difficulties can change syntax structure and grammar and, throughout a lifetime. However large gap between written ideas since writing is a developmental and understanding demonstrated process — children learn the motor through speech skills needed to write, while learn‐ ing the thinking skills needed to Strategies for Dysgraphia: communicate on paper — difficul‐ There are many ways to help a per‐ ties can also overlap. The following son with dysgraphia. These strate‐ signs are indicative of dysgraphia at gies fall into three categories: different stages: 1) Accommodations‐providing al‐ ternatives to written expression, In young writers : Illegible hand‐ 2) Modification‐changing expecta‐ writing, mixture of cursive and tions or tasks to minimize or avoid print writing, saying words out loud the areas of weakness, and graphic does not necessarily have while writing, concentrating so 3) Remediation‐providing instruc‐ dyslexia (dyslexia and dysgraphia hard on writing that comprehen‐ tion for improving handwriting and appear to be unrelated). sion of what's written is missed, writing skills. Motor Dysgraphia is due to defi‐ cient fine motor skills, poor dexter‐ Each strategy should be considered ity, poor muscle tone, and/or un‐ since a person with dysgraphia may specified motor clumsiness. Gener‐ benefit from any or all of the ap‐ ally, written work is poor to illegi‐ proaches. Although teachers and ble, even if copied by sight from employers are required by law to another document. Letter forma‐ make reasonable accommodations tion may be acceptable in very for individuals with disabilities, short samples of writing, but this they may not know how to help. requires extreme effort and an un‐ Information regarding dysgraphia reasonable amount of time to ac‐ and the different options to ad‐ complish, and cannot be sustained dress it should be brought to their attention in order to best address for a significant length of time. trouble thinking of words to write these challenge. Spelling skills are not impaired. Fin‐ and omitting or not finishing words ger tapping speed results are be‐ in sentences. low normal. In young students: Illegible hand‐ raphia is characterized Spatial Dysg writing, mixture of cursive and by a defect in the understanding of print writing, saying words out loud space, has illegible spontaneously while writing, concentrating so written work, illegible copied work, hard on writing that comprehen‐ normal spelling, but normal tap‐ sion of what's written is missed, ping speed. trouble thinking of words to write and omitting or not finishing words What are the Warning Signs of in sentences Dysgraphia: In teenagers and adults: Trouble Just having bad handwriting does‐ organizing thoughts on paper, trou‐ n't mean a person has dysgraphia. ble keeping track of thoughts al‐ Since dysgraphia is a processing ready written down, difficulty with