Dysgraphia

“ I don’t have a bad handwriting, just my own font!”

When we were all in school, I am sure all of us had one of those “Best Handwriting Competitions”. I noticed a lot of the students would have spelling mistakes, wouldn’t be able to form sentences accurately and just couldn’t improve their handwriting no matter how much they tried!

If you think this was just an excuse for the lazy kids in class, then you might want to continue reading. Even if you aren’t sure why some people around you just can’t seem to get their spelling and handwriting right, read on.

What is the meaning of Dysgraphia?

A neurological condition, dysgraphia means having difficulty with maintaining consistent legible handwriting. Specifically having this condition can make the handwriting look distorted or incorrect. The spacing, size and spelling of words can be a tough nut to crack despite clear instructions. However, this does not affect their social skills or academic potential.

Is Dysgraphia the same as Dyslexia?

No, whilst both are learning differences, dyslexia is having a difficulty in reading whereas dysgraphia is related to writing. Both are quite similar and thus it is easily confused with each other!

So, what are the exact symptoms of Dysgraphia?

• Having a constricted grip, which could lead to a sore hand 
• Frequent erasing.
• Inconsistency in letter and word spacing.
• Difficulty in finishing words, letters and sentences

Causes of Dysgraphia

Since the nervous system is affected, it directly affects the person’s fine motor skills, usually used for gripping the pen and writing. While the exact cause of the disorder is unknown, scientists know that the parietal lobe of the brain is affected which causes dysgraphia. 

Management Strategies

There are certain formal assessments and tests for dysgraphia which can determine if a person is diagnosed with dysgraphia, however there isn’t any fixed cure or treatment for dysgraphia. That being said we have curated a set of some quick fixes you can use at home to manage dysgraphia!

• Having a stress ball to squeeze, will improve the hand muscle coordination and strength 
• Looking at the bigger picture like the quality of the work done, the potential of the person instead of focusing on small errors will be beneficial for the person as well as help their ecosystem to be more mindful 
• Recommend practising their writing first on ruled paper, graph paper margined paper
• Speak to the teachers (for children), and request for shorter writing assignments and different questions from their classmates
• Practice hand-warming exercises before writing, eg: shaking hands, massaging

If you are noticing that one of your loved ones is having a hard time with writing and difficulty in gripping and grasping the pencil, it’s best to reach out to your family GP or the nearest available HCP without any further delay!