by Dr. Phyllis Books, DC
If your child has trouble with handwriting, including difficulty with drawing or using maps, he or she might have dysgraphia. A dysgraphic’s handwriting looks like distorted chicken scratching. Sometimes words are spelled backward, words run into each other with no spaces, letters are written upside down or are different sizes, or writing is outside the lines.
For example, I asked Melissa, age six, to print her name. The first time she printed it beautifully, but it was backwards. I said, “Oh, could you do that for me again?” and she did, upside down. I said, “How interesting. Can I ask you to do it one more time?” Melissa wrote the letters from left to right, with all the letters in their proper places. I asked her, “Which of these looks right to you?” and she looked at me very confused—because they all looked the same to her.
Other writing problems include not knowing the difference between capital and lower case letters and using capitals within words. Lower case letters may be as large as the capitals. A lower case letter “j” or “p” may be completely above the line, or a capital might go below the line. A person with dysgraphia may also write letters and / or words backwards (from right to left) or upside down. Words may be half-cursive and half-printed, and your child may have trouble controlling the writing instrument, which often results in using too much pressure and tearing the paper.
Along with handwriting problems, a person with dysgraphia may have trouble spelling, putting thoughts on paper, drawing, and copying as well as using maps, pictures, or diagrams. While writing, your child may exhibit other dysgraphia clues, such as:
• Gripping the pen or pencil tightly and stiffly, writing with jerky movements.
• Talking to himself while writing, often repeating or spelling the words as he writes.
• Taking a long time to write, with the process appearing much more laborious than it should.
• Hiding while doing homework or not wanting anyone to watch her write.
• “Forgetting” to finish book reports or other assignments that require a lot of writing.
• Spelling the same word in different ways on the same assignment.
• Omitting suffixes, plurals, and the second half of compound words.
• Leaving out words or phrases in sentences.
While some physicians recommend that children with dysgraphia use computers to avoid having to write, I don’t recommend it. First, the child becomes dependent on the computer, which is never a good idea. Secondly, learning to write longhand helps children with vital neurological organizing that helps not only their handwriting, but also their reading and physical coordination.
Don’t fall into the temptation of ignoring dysgraphia signs in the hope they will go away or your child will grow out of it. Contact me for more information on ways we can help your child.
Dr. Phyllis Books, DC, is a teacher, doctor, grandmother, and developer of Books Neural Therapy™, a natural, non-drug intervention for children with dyslexia and other learning and behavior issues. Her clients call her a combination of a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, and Mother Teresa. Mostly, she loves sharing what she’s learned about kids, how they learn, and how they can feel good about themselves and be successful. Support@ReversingDyslexia.com (512) 560-7888, drphyllisbooks.com and reversingdyslexia.com.
If your child has trouble with handwriting, including difficulty with drawing or using maps, he or she might have dysgraphia. A dysgraphic’s handwriting looks like distorted chicken scratching. Sometimes words are spelled backward, words run into each other with no spaces, letters are written upside down or are different sizes, or writing is outside the lines.
For example, I asked Melissa, age six, to print her name. The first time she printed it beautifully, but it was backwards. I said, “Oh, could you do that for me again?” and she did, upside down. I said, “How interesting. Can I ask you to do it one more time?” Melissa wrote the letters from left to right, with all the letters in their proper places. I asked her, “Which of these looks right to you?” and she looked at me very confused—because they all looked the same to her.
Other writing problems include not knowing the difference between capital and lower case letters and using capitals within words. Lower case letters may be as large as the capitals. A lower case letter “j” or “p” may be completely above the line, or a capital might go below the line. A person with dysgraphia may also write letters and / or words backwards (from right to left) or upside down. Words may be half-cursive and half-printed, and your child may have trouble controlling the writing instrument, which often results in using too much pressure and tearing the paper.
Along with handwriting problems, a person with dysgraphia may have trouble spelling, putting thoughts on paper, drawing, and copying as well as using maps, pictures, or diagrams. While writing, your child may exhibit other dysgraphia clues, such as:
• Gripping the pen or pencil tightly and stiffly, writing with jerky movements.
• Talking to himself while writing, often repeating or spelling the words as he writes.
• Taking a long time to write, with the process appearing much more laborious than it should.
• Hiding while doing homework or not wanting anyone to watch her write.
• “Forgetting” to finish book reports or other assignments that require a lot of writing.
• Spelling the same word in different ways on the same assignment.
• Omitting suffixes, plurals, and the second half of compound words.
• Leaving out words or phrases in sentences.
While some physicians recommend that children with dysgraphia use computers to avoid having to write, I don’t recommend it. First, the child becomes dependent on the computer, which is never a good idea. Secondly, learning to write longhand helps children with vital neurological organizing that helps not only their handwriting, but also their reading and physical coordination.
Don’t fall into the temptation of ignoring dysgraphia signs in the hope they will go away or your child will grow out of it. Contact me for more information on ways we can help your child.
Dr. Phyllis Books, DC, is a teacher, doctor, grandmother, and developer of Books Neural Therapy™, a natural, non-drug intervention for children with dyslexia and other learning and behavior issues. Her clients call her a combination of a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, and Mother Teresa. Mostly, she loves sharing what she’s learned about kids, how they learn, and how they can feel good about themselves and be successful. Support@ReversingDyslexia.com (512) 560-7888, drphyllisbooks.com and reversingdyslexia.com.
