Dysgraphia, Conditions when Children Have Writing Disorders

2023 Author: Autumn Gilbert | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:39

When they are just learning to write, some children may have difficulty. However, if the child continues to have difficulty in writing so that his learning activities are disrupted, this condition needs to be watched out for. It could be dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a disorder in the learning process characterized by difficulties in writing and spelling. This condition is not a mental disorder, but a problem with brain function that plays a role in carrying out fine motor skills for writing

So, people with dysgraphia have difficulty in aligning their thoughts and hand muscle movements when they want to write. Dysgraphia is usually experienced by children, but adults can also experience it.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Dysgraphia

The typical symptom of dysgraphia is handwriting that is unclear and difficult to read. Even so, people who have sloppy handwriting don't necessarily have dysgraphia, do they.

In addition to handwriting that is difficult to read, dysgraphia sufferers also show the following symptoms:

• Difficulty expressing words or sentences in writing
• Often misspelling or writing, for example, missing letters or words
• The writing that can be made can be a mixture of cursive and printed letters
• Frequently use wrong punctuation
• Difficulty adjusting the margin or distance between words and sentences in writing
• Frequently delete posts repeatedly
• Tends to write slowly
• Often gripping writing instruments very tightly, so that it can cause hand cramps
• It is difficult to express thoughts and feelings through writing
• Likes to talk when writing

Despite having difficulty writing, children with dysgraphia generally still have a normal level of intelligence. Research has shown that children with dysgraphia do not have a significant difference in IQ with children with normal writing abilities.

Knowing the Causes of Dysgraphia

The cause of dysgraphia that appears in childhood is not known for certain. However, this condition is thought to be related to a problem in the part of the brain that functions to remember words in writing into memory, as well as analyze their meaning and how to read them.

Children born prematurely are known to be more at risk of developing dysgraphia. In addition, dysgraphia can also occur along with other learning disorders, such as dyslexia, and ADHD. If not treated, this condition can continue to carry over until children grow up to be teenagers and adults.

Meanwhile, dysgraphia that occurs recently in adults is generally caused by disorders or diseases in the brain, such as stroke, brain injury, or dementia.

Sometimes, dysgraphia is often mistaken for dyslexia. However, these two conditions are not the same. People with dyslexia usually have difficulty reading, but can still write. Meanwhile, dysgraphia patients can read fluently, but have difficulty or can't even write at all.

However, sometimes dyslexic patients can also have difficulty reading and writing. This is what makes it difficult to distinguish the two conditions.

Therefore, learning disorders in children, both dyslexia and dysgraphia, are important to be examined by a doctor so that they can be treated properly.

Treatment for Dysgraphia

Children with dysgraphia can experience obstacles in their learning process. They are also often accused of being careless or lazy because they have sloppy handwriting. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, embarrassment, or fear of going to school.

To overcome this, children with dysgraphia need to get proper treatment from a doctor. To support the ability of children with dysgraphia in writing, doctors can perform occupational therapy and motor skill exercises.

If dysgraphia is accompanied by other he alth problems, such as ADHD, the doctor can also prescribe medication to treat the condition.

In addition to therapy and medication, Mom and Dad also need to provide home care, so that your little one's writing skills can improve. Some things that can be applied at home include:

• Train your little one to write on broad-lined paper to make it easier to align letters and words.
• Help him to hold a pencil and teach him how to use a comfortable pencil.
• Avoid criticizing his writing.
• Give praise when your little one writes correctly.
• Train your little one to relieve stress before writing, for example by asking him to rub his hands quickly.
• Give your little one a ball the size of his hand to squeeze. This can improve hand muscle strength and coordination.
• Take your little one to play with clay to strengthen their hand muscles.

Mom and Dad also need to work with teachers at your Little One's school to monitor their writing progress and make sure they can learn well.

Dysgraphia that is detected and treated early will also be easier to overcome, so that children can still learn to write neatly and smoothly. Therefore, it is important for parents to recognize the symptoms of dysgraphia in their children.

If your child appears to be showing symptoms of dysgraphia or other learning disorders, consult a pediatrician or child psychiatrist for proper examination and treatment.