If your child struggles with handwriting or learning to write down their thoughts, they may have a condition known as dysgraphia. At Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy in Charlotte, North Carolina, Danielle McDaniel, MOT, OTR/L, and her team offer specialized occupational therapy services, including the Handwriting Without Tears® program, to help your child develop the fine motor and information processing skills necessary to write clearly. Call Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy today to make an appointment.
What is dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia is a specific type of learning disability that interferes with a child’s ability to master the fine motor skills necessary for handwriting. It also affects your child’s ability to learn to spell, space words correctly or put their thoughts down on paper. Children with dysgraphia take a long time to write, and the result is often very difficult to read.
There are three types of dysgraphia:
Dyslexic dysgraphia affects spontaneously written text, both with poor spelling and illegible handwriting
Motor dysgraphia affects fine motor skills and interferes with all writing and drawing, whether the child is copying text or writing spontaneously
Spatial dysgraphia affects awareness of the spatial relationship between writing and the medium, and interferes with all forms of handwriting and drawing
Some of the common signs of dysgraphia include holding a pencil awkwardly, trouble forming and spacing letters and words on paper, difficulty with sentence structure, and an inability to articulate thoughts or ideas on paper.
Remember, when it comes to learning to write, all children develop at their own pace. However, if your child’s development is significantly behind their peers and it interferes with their ability to learn and play, you may want to talk to the team at Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy to schedule a consultation.
How can occupational therapy improve my child’s handwriting?
If your child has dysgraphia, just practicing handwriting won’t improve their skills, and may lead to increased frustration. Occupational therapy uses a variety of exercises and practices to help your child develop the information processing and fine motor skills necessary to write legibly and articulately.
At Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy, the occupational therapists having trained in the Handwriting Without Tears® program. Handwriting Without Tears uses multisensory strategies and tools to help your child master handwriting without frustration.
What happens during an occupational therapy session?
Occupational therapy sessions and activities for dysgraphia are customized to meet your child’s needs. Sessions may involve using letter-shaped blocks to practice making words or other games and play-based activities that help your child master the skills needed to improve their written communications skills.
Call Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy today for expert assessments and compassionate, customized therapy for your child.
