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how to help strengthen the physical aspect of writing


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my son is 9.5, left-handed, "late" writer (refused to hold pencil correctly at earlier ages).  I have not pushed it all along.  He is now working through Getty-Dubay Italics and has almost finished book C that starts doing italic cursive joins.  He likes it well enough and does beautiful work in his book.  He can also do beautiful handwriting on lined paper when he tries.  His faster, less careful writing is legible. However, when I watch him write either in his handwriting book or when he's writing something else and trying to have nice writing it seems to be slow and hard for him.  I can see that he seems to have to stop and think for some letters how to form them properly.  And it still doesn't seem all that easy for his hands.

He claims he "hates" writing.   I don't have him do much independent writing.  He'll either dictate or narrate to me.  He has started piano lessons and doing well there.  Teacher said he was very stiff at first but said he is loosening up.

so... not sure if there is OT type need, or just more practice, or ??

what is the best way to help a child get faster at writing- meaning, it is not so hard for them to do the actual writing.  Is it just more and more practice? 

if just practice, I need ideas for implementing it.  He only wants to do a half page in his italic book at a time.  He really would not like to do more practice.  Is there a way to make it more fun?  more motivating?  He wrote a letter to grandma the other day but it's not something he wants to do that often.

 

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If your insurance will cover an OT Eval it could be helpful. Sometimes writing problems stem from larger muscle group strength or coordination concerns. And there are disabilities that can cause writing problems too. We focus on gross and fine motor work: wheelbarrow walking, push-ups, handstands, swimming, gymnastics, etc.

 

Fine motor: playdoh (especially mixing new colors, finding seeds in the playdoh, rolling worms or circles), theraputty is thicker but more expensive, scissor work, piano playing is good maybe, Lego play, pop beads, catching smaller balls like a tennis ball one handed, squeeze stress balls, digging in sand at the beach when it's wet, droppers for liquids, pouring liquids that are heavy (like a bucket in a pool or tub), carrying the milk gallon back and forth.

 

On Pinterest if you Google fine motor skills there's a ton, but it may need modifications to make it more appealing to an older child.

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Coloring, drawing, art, calligraphy

 

Beeswax, modeling clay, kneading bread

 

Grip strengthener stuff

http://www.captainsofcrushgrippers.com/

http://www.rei.com/c/hand-strengtheners?ir=category%3Ahand-strengtheners&r=c&page=1&version=v6

 

Finger games (like Live Long and Prosper)

 

thanks!

although he needed to do some coloring or shading for math today (bar graphs) and said how he hates coloring and was pretty much refusing to color.  or even draw diagonal lines (cross-hatching, etc.). 

He likes to draw- well, lately only draws lego themes.  He tried to draw a horse from a learn to draw book that he likes last week and flipped out because his horse was too fat.

He does lego's a lot... and so is good with little things, etc.  it hasn't seemed to help his writing.  I wonder if it's his larger muscles that need more strength- arms/shoulders.

How might I know if he has a weak grip?  He presses too hard when he writes- wouldn't that mean his grip is strong if not too strong?

 

I don't know those finger games (or any!) I'll have to look those up!

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ETA - if a disability like dysgraphia is found a lot of recommendations suggest teaching typing to help out. If you haven't started yet it may be time to rotate it in the curriculum. HWT has a keyboarding program year license that's pretty good for $10 I think.

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thanks!

although he needed to do some coloring or shading for math today (bar graphs) and said how he hates coloring and was pretty much refusing to color.  or even draw diagonal lines (cross-hatching, etc.). 

He likes to draw- well, lately only draws lego themes.  He tried to draw a horse from a learn to draw book that he likes last week and flipped out because his horse was too fat.

He does lego's a lot... and so is good with little things, etc.  it hasn't seemed to help his writing.  I wonder if it's his larger muscles that need more strength- arms/shoulders.

How might I know if he has a weak grip?  He presses too hard when he writes- wouldn't that mean his grip is strong if not too strong?

 

I don't know those finger games (or any!) I'll have to look those up!

 

A good OT eval will determine if there is large muscle, small muscle, coordination, or other problems.  A weak grip can be physical or from a disability.  For a strong grip get some squishy pen/pencil grips that absorb tension.  It may help with fatigue as well.

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How is his core? Writing can be fatiguing to kids with a weak core. I never thought to look there, but I see it even in some of my preschool students.

 

It sounds like he is drawing his writing instead of writing his writing--the difference is automaticity, which gives you speed and frees you from thinking too hard about letter formation. Along with all the exercises and fine motor things you do (and I think maybe an OT eval would be helpful), just writing itself will make writing easier.

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9.5 is late to be having automaticity issues. IMHO, you do need an OT eval. Many dysgraphics have beautiful handwriting. It just takes them forever. OT will help you determine if there is a cause that needs to be accommodated and/or if there is a weakness and strengthening exercises will do some good.

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He presses too hard when he writes- wouldn't that mean his grip is strong if not too strong?

 

Actually what it usually means is that the student isn't getting the neuro-feedback he needs for writing--which definitely would be exhausting. I agree, do an OT eval if you can. It could be a combination of all the things mentioned, it could be just some of these things...really hard to say without an eval.

 

I hold my pencil incorrectly, and despite teachers from 3rd grade through the end of high school all requiring cursive, I never became fluent with connections (except for my signature) and always had messy writing, yet I loved to write stories or journal from 2nd grade on.  I much prefer to print (keyboard is even better).  If I'm tired or rushed I tend to do vertical reversals (b and p, d and g) and also homophone errors. I suspect it relates to executive function or processing speed issues in my case. 

 

My child who struggled the most with writing and disliked it the most is not my child with the messiest handwriting--and what I thought might be dysgraphia  related to other things instead. This is where evaluations really come in handy. 

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Agree with the others, an evaluation could net you some solid answers and a more effective way to address whatever the underlying issues are.  Also, if there really is an issue like dysgraphia, evals can help with getting accommodations for standardized tests like the SAT/ACT.

 

You might look at software like Dragon Naturally Speaking, Inspiration, Ginger, plus definitely typing.  I would get the evaluation ASAP, though.  Not having solid answers, you are just shooting in the dark as to how to target the problems since you don't actually know what the underlying problem or problems may be.  That takes a professional.  And better now than later.  Once they hit the hormonal early teen years, it sometimes becomes harder to get them on board with OT work, if that turns out to be necessary.  Plus, the sooner you get answers, the sooner you can help your child in a hopefully more targeted way.

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So by what route do most homeschoolers get OT type evaluations?  I live in NY State so when going through the public education route that would mean that I'd have to go before the school board at some point and get approval for therapy and it would probably have to be done at the school.  I'm not sure how to take a private route on it either.  Not sure if our insurance would pay for it. ??

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I had an OT Eval after asking a pcp for a referral. What your insurance covers is something you can ask your insurance by calling member benefits. Treatments may be covered or not depending on your plan.

 

Public school testing varies by state and laws. We were in public school over a year and I couldn't get testing through the school. Now as a homeschooler in my state they don't have to test. I don't know about NY testing.

 

Though, even if the school tested it we went back and asked for treatment it would likely take months to get an OT in, and minimal would be accomplished. OT cannot officially diagnose but their reports if done well will give a diagnosis likelihood for a Neuropsych, developmental Ped, or other professional for a file.

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So by what route do most homeschoolers get OT type evaluations?  I live in NY State so when going through the public education route that would mean that I'd have to go before the school board at some point and get approval for therapy and it would probably have to be done at the school.  I'm not sure how to take a private route on it either.  Not sure if our insurance would pay for it. ??

 

We've done both. Ds did not qualify through the PS screening so I contacted the pediatrician and asked for a referral to an OT. We had several different insurances during our 3 years of OT, some covered it and some did not or it was subject to our high deductible & co-pay. Some covered one office for OT but not another. It really depends on the insurance and the laws in your state for covering neurodevelopmental issues.

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