Dysgraphia?

[Ipsey]

I'm cross-posting to the general board.

 

I believe my 9-year-old is dysgraphic.

He reads very well and is very articulate.

 

However, he can't write a line without smashing words together, misspelling at least 3 words, missing punctuation, capitals, etc. He can't ever left justify his work (lines start all over the place). Also, his sentences are first grade-level.

Subject verb and perhaps a couple of modifiers. He can't seem to transition between ideas in sentences, and they lack coherence and cohesiveness. He has none of these problems when speaking. His handwriting is legible, but has taken him a very long time.

 

We work and work on this.

 

We need some ideas.

 

He goes to public school and they write both on paper and with typing, and there's really no difference with the typing vs. the writing apart from the fact that if he types, it's more legible.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this?

 

Thanks kindly!

Edited November 7, 2012 by Ipsey

[southernm]

Ds 7 has dysgraphia. He fits every single symptom in this link.

http://m.voices.yahoo.com/8-signs-child-has-dysgraphia-545852.html

[Ipsey]

Ds 7 has dysgraphia. He fits every single symptom in this link.

http://m.voices.yahoo.com/8-signs-child-has-dysgraphia-545852.html

 

How have you dealt with it?

Tips? Techniques?

[southernm]

It's a very complicated learning disability, and as you can see by that link it reaches far further than just handwriting. The biggest thing I do is not force writing. I scribe if needed, we use the white board, or he verbally answers instead of him writing answers down. I have just started with HWOT cursive and it is so much better for him. The fluid movement of the strokes seem to come more naturally. With manuscript, he often pauses after every stroke to think what comes next. We avoid arts and crafts like the plague. Since he has a diagnosis from a child psych he will be able to get accomedations on the sat/act etc. Basically, I let him take the lead and have become very flexible in my expectations for written output.

 

Also, this was a major factor in hs him. He had a terrible time with is first grade teacher. Filling in worksheet after worksheet was impossible for him which led to behavior problems. I asked the ot at the school to observe him and she said, "he needed more practice". I'm still beyond angry at that. I would expect very little help from his school, unfortunately. Even after I told his teacher he had been diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia there was very little they were willing to do, if anything at all.

Edited November 7, 2012 by southernm

[shell0830]

I have a dd 9 with similar issues. I have a question: does this occur in math at all? My dd still writes numbers backwards and is resistant to write problems out in her workbook. She also physically has a handwriting issue (thumb over forefinger, fist grip, can't see her own stroke). Anyway, just curious if these issues all go together with other kids.

[FairProspects]

I have a dd 9 with similar issues. I have a question: does this occur in math at all? My dd still writes numbers backwards and is resistant to write problems out in her workbook. She also physically has a handwriting issue (thumb over forefinger, fist grip, can't see her own stroke). Anyway, just curious if these issues all go together with other kids.

 

It occurs in every subject. I scribe for ds for nearly every workbook subject (ds circles and arrows in diagramming to show me where to write and he does type for dictation and writing assignments).

 

An example that occurred in math today was that ds was measuring and labeling sides of various triangles to find the perimeter, and he kept trying to write "cm" for centimeters to keep his units straight, and because he was thinking in math/spatial mode, every single time he went to write a c it came out backwards. I kid you not, he wrote c backwards probably 9 times. I finally just told him I knew his brain was mixing it up b/c he was working spatially and just started writing units for him. :lol:

[Mukmuk]

I have a child with dysgraphia as well. In the list that southernm posted, DS has all the symptoms except building with Lego. He's an avid builder from an early age, so it was very puzzling to us. Nonetheless, his handwriting is awful. It's legible now, but still very untidy. Up to earlier this year, he'd reverse letters and have no spatial judgment for letters like "g" and "y"- they look extra tall. At the NP eval earlier this year (turning 9) he had a few letters missing from his alphabet and wrote "j" as "g". I didn't scribe much when he was younger- he just did very little because it was too difficult for him to write.

 

The NP says he has very little fine motor muscle memory, which is why he keeps forgetting how to write the alphabet. He now does alphabet/writing practice for about 10 mins a day. He types most of the time. His numbers have improved- ie, much less flipping than before. With the gradual, small doses of daily practice, his handwriting has improved too. It could be that he's coming to an age (2 months shy of 10yo) when there is some cognitive upgrade.

[cindergretta]

My ds9 has dysgraphia. He was in OT for a while but the therapist missed more than she was there. :glare:

 

We write for him, we are teaching him to type, and we are going to buy Handwriting Without Tears to work on cursive with him.

 

We are also trying to pursue OT for him from another source.

 

(He can write, but it looks like a preschooler's writing, not a 4th grader. And it takes SO much effort for him that the lesson is lost, if that makes sense.)

[Scoobymummy]

I've heard a few people mention using handwriting without tears for these kids ... what's the thinking behind this? have you found that they can write more easily/independently? Is this more for motor control than the spelling and fluency issues?

[shell0830]

What is the best way to have a child tested (who to see)? What are therapy options?

[Heathermomster]

I'm cross-posting to the general board.

 

I believe my 9-year-old is dysgraphic.

He reads very well and is very articulate.

 

However, he can't write a line without smashing words together, misspelling at least 3 words, missing punctuation, capitals, etc. He can't ever left justify his work (lines start all over the place). Also, his sentences are first grade-level.

Subject verb and perhaps a couple of modifiers. He can't seem to transition between ideas in sentences, and they lack coherence and cohesiveness. He has none of these problems when speaking. His handwriting is legible, but has taken him a very long time.

 

We work and work on this.

 

We need some ideas.

 

He goes to public school and they write both on paper and with typing, and there's really no difference with the typing vs. the writing apart from the fact that if he types, it's more legible.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this?

 

Thanks kindly!

Since he's in PS, you should request testing for accommodations and establish the IEP. Take a look too at the NEO Alphasmart, a durable and inexpensive portable word processor.

 

DS sat in a private school NT classroom through 6th grade. He received no accommodations until 4th grade, where he began to hunt and peck on a NEO Alphasmart. At that time, DS was incredibly resistant to learning to type at home. The school held a weekly typing class that ran 180 deg counter to what my child needed and did far more damage than good.

 

5th grade became untenable. I pulled DS 2nd semester and spent the next 5 months, 20 minutes every morning, teaching my boy to type. There are many typing programs available to those with dysgraphia. I started with cheaper, more readily available typing programs for NT kids, and they worked great for us. YMMV. During this time I also taught him cursive italics which he hates and now refuses to use. He prints.

 

Typing has been awesome. DS is home now and types everything except math. He has used Dragon Speak Naturally, speech to text software. Windows, Inspiration (new to us), and PowerPoint all get regular use. DS loves his timeline software for history. He uses PP to complete reports and presents them to his father. I am currently pursuing word prediction, grammar, and spelling software.

 

I've seen Diane Craft's products recommended, with the figure 8 exercises. HWOT was developed by an OT to produce legible handwriting with automaticity. MomatHWTK has shared very helpful info about dysgraphia accommodations.

 

DS took no formal writing until 7th grade. He is currently using IEW ATFF with a tutor. Story webs have worked very well for organizing his thoughts. Kidspiration/Inspiration produce the webs and provide a strong visual element. When DS was younger, book reports came in alternate forms like posters and bookmarks. Evan-Moor EMC 6010 contains a couple of projects that DS completed. Search the forums for posts by Doodler. Doodler uses very creative methods for teaching her DD writing with great success.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Heathermomster

[Lecka]

The OT at my son's school told us he needed less practice, more practice would not help him. That was nice b/c his classroom teacher had thought more practice would help and I feel like that makes it the parent's problem like the parent can't manage to properly supervise the extra practice so it must be the parent's fault. So I can say positive things about the school OT. His writing-on-the-baseline was very improved within a month. His letters now are a lot better than what they were.

 

Just this morning I sent a note for my son asking to let him do his math facts level-up thing orally. It is timed and he reverses numbers, and then when he tries to write them carefully, it is too slow, and he was really upset about it last night.

 

His reversals really do look like other numbers, so it is not that this teacher is being a crazy stickler. He reverses 5/3 and 2/6. He used to reverse 6/9 but that is gone. Right now the main one is 2/6 but they can come and go.

 

His teacher last year knew what all his numbers looked like and she didn't count him off. This year it seems to be a problem with the math facts sheet and his teacher does not recognize how he does these reversals.

 

Depending on what comes of this note, I am thinking of taking him to be evaluated. Ironically it seems that as he is doing better overall his times of not being able to write quickly/legibly are seen as him not trying, where when he was doing worse, it was obvious it was the best he could do. But of course he is trying really hard. I am frustrated this morning.

 

But honestly I am hopeful he can just do this orally with the aide or in the resource room in the immediate short term.

 

In the short term I also want to see about adding accomodations to his IEP. I feel like -- I would like to go ahead and seem like I am pushy than wait for it to be bad enough for my son to be upset.

Edited November 8, 2012 by Lecka

[Ipsey]

Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing your ideas and experiences.

I'll look over these in more detail when I have a longer moment.

 

Gratefully,

I.

[Lecka]

I am just updating, that my son's teacher called to talk to me in response to the note I sent. She was concerned he had been upset.

 

He was allowed to do his math facts today orally and untimed with the aide (in a private area so he would not feel different from other children).

 

She said this will continue for the next 3 weeks for the weekly math facts timed test.

 

After that I think it is going to be fine for him to be in class and take it timed, but be allowed to test orally when he is ready to move up a level.

 

So I am satisfied with this, my son is happy, and I am not planning to ask for accomodations to be added to his IEP at this time.

 

My son may have minor problems with writing compared to some, it is really for his reading I would think of getting him an evaluation. But that is going okay, too. I am just feeling like, it is not going to all be fine, this stuff is not going away. And probably the right response to that is to get him tested privately and accomodations put in his IEP. But it is just not a good time for us right now, although I don't want to put it off, either.

 

edit: Looking back at OP my son does not sound similar. But I would also encourage you to ask for a referral for him. I think it is very worthwhile and I cannot see a downside. You might think my son would feel bad, but he feels good to be succeeding. And, they have ways they can make it be private for the child (as opposed to the child sticking out), and I think they do good at that at his school.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Lecka