Dysgraphia
Definition and Overview
Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder characterized by writing disabilities. Specifically, the disorder causes a person's writing to be distorted or incorrect. In children, the disorder generally emerges when they are first introduced to writing. Dysgraphia can occur after neurological trauma or it may be present from birth.
Types of Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is generally classified into six types: Dyslexic Dysgraphia, Motor Dysgraphia, Spatial Dysgraphia, Phonological Dysgraphia, Lexical Dysgraphia, and Ideational Dysgraphia.
Dyslexic Dysgraphia
In Dyslexic Dysgraphia, a person's spontaneous written work is illegible, copied work is fairly good, and spelling is bad. Finger tapping speed (a method for identifying fine motor problems) is normal, indicating the deficit does not likely stem from cerebellar damage.
Motor Dysgraphia
Motor Dysgraphia is due to deficient fine motor skills, poor dexterity, poor muscle tone, and/or unspecified motor clumsiness. Letter formation may be acceptable in very short samples of writing, but this requires extreme effort and an unreasonable amount of time to accomplish, and cannot be sustained for a significant length of time.
Spatial Dysgraphia
Spatial Dysgraphia is due to a defect in the understanding of space. This person has illegible spontaneously written work, illegible copied work, but normal spelling and normal finger tapping speed.
Phonological Dysgraphia
Phonological Dysgraphia is characterized by writing errors that indicate a failure to sound out words in writing, such as errors of phoneme-grapheme correspondence, and the production of letter sequences that do not correspond to the sounds of the words.
Lexical Dysgraphia
Lexical Dysgraphia is characterized by errors in nonwords and real words that are not spelled phonetically, and relatively preserved ability to write real words, especially those that are spelled phonetically.
Ideational Dysgraphia
Ideational Dysgraphia is characterized by a loss of the ability to express thoughts in writing, not due to an inability to form letters or words, but due to an inability to formulate and organize ideation.
Symptoms
Symptoms of dysgraphia often vary, and may include:
- Cramped or awkward pencil grip and body position - Unusual wrist, body, or paper position - Avoiding writing or drawing tasks - Difficulty forming letter shapes - Inconsistent spacing between letters or words - Poor understanding of uppercase and lowercase letters - Inability to write or draw in a line or within margins - Tiring quickly while writing
Causes
The exact causes of dysgraphia are unknown, but this learning disability often runs in families and may be a hereditary condition. Some research suggests that dysgraphia may be related to central nervous system functioning. Other research points to possible brain structure differences in people with dysgraphia.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of dysgraphia typically involves a comprehensive evaluation by a team of professionals, including a psychologist, occupational therapist, and special education expert. The evaluation will typically involve a physical examination, a series of tests, and an exploration of the individual's developmental, social, and school performance.
Treatment
There is no cure for dysgraphia, and treatment is generally individualized. The most effective treatment plans use a collaborative approach involving teachers, parents, therapists, and the individual with dysgraphia. Treatment strategies may include:
- Occupational therapy to improve motor skills - Adapted writing tools - Access to word-processing programs - Techniques to help with memory recall - Behavioral therapy to help with self-esteem issues