Let’s continue our discussion from the last post about dysgraphia, but expand the conversation to include how it is diagnosed, and what you can do to strengthen your child’s motor skills. 

In talking to parents there is a lot of misunderstanding about dysgraphia.  Let me start by saying this isn’t just about messy handwriting; it’s about a child’s ability to express ideas and communicate in writing. You can’t prevent dysgraphia, but you can help your child manage it.

How is Dysgraphia Diagnosed?

The first thing to know is that there is no single “dysgraphia test.” The diagnosis is made by a licensed professional, such as a psychologist or an educational specialist, often as part of a comprehensive psycho-educational evaluation. The formal diagnosis is often listed in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition) as a “specific learning disorder with impairment in written expression.” A licensed professional will look at several factors to get a complete picture of your child’s abilities. These include:

• A review of your child’s history: The professional will talk to you and your child’s teachers to understand their academic history and developmental milestones.
• Analysis of writing samples: They will look at your child’s schoolwork to see if there are consistent patterns, like poor spacing, inconsistent letter formation, or a struggle to organize their thoughts.
• Fine motor assessments: An occupational therapist may be part of the evaluation to test your child’s fine motor skills, including their pencil grip, hand-eye coordination, and how much physical effort they exert when writing.
• Standardized academic tests: These tests are used to measure your child’s writing skills in comparison to other children their age. The tests often evaluate everything from spelling and grammar to sentence structure and the overall clarity of their writing.

The diagnosis is important because it’s what qualifies your child for special education services and accommodations in school. If you suspect your child has dysgraphia, the first step is to talk to their teacher about getting an evaluation.  Remember to put the request in writing and copy the school’s principal. 

Now that we have a better understanding of how dysgraphia is diagnosed, you’re most likely interested in knowing what you can do to help.  I’ve found that the more that we understand something, the more in control we feel. That’s part of the reason that I research everything!  So, now let’s talk about what can you do. Granted you are not an Occupational Therapist (OT) but there are things that you can try at home. Start with gross motor skills and then progress to fine motor skills.  This means have your child use large movements with their entire arm and slowly progress to letter writing with a pencil. 

1. Include Sensory Writing Surfaces. Learning to form letters doesn’t have to happen with a pencil on paper. You can use multi-sensory techniques that engage more senses than just sight. Write letters on your child’s back. Have them try to guess the letter.  Then let your child write on your back. You are looking to create tactile feedback that reinforces gross muscle memory.
2. Strengthen Fine Motor Skills. Before a child can hold a pencil correctly, they need strong hand muscles. An OT will use fun activities to build this strength. Think about playing with playdough, or putty to squeeze and roll, or using tongs to pick up small objects like cotton balls. These seemingly simple games actually build foundational strength that is needed for writing.
3. Metal Writing Frame or a Pencil Grip. The correct way to hold a writing instrument uses the thumb and index finger to hold the instrument, with the pencil resting on the middle finger. The other fingers should be tucked into the palm of the hand. This grip is called the tripod pencil grip and allows for fine motor control. This grip makes it easier to move the fingers rather than the entire hand or arm, which reduces fatigue and improves handwriting. There are different stages of holding a pencil that your child will pass through before they move to the tripod-pencil grip. There are different instruments (or gadgets) you can use depending upon what stage your child is at.  Perhaps start with a metal writing frame.  This is a device that sits on the paper and helps your child determine where to hold the pencil.  The frame is made of lightweight metal and can accommodate different sized pencils. Once they have mastered that phase, you can move on to a pencil grip trainer.  This is a rubbery cone that sits outside the pencil.  This helps your child know which fingers to use when holding the pencil until it becomes automatic.  It’s important to determine the appropriate item to use based upon your child’s needs.  Too often parents start with the rubbery pencil grip and don’t find it useful.  An analogy that I can make would be having your child run a 5K when they just started walking.  Perhaps this is a bit of an exaggeration but you get my point.  You might want to investigate different pencil-grip-trainers.  Search “metal writing frames” and “pencil grips” to see what these instruments look like.   
4. Teach Cursive. This might seem counterintuitive, but cursive can actually be easier than print. Print requires a series of individual strokes and lifts, which can be difficult for a child with motor control issues. Cursive, however, is one continuous motion in one direction. The continuous flow can be less physically and mentally taxing, and the letters are less likely to be reversed.  Focus on the lower case letters and give yourself time. It will take weeks to master the 26 letters.  Don’t follow the order of the alphabet.  Instead, start with letters that are most common in English: i, a, p, n, t, s.  From there, continue with: e, o, u, l, d, f, h, g.  Move on to digraphs sh, ng because you’ll need to show how to link letters together. Follow up with m, r, b, j, y, k, c, th, ck.  Finally end with the remaining letters. The good news is that you don’t need to use a quill and an ink stand.  All kidding aside, cursive can help your child write more fluidly and with less frustration.

Leverage technology for Older Students

As children get older, the writing demands increase, and the focus shifts from foundational skills to expressing knowledge. This is where technology becomes essential.  I want to share five things you can do to help an older student with dysgraphia.

• Embrace Speech-to-Text. This is a true game-changer. For a child with dysgraphia, the struggle isn’t with their ideas, but with the physical act of putting them on paper. Speech-to-text software, like the one built into Google Docs or Microsoft Word, allows them to dictate their thoughts and see them appear on the screen. Then they can focus on the content of their writing, rather than the mechanics. The technology is changing so quickly that my recommendation is to do a quick search on the latest speech-to-text app and have your child experiment with 2-3 of them. 
• Learn to Type. Touch-typing is a valuable skill for any student, but for a child with dysgraphia, it can be life-changing. It reduces the physical strain of handwriting and can often be a faster, more accurate way to produce written work. The goal is to increase speed while ensuring accuracy. You want your child to move past the “hunt and peck” form of typing.  
• Use Graphic Organizers. Older students often struggle with organizing their thoughts for essays. Graphic organizers (paper-based or digital) provide a visual roadmap for their writing. Mind-mapping apps can help students brainstorm and structure ideas before they ever have to write a single sentence.
• Request Accommodations and Modifications. Work with the school to ensure your child has the support they need to succeed. This can include things like: being allowed to type instead of handwrite assignments. While some schools might offer unofficial accommodations, once they are in high school anything that isn’t “official” may go away.  
• Explore Assistive Technology. Beyond basic speech-to-text, there are a host of apps and tools designed to help. Apps like SnapType let a student take a picture of a worksheet and then type their answers directly onto it. There are also apps that can help with note-taking, spelling, and grammar. A visit to an assistive technology specialist can help you find the tools that best fit your child’s specific needs.

Dysgraphia can be a bumpy road. That said, by understanding the challenges, valuing the importance of foundational skills, and providing an encouraging environment, you are giving your child the greatest gift of all: the knowledge that they can overcome their struggles and succeed.