LRS, there are a few things I'd do:

1) First, write down a list of all the reasons you suspect there is a challenge and all the things related to academics that you see as frustrating for your ds. Also list behaviors such as work refusal etc.

2) You have a gut feeling something is up with handwriting, so I would do a few tests at home just to have as data: measure his letter-writing speed - have him write the alphabet, upper and lower case, and time how long it takes him to finish it. Save the sample - note if there are any reversals or if he struggled to think through how to form any of the letters, or if the letters are sloppy or difficult to read etc. Calculate the # of letters per minute he wrote, and then google "letters per minute + (his age in years)" or "letters per minute + (his grade)". Compare his rate to the ranges of typical rates you find online. Is it in range for his age/grade or is it slow?

3) Gather recent handwriting samples from his classwork. Look for indications of dysgraphia - uneven spacing, issues with upper vs lower case, issues with caps, issues with spelling etc.

4) Watch him while he writes and make notes of things such as - does he form his letters the same way each time? Is he starting them at the top? Does he have to stop to think and remember how to form letters? Does he hold his wrist or elbow while writing? Does he have an unusual pencil grip?

5) Give him two or three writing assignments at home - each similar but not the same. Have him complete one using handwriting, one using keyboarding, and one using scribing. Time how long it takes him to complete each, or give him a time limit of five minutes - the idea is to see differences in both quantity of words/ideas that he writes using different forms of output, as well as differences in complexity of thought, details in descriptions, etc.

Put all of this together and make your request through the school for an eval - that's where I'd start if $ are a factor. I would also ask my ped, because we've had good advice from our ped re knowing whether or not the school district would be helpful and also re referrals for private evals. If your insurance will cover a private neuropsych eval I'd recommend that as another good starting point.

This is just based on my one family's experience, but based on that.... I believe it's better to start by requesting/seeking a "broad" eval - rather than going into the evals thinking "I think it's dysgraphia so how do we test for that" - look at it as "My ds is having issue x,y,z. I'd like to see how that relates to his overall academic functioning." I'm SO not stating this clearly - but the general idea is - you want a broad look, not a narrow-filter on where/what you look at. It's possible it's dysgraphia, but it could be that what you are seeing are symptoms of something else entirely. That's happened to us with 2 of our children - I was convinced I knew what was up with each, and I was way (WAY) off both times!

For a school eval, you'll want to request cognitive + achievement testing, possibly visual-motor integration, and an OT eval (for fine motor). I would also request a TOWL (Test of Written Language). Neuropsychologists will typically offer a few more neuropsychlogocial tests to help tease out details re diagnoses.

I have found private neuropsych testing to be an advantage over school testing (in *my* district - other districts may have very different circumstances!) - the things that have made private testing worth the extra $ (to me) were:

1) The neuropsych eval includes an in-depth parent interview and a detailed development history. These were *not* included in our school evals.

2) The school district has very low cutoffs for qualifying - i.e., tough to fall under, especially for HG/+ students, plus there are "rules" for qualifying that involve looking at and reporting only broad averages or generalizations for testing that can mean your child might have struggled tremendously with one speciic tie of skill, but you'll never see that one low score unless you know to ask for it (please note - this is my district and my experience - I'm not saying that every school district is like this!).

2) It's been very easy for us to schedule follow-up discussions with our neuropsych and easy to ask *any* question we have and the neuropsych will try their best to answer. School psychs don't offer the same type of access or an in-depth analysis of results (in our district).

3) In our school district, to get an answer we had to first ask the question. You won't always know what questions to ask. The neuropsych has no bias, no concerns about impact of identifying your child etc - it's easy to ask the neuropsych questions.

4) In our school district, school psychs seem to transfer in and out every 1-2 years... so you aren't following up with the same psych who initially evaluated your child when you run into questions as your child gets older and encounters new challenges at school.

5) School is just dealing with academics. Private neuropsychologists look at your child's full *life* - not just school. It's quite possible that a child who is having challenges with handwriting might be struggling with other types of tasks that don't involve handwriting specifically. You might not notice or put them together - that's what a neuropsych can do. The neuropsych can also give you recommendations for providers for follow-up evals (speech, OT, etc).

The last thing I'd add is - make your calls now. Don't hesitate. Go with your gut feeling - if something is up, you'll be glad you didn't wait to act on you hunch.

Best wishes,

polarbear