Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional What does dysgraphia look like?

Lori, thanks for posting about your ds - it's interesting because some of it sounds so much like my ds with dyspraxia! He doesn't look like he's really very "different" (although it sounds like he's less coordinated than your ds), but he tires easily. His finger joints also bend backwards, and even though he's always defaulted to his right hand for writing etc, he's not right-hand dominant, he's basically "no hand dominant". Like your ds, there are some fine motor things he can do a-ok with his hands, others that he is challenged with.

polarbear

Looks like a good thread to tack onto. Latest blog entry on Eide Neurolearning, references a study on dysgraphia using fMRI.

http://eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/fmri-of-dysgraphia-lack-of-automaticity.html

Really illustrates that dysgraphia has a bigger impact as a lot processing is chewed up in the writing, which can reduce available processing for the actual content. I've sometimes wondered if maybe there isn't so much an underlying problem as there is a brain that just can't "mind" its own darn business.

DD10 has dyslexic dysgraphia. I ditto everything written above. For DD the earliest and most concerning sign was her outright refusal to do written work. I'm talking, writhing on the in physical pain. Her writing is terrible, she mixes capitals and lowercase. Her spelling is that of a dyslexic. She doesn't make many letter reversals, but she only uses words she thinks she can spell.

Having a typing accommodation has changed everything for her. She uses Ginger software for editing. We have tried to remediate her handwriting but had to stop because it was affecting her anxiety so badly. Now, we focus on her strengths. She is a different kid!!

My DD was diagnosed with NLD (really it's an "NLD-ish" diagnosis according to the neuropsych) which included a diagnosis for dysgraphia. We are still waiting for an Assistive Technology eval but 2 days ago DD was finally provided a scribe for her classwork. At our IEP meeting the other day the OT and special ed teacher pressed the neuropsych on where to draw the line between pushing the handwriting and moving towards keyboarding. All 3 of them think that at age 7/second grade they need to continue to emphasize the handwriting. The neuropsych said introducing keyboarding now was more to start getting her ready so when it is developmentally appropriate to switch over she will have the skills for it. I told him that I believed the time to switch the emphasis has already come - I seriously doubt her handwriting will improve to the point that it will be effective for her and keyboarding will be the key to her future. I have no problem with them continuing to work on handwriting but not to the point that it takes away from developing these skills - there are only so many hours in a day and she already has so much on her plate. Any BTDT opinions here? At what age did your kids switch their focus to primarily keyboarding skills?

Interesting study - thanks for posting.


My son started keyboarding in third/fourth grade. He is now in 7th, and this is the first year he hasn't used a computer in the class. He doesn't take notes - uses the teacher's set - but writes out all his homework and class work. Output is still dramatically diminished when it comes to essays, etc., but he is working faster and hasn't needed the reduced workload accommodation thus far.