In an increasingly digital world focused on writing through electronic devices, it is essential for parents to be attentive to potential dysgraphia problems in their children. Dysgraphia is a writing disorder that affects fluency, legibility, and the ability to express oneself in writing. It manifests in different ways and can hinder children’s academic performance. In this post, we will explore the incidence of dysgraphia internationally and in Spain, and provide useful tips for parents who want to help their children overcome this challenge.
The Incidence of Dysgraphia
Internationally, it is estimated that around 5-20% of children experience some degree of dysgraphia. In Spain, the situation is not very different. According to data collected by education specialists, about 10% of school-age children are affected by this condition. This means that you are likely to know someone whose children face this challenge.
Parents play a fundamental role in early detection and in providing support to overcome this difficulty
Dysgraphia can manifest in different ways, from problems with illegible handwriting to difficulties organizing thoughts in writing. Parents play a fundamental role in early detection and providing the necessary support for their children to overcome this obstacle. Here are some guidelines to help you identify if your children may be dealing with dysgraphia:
- Illegible handwriting: One of the most obvious signs is handwriting that is difficult to read. If you notice that the letters are messy, unintelligible, or overlapping, it could be an indication.
- Difficulties with motor coordination: Children with dysgraphia may have difficulty coordinating the fine movements of their hands and fingers needed for writing. Observe if they have trouble holding a pencil or pen correctly.
- Pain or fatigue when writing: Children with dysgraphia may experience pain in their hand or arm when writing. If they complain of pain frequently, it is a sign to consider.
- Slowness in writing: Children with dysgraphia often write more slowly than their classmates. If your child takes considerably longer to complete writing tasks, pay attention.
- Difficulties organizing their thoughts in writing: Children with dysgraphia may have difficulty expressing their ideas coherently in writing. If you notice that they have trouble organizing their thoughts in a paragraph or essay, this could be a sign.
- Resistance to writing: Some children with dysgraphia may resist writing or avoid tasks that involve writing. If your child shows a constant aversion to writing, it is important to investigate further.
- Difficulties copying from the board: Observe if your child has trouble copying correctly from the board or from a textbook. This may indicate difficulties in visual perception and motor coordination.
- Inconsistency in writing quality: Children with dysgraphia may vary in the quality of their writing from day to day, which can be frustrating for both them and for parents and teachers.
How can we help?
Attentive observation Pay attention to the initial signs. If you notice that your child struggles to maintain legible handwriting, has difficulty copying tasks from the board, or complains of pain when writing, it is important to be alert.
Open communication
Talk to your child. Encourage them to express their frustrations and fears related to writing. This can help you better understand their needs and emotions.
Encourage reading and writing
Help your child develop their love for reading and writing. The more familiar they are with the language, the easier it will be to overcome difficulties.
Emotional support
Make sure your child feels supported and understood at all times. Self-esteem and confidence are essential to overcome challenges.
Recommended exercises
There are so many things you can do with your child and share with him/her, but be sure to highlight the things he/she does well and enhance his/her strengths as well as his/her attempts. Positively value his/her work in graphic tracing and the progress he/she has made, even if it has been small. Put into practice from moment zero and not only for his/her performance in writing, but for all his/her steps of evolution in so many aspects, so that at the end of the day he/she says to himself/herself: “today I am happy with myself because…”.
There are multiple exercises that you can practice with your child to facilitate the acquisition of adequate movement of hands, arms, and proper body posture for writing
In addition, there are several recommended exercises to facilitate your child’s acquisition of skills according to their age. From the age of 4, you can start practicing how to sit, the distance between the head and the paper, the position of the paper, how to hold the pen, among others. The goal is to achieve adequate movement of the hands, arms, and body posture to write conveniently. At that same age, it is also advisable to exercise visuomotor coordination with tasks such as cutting with scissors, tasks with a punch, stringing balls and elements of different sizes, stimulating imaginary strokes of the letters, pressure, braking (curves, straights, circles), copying letters, and starting to identify them and emit the sound of the letters that he/she designs or cuts out.
Other simple activities for these ages are making zig-zag strokes, curved lines, straight lines, loops, from top to bottom, from one side to the other, in a spiral, in an X shape…To exercise the hand, writing movements can be made on the board (with different materials: pencil, chalk, brush) or making the movements in the air or on the ground.
As a general recommendation for all ages, it is important to choose diverse themes and texts that are to their liking, which will be more stimulating for your child. Also, vary the complexity of the letter, “playing at drawing” various types of letters or spellings. You can look for them together on the Internet.
Dysgraphia is an obstacle that many children face, but with the right support, they can overcome it successfully
In summary, dysgraphia is an obstacle that many children face, but with the right support, they can overcome it successfully. Parents play a crucial role in early detection and ongoing support. By being alert and following these tips, you can help your child develop their writing skills and reach their full potential in the academic world and beyond. We invite you to listen to our Doctor of Psychology, Nuria Ros, on La Tarde con Marina to expand on these guidelines and recommendations.
At Dide.org we are experts in detecting educational, emotional, and behavioral difficulties early in order to intervene. You can access the diagnostic tool at this link.
