Dysgraphia and a Defect in the Understanding of Space:

Dysgraphia:: Neurologists have come to the consensus by concluding that dysgraphia is a neurological disorder and like other learning disabilities cannot be cured.  Dysgraphia is usually also accompanied by another learning disorder such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorder. The overlapping of disorders is common because the neurological system as a whole is affected. Dysgraphia occurs regardless of the ability to read and is not in itself due to intellectual impairment.

There are three types of Dysgraphia:

1. Dyslexic Dysgraphia: A person suffering from this will usually have illegible writing and extremely poor spelling.

2. Dysgraphia Due to Motor Weakness: Extremely similar to dyslexic Dysgraphia, but finger tapping speed is generally below normal. Motor dysgraphia is due to deficient fine motor skills, poor dexterity, poor muscle tone, 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 it cannot be sustained for a significant length of time.

3. Dysgraphia Due to a Defect in the Understanding of Space: Generally the same as dyslexic Dysgraphia, but the person has a distorted view of space. This subtype is not fine motor based.  Students with Spatial Dysgraphia often have trouble keeping their writing on the lines and difficulty with spacing between words.

In my experience, a person with Dysgraphia and a poor space defect will also have difficulties in art perception and drawing.

Symptoms of Dysgraphia include:

1. Odd wrist, arm, body, or paper orientations such as creating an L shape with your arm.

2. Cramped fingers

3. Poor organization

4. Illegible writing

5. Slow speed of writing and copying

6. Misuse of margins and lines

7. Unfinished letter or words.Having a hard time translating ideas to writing, sometimes using the wrong words altogether.

8. Mumbling and repeating while writing.

9. Irregular sizes and shapes

10. Mix of upper and lower case letters

11. Mix of printed and cursive letters

12. Excessive erasures, and poor self esteem.

13. Inattentiveness over details when writing

14. Reluctance or refusal to complete writing tasks due to  stress (which can be created by the frustration with the task of writing and/or spelling).

The “Anyone Can Improve Their Own Handwriting”  individual handwriting correction program has a 100% success rate so far. With the experiences in the correction of ADHD and Dysgraphic  handwriting I have produced an instructional video “ Anyone Can Improve Their Own Handwriting. The video techniques addresses the issues of the symptoms mentioned for motor Dysgraphia, special awareness Dysgraphia and dyslexic Dysgraphia. By combining and integrating experiences from art instruction, ADHD tutoring, and biofeedback assisted relaxed concentration, a comprehensive correction program has been developed. The program and video have included exercises for hand grip, hand stress reduction, ergonomics related to body position while writing, and focusing techniques. Added to these are exercises for acquiring an artistic mode of seeing. These will help with spatial development and proprioceptive-kinesthetic awareness. Exercises include drawing up-side down, identifying negative spaces in letters, self critique of handwriting, and a special way to notate handwriting lapses, using sound when writing, and learn to control body movements.

“Anyone Can Improve Their Own Handwriting” is a download with Amazon.com and a CD can be acquired directly at https://sites.google.com/site/improvemessyhandwriting/