Dysgraphia? How do you know?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Dysgraphia? How do you know?
6
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 8:51pm

I've been doing a little research and wonder if this is part of Tom's problem with writing.

                                

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-28-2007
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 9:46pm

So odd you ask this today. I just had a meeting with Liam's team about thesame issue. By the end we had ruled out dysgraphia as Liam can complete and enjoy word searches as well as he doesn't always reverse letters/numbers and can catch his own errors therein. From what I've read dysgraphia (inc dyslexia) is neurological and not necessarily motor oriented.

It sounds like Tom's issues are motor in origin (although don't hold me to that). My second ds (4-aspie) has awful problems with the pencil grip and yes I think it's almost painful for him. In fact we added in his IEP for kindy next year that he get pull out for LA with the resource teacher to help with his impending frustration.

Although I understand your interest in computer work, do know there is very very little creative writing in kindy (speaking as a mom and ex-teacher). Most of the wriring is direct response to questions about a short silly poem or story. Or a reaction to said story. At the IEP for kindy ask for a kindy teacher to be present and bring a sample of expectations, it may put your mind at ease. Also ask about pullout during Language Arts.

As for testing for a dx; you can ask the school psychologist to test Tom, you can also go to a neuropsychologist. However, I would put it on the school as (a) it's cheaper and b) it's their job.

GL

Dee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 01-30-2008 - 10:01pm

Here in kindy they do a thing called "writer's workshop" and it is a drawing/creative writing thing where all the kids are supposed to put thoughts to paper.

                                

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-02-2003
Thu, 01-31-2008 - 1:26pm

Heather,


Tom sounds so much like Everett when Everett was 5.

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Thu, 01-31-2008 - 2:49pm

Christopher has Dysgraphia.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Thu, 01-31-2008 - 2:52pm

shoot, it cut half of those symptons off.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Thu, 01-31-2008 - 6:28pm
One point that was made to me during an IEP was that improving core muscles must come first before you see any improvement in fine motor skills. My son has poor muscle tone and posture in addition to his fine motor skills difficulty. I really would think that your O.T. would be working on that, but because he's not in Kindergarten yet maybe they thought there were more important things to be working on. There might also be other accomodations that can be made that will still allow him to develop his handwriting skills but minimize the frustration and discomfort. He is young enough to modify his grip but he may be holding the pencil that way for a reason. My son is in fourth grade now and we let him do the bulk of his homework on the computer but he still does some by hand. The teacher will also give him the option of using the computer when she sees him struggling but he still does a fair amount with a pencil. It's a balancing act between strengthening the muscles by using them and keeping the stress level down.