What’s in a name? Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia
December 17th, 2006
Dysgraphia
Last week I had (yet another) mother phone me because her child had been diagnosed as having “Dysgraphia”.
“Can you help my child?” she asked. I’m used to this now and I always say, “first I would have to assess the child to establish what causes his problems”.
“He’s got Dysgraphia she repeated.” And she had every right to expect that this was a good and useful diagnosis, after all she had paid over $300 for it.
But in fact labelling a child as “dysgraphic” is not a useful diagnosis because it tells us nothing about how that child learns or how best to teach that child.
The scenario is getting more and more common. This is how it usually goes. The teacher tells the parent that her son/daughter’s handwriting is very poor, pretty illegible and probably also his spelling is poor. The parent or the teacher refers the child to an educational psychologist who carries out extensive testing on him/her. Two weeks later the parent gets a report saying that their son/daughter has “Dysgraphia”. The parents takes this to the school and the boy’s teacher does not really understand what it means. Often the parent gets into contact with a specialist like myself.
I do not see the point in this – and please do get into contact with me if you understand how this diagnosis helps teachers like myself – because I must be missing the point. Dysgraphia is not an English word. In fact it is greek in origin, and translated literally it means “problems writing the written word.”
So this is where I get confused. The child was referred to a psychologist because he had problems writing the written word and the psychologist comes back with exactly the same diagnosis, but in a foreign language.
Now it does seem to me that we could short cut this whole thing, and save the parents, $300+ if the teacher merely used the foreign language and said, “your son has dysgraphia”.
But no, apparently only educational psychologists can diagnose this!
So, when a parent comes to me with this diagnosis the first thing I have to do is to find out why the child has Dyspraphia. And believe me there are lots of very different reasons for this.
In my books I stress again and again that giving a kid a label is of no use unless that label tells us why the kid is failing in a certain area and how we can better teach him. This label does not tell us that and I am left to find out why he has problems with writing.
But surely this is what the educational psychologist should have been finding out. Surely this is what s/he was paid for? I am sorry but I do not see the point in hanging a label round a kid’s neck, for the rest of his life unless it helps the kid in some way.
Some likely causes of poor handwriting
In order to help clarify this I will list here the various causes of dysgraphia that I have come across in the decade or so this label has been commonly used.
- Dyslexia. The majority of them appear to me have dyslexia.
- Dyspraxia. This does not seem to be as common as dyslexia but practically all dyspraxics have dysgraphia, at least when they are young.
- Left handedness. The world is designed for right handed people and we write from left to right, which means that left handed people cannot see what they have written as they write and the writing can easily get smudged or the lines get wobbly.
- Poor fine motor control. It is not always obvious why the child has poor motor skills but it is often due to the child being double jointed in his/her fingers. If the child can draw well and does not appear to display poor motor control when drawing then this can usually be ruled out.
- ADHD. I have found this condition to be very rare but unfortunately lots of children seem to get diagnosed with it in Australia. (Please see section on ADHD in the main article menu.)
- Food or additive allergies or sensitivity that takes away the child’s ability to concentrate properly. The child would then have other symptoms as well as dysgraphia.
- A hearing disorder where the child does not always know what s/he is meant to be doing. (Considerably more can be found on this in my book “Dyslexia – How to Win“, available from this web site.)
- Holding the pencil in a very awkward way or not resting the hand on the paper when writing. Some children actually hold the pencil in an awkward way when writing and a good way when drawing, especially left handed children, who are trying to see what they have written. Sometimes children do not rest the side of their hand on the paper when writing and this makes it very hard to control the pencil.
- Stress. Children with any of the above problems and other children who may be going through a stressful time, which could be caused by school problems, such as bullying or family problems such as the parents breaking up, may have difficulties with writing until the problems are sorted out.
How to establish the cause
In order to help with this disorder a teacher has to first determine which of these is causing the problem.
The first thing I always do is to ask the child to draw a picture for me. If the drawing is good with good motor control and clean lines then we can rule out motor problems as these would manifest themselves in drawing as well as writing. I also observe how the child is holding his/her pencil to establish that s/he has a good grip.
Next I ask him/her to write each letter so that I can check to see if s/he is holding his pencil in the same way as s/he did when drawing. It is surprising how many children hold their pencil properly when drawing and awkwardly when writing, especially left handed children.
I also check to ensure that the letters are written correctly and that the child’s hand is resting on the paper when s/he is writing.
I observe any difference in concentration or stress that may occur during writing but did not when drawing. If a child gets very stressed when writing but not when drawing this probably means the problem is due to difficulty in trying to put his/her thoughts into words. This could indicate dyslexia or dyspraxia.
I talk to the child to establish whether s/he has problems describing things in words when merely talking. If s/he does then it not surprising that the child also has problems writing words. Some children, especially children who were walking very early and did not talk until quite late, or had stutters when young do not seem to naturally translate thoughts into words. If this is the case then you must first talk to the child and get him/her used to giving oral answers to questions before you go back to writing.
I also establish whether the child is dyslexic or dyspraxic. There are tick box tests for each of these on this site.
Very often with these children the handwriting is poor because they have problems spelling the word, thinking of the content of what they are writing and forming the letters – all at the same time. If this is the case then I usually teach them to word process until the spelling and content has picked up. The problem then usually goes away by itself.
I observe the child to see how stressed or anxious s/he when doing different tasks but I also ask teachers and parents about this because a child can behave completely differently at school or at home.
If the child is very stressed, anxious or hyperactive I first look into the diet and suggest eliminating artificial colours, preservatives etc. etc. (please see article on ADHD ADD and Dyslexia for further details on this. Also there is a chapter on this in the book “Dyslexia – How to Win”) to see if the problem is caused by an allergy or sensitivity to something in the child’s diet. I have found that very often this is the case.
Often the underlying cause of the problem is a combination of more than one of these things.
How to help
I have written books on helping dyslexic and dyspraxic children so please refer to these.
Motor control can be helped by doing exercises. These can vary from crawling activities to drawing circles with the hand. More is written about this in my book on Dyspraxia.
It would seem logical to teach the child to word process as soon as possible because the real bottom line on this is that writing by hand is, in today’s society, a skill that is actually no longer needed. You won’t see children in Bill Gate’s schools writing essays down by hand, so why do we put so much emphasis on it in our schools? Even birthday cards can be sent as emails today. The only writing essential to an adult to do today is his or her signature and oddly this is not taught or practiced as most schools.
Dyscalculia
This is another name that tells us virtually nothing. The kids having trouble at school with his/her maths and are sent to an educational psychologist who diagnoses “Dyscalculia” which means the child has difficulty or problems with numbers or math. So that’s a help!
Usually the child has some other learning difficulty such as dyspraxia or dyslexia, but most of all the child has a problem learning math the way it is taught at his/her school. Find out how the child learns and then teach him/her that way and its amazing how fast some of them can learn. Dyslexic children are not poor at math, but they get behind because of the way it’s taught in most schools. However a dyspraxic child will always find math difficult.
There are two long chapters (including tests aimed at understanding just which concepts have been muddled or misunderstood) about this in my book “Dyslexia – How to win”, and some help aimed specifically for dyspraxic children in the dyspraxic book.
It is my experience that most children who are having problems with math need to be taught in a tactile, multi-sensory way. The concepts have to be taught one at a time and gone over until they are completely understood. Neither dyslexics nor dyspraxics remember facts until the concepts have been completely understood.
Times tables
These are the bane of most dyslexics’ and dyspraxics’ lives. It should always be remembered that mobile phones are very good at times tables and that just about every teenager carries a mobile with him/her all the time. They will, therefore, always have a calculator with them. It may be more useful to teach them how to balance a credit card or do the end of year accounts, because neither phones nor computers are any good at these.
Dyslexics do not learn times tables or number bonds just by being told to “go away and learn them”. Many a child has come to me saying, “I have to learn the three times table for homework”! And they call this teaching! In my day we had to chant the tables at the beginning of every day. And I learnt them by age 8.
Just the other day a friend told me about a statement a teacher had written on one of her school reports.
“Why is it”, the teacher had asked, “that she can learn a song easily enough but not her times tables?”
This was a great observation but instead of using it as a criticism the teacher should have realized that the pupil would have learnt her times tables if they had been put to music and made into songs.
Once you have found out how a pupil learns, teach them that way.
15 Comments Add your own
1. Jennifer Hicks | April 5th, 2007 at 1:05 am
I am a older female adult. I believe I may have disgraphia. I have problems with writing my thoughts on paper. I have recently been tested for ADHD. The psychologist is still in the process of determining whether I have this. However I recently started a new job that requires treatment plans and progress notes. I am terrified. So tell me is there testing available to check to see if I have dysgraphia. If so where. I live in Ohio near Cleveland, Youngstown, etc. So if you could please help me.
Thanks Alot
2. Vivienne Ambrosiussen | March 28th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Hi and thankyou for some very helpful information on dysgraphia etc. I agree with you about needing to know the cause before being aable to help/treat. I have a nine year old son with handwriting problems. Fortunately for him I have been homeschooling him through distant ed in Brisbane. We are given wonderful support and understanding. I would like to purchase your books but do not know if they are available in general book stores. I am also wondering if you are based in Australia or overseas?
regards,Vivienne
3. Chris | May 28th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I have a 10yr old son who was diagnosed 5 yrs ago with DVD but it is now obvious he has most of the issues relating to Dyspraxia. After 7 yrs of speech, for the most part he is intelligible but is having major problems at school (Grade 5)with spelling and writing. This year, we introduced a computer into the classroom, which has had a major effect on his output but he now throws tantrums when he cannot use the computer. We are now dealing with all the emotional issues relating to the frustration of dyspraxia. He also has significant fine & gross motor issues relating to dyspraxia. (Significant hypotonia)
Most of progress has been through personal research on the internet. Assistance from the paediatrician has been very reactive instead of proactive and we feel as if we are stumbling in the dark and need some answers. We live in regional Qld so access to a co-ordinated effort is limited.
Is anyone aware of a paediatrician in Qld (or Aust for that matter) who knows enough about dyspraxia to properly assess my son and give us more guidance than a pat on the head and “keep doing whatever it is you are doing”. Space prevents me from listing everything we have tried over the last 5yrs but it has all been guess work with no idea what we are doing.
Ta One very frustrated parent.
4. raewyn | August 8th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
My 10 year old daughter has dyspraxia and hearing problems. We knew something was not right when she was always stumbling as a little one and have trouble doing up buttons etc. Her pre-primary teacher picked up her problem straight away, as her daughter also have the same problem. We tried OT and them speech. The speech therapist put us onto a peaditritian who diagnosed dyspraxia. The doctor called her condition by another name but said it is also called dyspraxia. He said that he co-ordination was poor and that some of the neurons in her brain had not connected or developed properly. He described that learning for her could be like someone who has had a stroke and has to re-train the brain to do things in a different way. I surfed the net and found an optometrist who tested for co-ordination problems. We went along and he said that the muscles in her eyes were not focusing on objects properly up close. His wife is an OT and we did lots of sessions with her and now her reading is better and she doesn’t trip. I do have to go over and over things with her and break problems down into small 2 or 3 steps at a time. I find that if I give her more than 3 to 4 things to do she gets flustered. We break everything down and do everything step by step. It is fustrating but it works and she has a sense of achievement. SHe still has a long way to go but we seem to be on the right track (I hope)
5. Karen | October 7th, 2008 at 8:22 am
I have a 16 year old son who has difficulty in the 3R’s (just like his father) and the best thing I have done to help him was to get him diagnosed for three reasons. 1 For him and I to understand his srenghts and weaknesses. 2 To be advised about accommodations available to lift his damaged sef-esteem caused my our old-fashion education system. 3 To have a wriiten report from a specialist in the field to fight tooth and nail for justice and an equal right to education like the other 90% take for granted to the fourteenth year of education.
6. Athina | February 11th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Hello, thank you for this interesting site, only one thing to add, dysgraphia is not of latin orgin but, of greek.
Kind regards
7. Dawn Matthews | February 13th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Hi Athina
Thanks for noticing the error – we have amended the article.
Cheers
Dawn
8. Heather Collins | April 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
At last I have found someone who agrees with me. I have been assessing and tutoring children and adults for 20 years. The number of children and their parents who arrive with a $300 – $500 report from a “very important specialist”.alarms and astounds me. Noone can understand the language used and by the time the parent and child reach me they are confused and no further ahead to solving a problem. My very first assessment is always “How does this child learn?’ Dyslexia, dyscalculia, and many other learning challenges can be minimised if the child’s learning style is recognised and catered for within the school environment. If this means they need to use calculators, tape recorders, scribes and computer programs to cater to their needs then so be it. Mainstream education needs to broaden its focus to include all children.
9. Elizabeth | July 16th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Thanks for your site. My son has autism. I notice ADHD is mentioned but it wouldn’t surprise me if this also applies to some children with autism as the symptoms you are describing also apply to him.
10. Emily Smith | August 28th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I’m 16 years old. And I was commenting to someone about my inability to grasp maths. And they mentioned ‘Dyscalculia’.
I googled it and instantly so many things clicked.
Things to do with telling the time (Analog) – Which I have never been able to do well. I took longer than the other kids to learn how time was meant to be read. And I still use the way from primary school. Of counting round the clock to find the hour. Then to work out the minutes counting each hour mark as five minutes and moving around the clock until I reach the minute hand. The only problem is I have to double or even triple check, because I can never be sure if I actually counted right the first time.
I can’t tell my left and right. I have to hold up my hands and find the hand with is in the shape of an ‘L’. It’s difficult when learning to drive or in similar circumstances.
I still don’t know my times-tables. I find mentally doing maths very difficult. Division, multiplication, addition and subtraction. It does’nt make sense. I can’t remeber formulas, and similar. For me maths is like a foreign language. As if I’m trying to read Japanese (Which I know about five words in) I know numbers, like 1,2,3,4,5,6,7…etc. I know which order they go in but anything beyond that I can’t comprehend.
I find buying things hard because it requires working out the prices, adding them together, all the cents and stuff, Change confuses me, and I find it awkward checking my change to make sure I get the right back.
Time and distance is confusing for me, I miss-judge how much time has passed, whether over-estimate, or under-estimate, I’ve been confused about what time of the year it is at school, I never remember dates, I don’t know distance, I couldn’t guess at 1metre, or 100metres. I’m bad at working out the space of a doorway. Multiple times I’ve walked into a door frame because I couldn’t think of how big I was compared to the gap, or I got the angle wrong.
I can’t dance or learn dance, I read something about it “Difficulty in activities requiring sequential processing, from the physical (Eg. Dance)”.
There are so many things that go back to maths that I have difficulty with. I never really thought of them as connected until I started reading this sort of thing. And as I said. Things clicked.
If I do have Dyscalculia, it will be a relief to have a word to describe whats wrong.
I find maths annoying and frustrating, I’ve failed alot of maths tests because I couldn’t grasp the concept. It sucks to be a teenager with maths difficulties because maths is everywhere, and we use it everyday.
11. HEATHER COLLINS | September 23rd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Hi Emily Smith
read my previous entry. Email me at collinseh@hotmail.com and i may well be able to help you.
Heather Collins
12. suza | November 14th, 2009 at 5:07 am
My gifted son is about to be tested with the TOWL4. His hand writing is often filled with malformed letters, he is not always able to keep words from flying up off the line, but more importantly in spite of the fact that he is in 4th grade and the school has clocked him reading at a 7th grade level, he has trouble with the content of writing. Adjectives escape him as does detail. Answers are very bare bones brief. Paragraphs are often filled with repetitive thoughts, and no ‘back up”. I don’t see this test as giving enough to content, is there anything that you can recommend?- thank you in advance for any information you can provide. sz
13. dawn matthews | November 28th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hi,
Now I would have to test him to be sure of anything, and I do now offer Skype tests so that i can onbserve the kid and see how he is doing thing things and kinds of mistakes he makes he makes and what he is good at etc. etc.
but it sounds as though he might have a learning difference called Hyperlexia. this is kind of the opposite to dyslexia, where the kid has no problem recalling,remembering and recognizing the words but does have problems understanding their meanings.
I talk about it a bit more under the heading “the autistic spectrum”. I include a beginning test for it on nonsense words. if he cannot read nonsense words then consider this.
Get back to me after this if you like.
Cheers
Dawn
14. Dyslexia: What's in a Nam&hellip | February 11th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
[...] [...]
15. Helen Mascall | February 12th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Hi, I think my daughter (aged 9) has dysgraphia. All the classic signs are manifested in her written work, except her ability to write very creatively & with lots of expression – you just can’t read it easily as she has poor handwriting/punctuation & spelling skills. She also has great difficulty with maths, in particular any form of calulation/times tables, telling the time etc and mental maths is a form of torture for her. However, she can do graphs, symmetry etc. She has good co-ordination & dances etc. Do you think we should have her tested for these two ‘conditions’ as a place to start finding her some strategies & solutions or could something else be the cause of her difficulties?
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed