Bad writing and hypermobility

[FiveHoursSleep]

My DS is 6 and in Y2. At our school they do joined up writing from the start and with my older DDs this looked terrible for a year or two, but was legible by Y2. My son's writing still looks like an insect crawled across the page. No one can read it. Even his numbers are messy.
He does have hypermobility and has inserts in shoes and a cushion to sit on in class. Could this be a reason for his terrible writing, and is there anything that might help?

Writing slope? Pencil grips? Finger putty

Mostly Occupational therapy. A really good occupational therapist

I have EDS and my writing is mostly messy, for me it is because my thumbs and wrists get very sore when I try, or they just refuse (kind of numb feeling). It goes right up to my shoulder.
Have you asked him if it is uncomfortable to write?

He finds it very tiring. I will ask the school what they can do.

Yes - it's almost definitely a reason. Are his fingertips especially bendy? If so, he will have problems with maintaining a good and not tiring pencil grip and with knowing where his fingers are and controlling the pencil.

Things that can help are:

Chunky triangular pens or pencils, or a pencil grip. Stabilo do shaped handwriting pens which are supposed to be good, though DS1 refuses to use his.

Hand gym - lots of ideas if you google, but the idea is to strengthen the fingers and improve coordination, so activities like moulding dough, or manipulating a small coin from palm to fingers and between his fingers.

Sometimes a writing slope can help, as this improves the positioning of the paper.

If his writing is particularly heavy, practice with a soft pencil, shading from dark to light, then writing his name as lightly as possible, so it can be rubbed out without making a mark and doesn't go through to another sheet of paper.

I'd ask gp for referral to ot. If the school can support you even better

Ds has dyspraxia and hypermobility, and he only just got the hang of joined up writing in year 4. It takes time. Personally, I'd ask the teacher to forget about the joining up for now and concentrate on legibility. He's still very young, so take one challenge at a time imo.

Try a Twist N Write pencil. They're great for children with hypermobility.

Thank you for a recommendation Sexy. I have ordered some of those and will ask school if he can try them.

My dos also has hypermobility. He has no tension in his fingers, he uses the twist and write pencils.

Any toy that improves hand motion control would help, it doesn't have to be only handwriting. Some ideas here: www.happypuzzle.co.uk/categories/puzzles-for-special-needs/Puzzles-and-games-to-help-with-dyspraxia.aspx?page=ShowAll

Also DS loves this drawing board: www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1704714.htm

Or these maze books: www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=416631&cm_mmc=googleBase-------_-Very%20Big%20Maze%20Book&utm_source=google&utm_medium=basefeed&gclid=CO395szxu8ECFSXHtAodcwkAzw

This game is very good but expensive: www.happypuzzle.co.uk/products/MAGNA-MAZE.aspx

You need a referral to an OT. They can assess him and provide aids if needed. I'm surprised that school haven't done this before. My 2 are in years 3 and reception and have already had lots of input from the OT both in a clinic setting and at school. My year 3 child has just been put on a special handwriting programme by his OT with a view to having his own computer in school within a year or two ready for secondary.