anyone come across some funky chunky pencils for handwriting issues?

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

my daughter has poor proprioception and severe hypermobility. handwriting is astonishingly awful although it CAN be ok if she is able to concentrate only on that (copying stuff and going very slowly or on proper handwriting paper with the extra lines). Now some of it is quite possibly laziness when she is doing normal writing, some of it is lack of lines on paper (sometimes they don't appear to have any lines on the paper) and some of it is no doubt due to her fingers bending back and proprioception issues.

so we have some lovely pencil grips which are sensory ones but she doesn't like using them because they are different and people might comment, she is better with either these or chunky pencils so I was looking to try and find chunky writing pencils which aren't toddlerish in design and which she might be proud to use rather than embarrassed.

Anyone know of any?
thanks

www.amazon.co.uk/Staedtler-triplus-triangular-learners-pencil/dp/B0054GFWJO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468495265&sr=8-2&keywords=chunky+pencil ? I think these are the ones we've got - we've certainly got Staedtler ones with the stripes, so they look like "normal" school pencils?

www.amazon.co.uk/STABILO-EASYcolors-12-right-handers--Ergonomic/dp/B002SN9R1U/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1468495265&sr=8-8&keywords=chunky+pencil For colouring pencils these look quite good?

Don't mind me, I'm just looking for ideas too.

thanks PansyGiraffe and hello RatOnnaStick.

those look good, and like you say they aren't immediately obviously different.

Rat - we have some of these pencil grips - I got a selection pack from somewhere, can't remember where though which has 10 of 5 different sorts in. it was an education website I found them on. and we also have some long ones that can be scrunched up, doubled over etc to suit the child. She is quite sensory seeking so these are nice for her but as I say she doesn't want to use them at school.

funandfunction.com/tactile-grip-package.html

We were recommended the stabilo easy range by occupational therapy they do a really nice mechanical pencil and triangular pencils with grips as well as pens.

thanks sjane03

Both my DC stuggle with their grip. I've a million grips that go on pencils but they aren't keen.

They don't like ones linked to above with the cut outs but both like silver bobbly triangle ones. Faber Castell grip pencils.

I should add that unlike the grips the pencils don't force the proper grip in the same way and my two still revert to a non-standard grip unless I keep reminding them.

nonickname thanks. DS is the opposite - quite sensory-averse but he might like to try them. Also the triangle pencils look up his street. He's only 5 but an almost complete writing refuser so anything that might look a bit funky may be a way forward.

Creamcracker - I agree. This was why we ended up using an ink based pen at home.

www.amazon.co.uk/STABILO-START-EASYoriginal-Handwriting-Handed/dp/B00T7ULULW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468497301&sr=8-1&keywords=stabilo+easy+original

This forces you to hold the pen in the right way or the ink won't flow. DD still tried it but realised soon that is wasn't perfect.

She now writes at school with this pen and at home with a proper fountain pen and finally her writing is legible.

OT told us that it is largely a case of trial and error to find out what works best for each child. DS didn't get any benefit from pencil grips but he finds the stabilo easy range really helpful. The dents seem to support his joints and he says writing doesn't hurt when he uses those. Normally writing was painful for him. So we now have the pens and the propelling pencil and the pack of colouring pencils.

We use the stablo easy as well, made a big difference to DS - DP just got these Lamy ones lamy too - just because it looks nice I think.

I also mix it up with things like gold and silver felt tips, just to keep him interested (DS has poor hand strength, and doesn't really care about writing, so it's an uphill battle getting his hands strong enough so he can control a pencil/pen)

Nice idea about the fountain pens, I might try that (I got him some calligraphy berol felts recently as a new thing to try - and his writing does look nice with them!)

My son likes these

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B008CEOKC0/ref=ya_st_dp_summary

They are the same size as a standard pencil buy are triangular and darker than usual pencils so need less pressure. I do however agree there is so much trial and error in finding the right one for your child!

My DS Occupational therapist also suggested using grid paper to practice with as it is easier for him to have clear lines to write in.

My DS has not yet got a tripod grip and will grasp anything, whatever shape, with his whole fist (he is only 4 1/2 and still in nursery) but these you cannot hold any other way so he uses a tripod grip for them:

crayonrocks.com/

I taught a very clever young man who had problems holding a pencil/pen. He was 17 and an highly skilled rugby player. Most people wrote off his handwriting issue as laziness, a boy thng, a rugby player thing.

He had tried all sorts of pens/pencils and grips but none of them worked. So I gave him a pack of blu tac and told him to wrap a bog standard Bic in it... it worked!

With a few minor changes, he tried to clingfilm it to keep it cleaner, tried white tac as it feels different, changed from Bic to a posher biro... but now, 10 years on, semi pro rugby career over, working as a lawyer, he still uses blu tac on his pens

Maybe your DD will find pencil she like, maybe she wouldn't mind a lump of blu tac - maybe when she is older!

wow - thanks everyone, lots of ideas and suggestions there.

She holds pens and pencils "correctly" and has done since very young but I think it hurts her because she presses her fingers on too tightly and then presses down too hard and so on.

blue tac sounds cool - bet she would go for that!

love the crayon rocks - they look fab