Handwriting - can you help me collect my thoughts?

[Robotindisguise]

DD has dyspraxia, with executive function issues which present similar to inattentive ADHD and Aspergers syndrome. She is 11 but her writing is infant school standard. although her thought processes and work on a computer are above average for her age and she's good at Maths and languages.

The mark-making / writing issue was picked up straight away at school, and we've had a LOT of occupational therapy and similar (we're now in another country and they do it a bit differently, but on the same lines). Lots of core strength / motor skills work.

Now - to be fair, her muscle tone is low (very hypermobile as well) despite effort. But her fine motor skills on eg sewing are excellent. It's just handwriting. And I'm beginning to feel like it's not the physical side of things at all. I'm beginning to think it's an organisational / working memory issue.

We did the Magic Link course a couple of years ago and she completed it and could do the Magic Link handwriting as long as that was all she was doing - practising the handwriting. But the moment she started to write for another reason - so her concentration was on what she was trying to say in her writing rather than forming the words - it all immediately went to pot - dramatically so, like she'd never done the course. The skills learned on that course have now totally vanished (this isn't uncommon for DD, we have to teach her the same stuff again and again often.

Does anyone have any experience of eg dysgraphia? That wasn't on her diagnosis but if anyone has dysgraphia, she does. And any success with any programme at all about the organisational side of handwriting?

I'm sure a lot of people will talk to me about core skills / crossing the line / figure 8s with gym ribbons / kneading dough - but honestly, we've done all that a lot.

In the same boat here, OP... my DD is nearly 6 and this is becoming a noticeable problem for her. I’ve been able to find some videos on you tube about it but still in the dark really.

I'm pretty sure I'm dysgraphic, although my handwriting (printing) is legible. I can remember stuff, know what I want to say etc, but when I start writing it comes out messy, badly spelt and a bit jumbled up. It's as though there are too many things to do at once (spelling/handwriting/organising/remembering etc). Very like what you describe.

Of course I didn't realise when I was younger, but I avoided writing as much as possible (my favourite subjects were Art and Maths), chose sciences at A-level, and it only really caused a problem at university when there were long-answer/essay type exam questions. Invariably I would fail these and somehow scrape through on resits!

I think it is a processing problem rather than motor skills, though I may be wrong - that's just based on my experience. I'm good at many fine motor skills crafting/machine sewing/plaiting hair etc. If I were you, I would focus on her keyboard skills as I think handwriting will be obsolete in the future. I wonder whether the right teaching would have helped me (eg learn the grammar/how to structure an essay etc) and also if breaking the art of writing down a bit, so for example, someone acting as scribe and then she copies it down later.

I had a great memory when I was younger and generally did well at school. I was no good at sport as I couldn't run very fast/catch a ball etc etc, so probably a least mildly dyspraxic, but interestingly, the gross motor skills started to kick in when I was about 15/16 and suddenly I was able to do all these things although I am still a little 'clumsy'. I guess we're all different!

Thanks both. There can’t be many in this boat as this thread has rather sunk without trace.

Generally she does keyboard work but her secondary school (science especially) does love a worksheet with a box to write the answer in (no lines). She wants to be like everyone else so tries to write in them but it’s pretty much illegible. Luckily I found a really good app (SnapType) which helps a lot

I was thinking about your DD earlier; sorry you’ve not had more replies! I know there are very good speech to text apps which the school may be able to access but you could get one at home perhaps and see how she gets on?

I should probably push that further - her SENCO thinks it’s a good idea but she hates the idea of it - hates anything that marks her out...

With your DD have you tried a ribbon and stick - there’s a good one in Decathlon - doing a figure 8 for crossing the line practice? It’s noticeable how poor DD is at it.

Reading this with interest. My DS is 6 and struggling hugely with handwriting. Really interested to read your thoughts about processing issues etc and how all the progress your DD made seemed to vanish - we see this too.

It does feel like feeling your way in the dark. There was a programme called Speed Up! which DD did at 6 which was very good (although not successful for us you could see it had been well thought through). Are other posters’ children having occupational therapy?

@HairyFeline would you be able to share the Youtube videos here?

@Robotindisguise
This is one I found very helpful.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=4oy18h5Ta0g&t=3111s