Teenagers still holding pen in fist

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Has anyone got any experience of this. DD is 15, very bright and extremely talented at drawing;but she has always held her pen/ pencil in her fist. She started with serious wrist pain last year so has been trying to hold her pen correctly, making her handwriting appalling! However on Friday she developed serious pain in her forearm and we noticed a click in her elbow, she was unable to sit an exam.
I should have taking this more seriously, I feel like the worst DM in the world! We are talking to the GP again and engaging with an occupational therapist as soon as possible but has anyone experienced this, can anyone give any history/ advice please?

Nobody then?

I hold a pen strangely, without a picture it’s difficult to explain but I definitely hold it more in my first than between fingers and it’s been commented on a lot.

As a short term solution given her exams are so near and she’s a talented artist is there any problem with her just holding the pen / pencil the way that comes naturally to her? Trying to ‘correct’ this doesn’t feel right at this time?

I hope the pain resolves soon

I know a teacher who has the most beautiful handwriting and she holds her pen in her fist, her children do too and they have better handwriting than me

Can I suggest you look up dysgraphia. It may or may not fit.

My daughter is now 24 but when in primary school she held her pen in her fist and was told she would never get into uni holding a pen that way
Anyway she aced her GCSEs, aced her A levels and has graduated uni with a first class degree, going on to do her masters this year.
If your child is comfortable holding a pen that way ignore everyone else, and leave them be. Is the pain from trying to hold it 'correctly'?

It sounds like she could be applying too much pressure in both the fist and proper holding position. It's so easily done, especially when you are writing fast - like practicing for an exam.

Do you think you could find some extra fat pens for her to use? Opening up her grip (whichever she uses to get her through the exams) may help relieve some of the tension and pain.

Long term though, it is important to hold a pen correctly. The hand position to write with a fist is 90 degrees different to that required when you hold a pen between your fingers, and more delicate movements can be difficult as the whole arm tends to move, rather than just the hand.