Dysgraphia - Causes and Symptoms

Definition

Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects the fundamental functions of writing.

This problem manifests itself in the absence of intellectual and neurological deficits, and is characterized by a difficulty in reproducing alphabetic and numerical signs (note: the disorder concerns exclusively graphism).

In schools, dysgraphia can result in:

Illegibility and irregularity of graphemes;
Insecure or flickering trait in the reproduction of letters and numbers;
Fatigue, excessive slowness, tension and stiffness in the hand, arm and / or shoulder;
Inadequate body position (often in an overly inclined way) and incorrect handle of the graphic instrument (pencil or pen);
Poor capacity to use the available space (eg the margins of the sheet or the spacing between rows are not respected, the letters are not tied together or are too far apart, etc.);
Approach of the hand to the sheet not adequate (the pressure exerted is excessively strong or weak);
Difficulties in dictation or copying words and sentences from the board;
Discontinuity of the graphic gesture (presence of interruptions) and inversions of directionality (difficulty in proceeding from left to right, remaining on the line);
Alteration of the writing rhythm (poor harmony of the gesture and frequent interruptions).

Dysgraphia is related to difficulties in fine motor skills, often associated with a picture of dyspraxia, which makes it impossible to automate the motor routine necessary for the realization of the written sign.

The disorder can be caused by factors that negatively affect the child's development, such as severe social isolation or emotional deprivation, tension, low self-esteem, lack of motivation and maladjustment.

Dysgraphia can also result from delays in language learning, communication difficulties or dyslexia, motor coordination deficits and incomplete lateralization (a process that allows synchronized movements between vision and graphic realization).

Evolutionary dysgraphia can occur in association with dysorthography, which consists in the difficulty in correctly translating the sounds that make up words into graphic symbols.