25/08/2026
Dysgraphia is a specific learning difficulty that mainly affects writing skills. A child may know what they want to say but have difficulty putting it down on paper clearly, efficiently, and accurately.
Common signs of dysgraphia
✏️ Poor or inconsistent handwriting — letters may be uneven, poorly formed, or difficult to read.
📏 Poor spacing and alignment — words may be crowded, spread out, or drift above/below the line.
🐢 Slow writing speed — takes much longer than peers to complete written work.
💪 Excessive pencil pressure or an awkward pencil grip.
🔤 Difficulty with letter formation, sizing, direction, or maintaining consistent writing.
📝 Difficulty copying from the board or copying accurately.
🧠 Difficulty putting thoughts into written form, despite being able to explain them verbally.
😣 Fatigue, frustration, or avoidance of writing tasks.
Important point
Dysgraphia is not simply “bad handwriting.” It can involve difficulties with fine-motor control, visual-motor integration, motor planning, spelling, written expression, and the automaticity of writing.
From an Occupational Therapy perspective, assessment may look at handwriting mechanics, fine-motor skills, visual-motor integration, posture, pencil grasp, writing speed, and the child's functional performance in school.
Simple way to explain it to parents/teachers:
“A child with dysgraphia may have the ideas and knowledge, but the act of writing those ideas on paper is unusually difficult.”
Consult your Pediatric Occupational Therapist for the same
