In today’s digital world, handwriting can often be overlooked and may not become a real problem until a child is not keeping up in class or complains of hand pain or cramps during assignment or exam writing. There are a number of common childhood handwriting problems.
However, if concerns arise at home or school, early intervention is the best solution. Most often concerns are raised by a child’s teacher if they notice a child has poor handwriting legibility, fatigues quickly or not keeping up with the class during writing tasks.
These are some of the potential problems to look out for early when your child begins to write:
1. Poor or unusual pencil grasp
2. Inconsistent or incorrect letter formation
3. Inconsistent letter sizing
4. Letter reversals (up to age 8 can be common and not necessarily a concern if it is the only problem)
5. Mixed capital/lower case
6. Too light/heavy pencil pressure
7. Difficulty writing in a straight line or in between the lines
8. Your child complains of hand pain during or after writing or you observe them taking frequent breaks/shaking/stretching their hands
9. Reluctance to complete any writing tasks / avoiding pen/paper activities
So, how do you know if your child needs help with their handwriting?
If your child consistently demonstrates any of the above problems over a period of time without improvement, they may benefit from assessment and possible handwriting remediation.
If any of the above has raised concerns about your child’s handwriting, our hand therapists at Helping Hands are trained in the assessment and intervention related to common handwriting problems and can offer an individual consultation to get your child on track to improve their writing. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team today!
