Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder and learning disability that concerns impairments in written expression, which affects the ability to write, primarily handwriting, but also coherence. It is a specific learning disability (SLD) as well as a transcription disability, meaning that it is a writing disorder associated with impaired handwriting, orthographic coding and finger sequencing (the movement of muscles required to write). It often overlaps with other learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders such as speech impairment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
| Dysgraphia | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Disorder of written expression |
| Three handwritten repetitions of the phrase "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" on lined paper. The writing, by an adult with dysgraphia, exhibits variations in letter formation, inconsistent spacing, and irregular alignment, all key characteristics of the condition. | |
| Specialty | Neurology, Pediatrics |
| Symptoms | Poor and inconsistent handwriting, Poor spelling and spacing, Other transcription difficulties in absence of oral language difficulties |
| Usual onset | Early school age |
| Duration | Lifelong |
| Types | Linguistic Dysgraphia, Motor Dysgraphia, Spatial Dysgraphia |
| Causes | Genetic and Neurological factors |
| Risk factors | Family History, Co-occurring Developmental Disabilities |
| Differential diagnosis | dyslexia, written language learning disability |
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), dysgraphia is characterized as a neurodevelopmental disorder under the umbrella category of specific learning disorder. Dysgraphia is when one's writing skills are below those expected given a person's age measured through intelligence and age-appropriate education. The DSM is unclear in whether writing refers only to the motor skills involved in writing, or if it also includes orthographic skills and spelling.
Dysgraphia should be distinguished from agraphia (sometimes called acquired dysgraphia), which is an acquired loss of the ability to write resulting from brain injury, progressive illness, or a stroke.
The prevalence of dysgraphia throughout the world is not known, due to difficulties in diagnosis and lack of research.