Does your child have illegible or sloppy handwriting? Did you know that it is possible to improve your handwriting with graphotherapy?
Illegible handwriting, refusal to write, sloppy notebooks, a certain slowness, forgotten words, complaints from the teacher can hide dysgraphia (difficulty learning or performing the writing) in children or adolescents.
Symptoms
- Calligraphic forms are not respected
- Tenses write
- A badly held pencil
- An entry that is too slow or too fast
- The proportions are not respected, the "l" and the "e" are the same size for example
- The writing is too big, clumsy or too small, unstructured
- The child shows signs of writing anxiety (sweating, refusal, hesitation)
Possible solutions
- Have him try graphic tools so that he can choose the one that suits him best (pen, pencil for the anxious who can erase, the felt tip that slips, the fountain pen, etc.)
- Correct pen grip (thumb and index finger pinch the style, middle finger holds it)
- Let him handle modeling clay (invigoratesfingers), stringing beads, etc.
- Correct posture (avoid chairs with casters that are not stable enough), have them sit at the back of the chair against the backrest and in the middle, their forearms at table height, their heads not too straight near leaf)
Tips
Do not devalue the child at the risk of amplifying his problem and blocking him further. If problems persist, consult a graphotherapist.
Who is the graphotherapist
The graphotherapist is a qualified graphologist who has undergone specific training, both theoretical and practical. The fees are free and not covered by Social Security in France.
This technique is increasingly popular in Europe, but is little used in Quebec. It would be possible to get information from the Association des graphologues du Québec who can refer you to a specialist.
How does rehabilitation work?
After a graphomotor assessment including tests, control of laterality, examination of the child's notebooks, an interview with the child and the parents, and if the dysgraphia is proven, the child will take personalized rehabilitation sessions of approximately 45 minutes weekly.
Sites to learn more
- PasseportSante.net
- Graphotherapist-graphotherapy
