Many children find tasks such as drawing and writing to be very frustrating or even upsetting. Sometimes parents notice their child’s handwriting is difficult to read, or teachers identify an ineffective pencil grasp in the classroom. Perhaps your child notices sore hands when they write for long periods of time and are writing less than their peers in test situations. These clues suggest it might be time to speak to an Occupational Therapist (OT) for some support.  

An OT can help you to discover why your child is experiencing difficulties with handwriting and can tailor an individual program for them. OT’s can work with you and your child’s teachers to help your child regain their confidence and build their skills in fun and motivating ways.  

OT’s make handwriting fun 

OT’s love to use multisensory activities, games and movements to help build motivation and minimise frustration. We use your child’s interests, be that lego or cooking, craft or games, storytelling or sports and help build their confidence away from the classroom environment. OT’s can encourage your child to engage in handwriting again and begin to enjoy a whole range of new skills. 

The many skills required for handwriting  

There are a lot of different factors involved in legible handwriting, and despite digital technology, handwriting skills remain important during the education years and well into adulthood.  

Fine Motor Skills & Strength 

An important stepping stone to efficient handwriting is strength and dexterity in the hand, finger and upper body muscles. OT sessions can introduce you to activities and games that you can repeat at home to safely build up your child’s strength and muscle control, making handwriting easier and reducing fatigue or risk of injury.  

Grip & Control 

Some children need encouragement to learn the correct way to hold a pencil or know where to place their thumb and fingers. OT’s can trial a range of basic tools such as pencil grips or weighted pencils to help children develop better pencil control and improve their letter formation, writing fluency and legibility.  

Coordination 

Handwriting requires coordination between the left and right side of the body, between hand and eye movements, and the ability to work across the midline. OT intervention can assist your child to practice and develop vital coordination skills and make handwriting feel easier. Reducing the effort of handwriting can improve your child’s overall focus and attention in the classroom.  

Posture & Stability 

Given that most handwriting is done while sitting at a table or desk, control becomes easier if your child is supported in an efficient posture. It may also be necessary to strengthen core muscles to maintain good postural stability during desk-based tasks. OT’s can consider if your child would benefit from additional ergonomic equipment at home or school to help them perform better with their writing tasks.  

Visual-Perceptual Skills 

There are many cognitive skills required within a classroom environment to create legible handwriting, for example noticing details, remembering what letters look like and copying shapes. OT’s can review a child’s ability to understand what their eyes see and turn that into written movement on paper. Helping your child to work on any challenges in their visual-perceptual skills can improve their overall ability to complete many academic tasks which in turn boosts their confidence, social engagement and school performance.  

Handwriting assessments  

Occupation Therapists can assist with a formal assessment and report to outline how your child is performing in comparison to age expectations and assist with pursuing a diagnosis. Assessments outcomes can also be used to inform your child’s school or education facility about how they can adapt the learning environment or modify exam and assessment conditions to accommodate your child’s needs. With the right support, your child can show their full potential without handwriting getting in the way.  

If you feel your child would benefit from some support or assessment from an OT, then please contact us for more information.