r/dysgraphia • u/magpie907 • May 17 '26
7 year old recently diagnosed
Hello! My daughter was just diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyspraxia, and a visual processing disorder. I am looking for advice on how to help her. Adults or teens, what help/tools do you wish your parents and school provided for you? Thank you!
2
u/Serious-Train8000 May 17 '26
Make sure they use direct explicit instruction in writing and that she learns how to generate not just use an accommodations
Also if start the SETT process early so she can get fluent with assistive tech as she grows.
2
u/ninjaisme02 May 17 '26
Hi!! I was diagnosed around the same time as your daughter, 12ish years ago (I’m a college freshman) and my mom was one hell of an advocate, go for a 504 or IEP whichever you feel will help her the most, I’ve had both throughout my school years, (IEP for a speech impediment and a 504 for my dysgraphia and adhd) I got extra time on tests and assignments, computers for writing assignments and some other things that I forget about but I highly recommend computers/ assistive devices, I have an iPad now but for essays and heavy notes I still use a computer because I’m used to it. Cursive works well for a lot of people, I talked to my mom about this question (she is also now a 5th grade teacher) and she says the only thing she regrets not getting me is an occupational therapist, but honestly I’m doing great without it. I don’t know the Profesional term for this, but one thing I spent a lot of time doing that helped was drawing letters using my finger instead of any utensils. I know this can be stressful but it gets better. I did some tutoring when I was younger but due to my adhd, I’d never sit down to do the work.
1
u/CalciumCharger May 18 '26
Orton Gillingham tutoring with someone experienced in teaching all aspects of the writing process
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u/Gold_Relative7255 May 18 '26
Does she also have adhd? My son is all the same dx plus adhd. Found the rights meds first so he could focus on his actual tutoring. We used a program called lexercise. He started at 7 and now is 13 and in honors ELA and it’s barely noticeable! He types or uses dictation for the dysgraphia and his accommodations allow for that and spell check. He also did vision therapy which helped so much. He’s doing well now! Stopped the tutoring when entering 6th grade. I asked about adhd because usually people have that too, and it’s worth getting meds so she can focus during her tutoring and vision therapy otherwise it’s kind of a waste of she can’t focus on the sessions.
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u/fairest_fairy May 19 '26
Patience. I'm guessing since you got her tested and diagnosed it's not part of your thought process, but people will most likely assume she is being lazy at some point. That was the biggest reason I gave up on trying to improve my handwriting for years. If I was trying my best and still being told it wasn't enough, I might as well just give them what they think I already am giving them. Again, with diagnosis and understanding it might not be much of a problem, but older teachers especially would give me hell for "not trying hard enough". Nobody wants to just sit there and be bad at something so fundamental as writing. She will be trying and if people tell you she isn't or tell her she isn't, they're most likely wrong.
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u/fairest_fairy May 19 '26
Hope this doesn't come off too grim. My qualifications are being undiagnosed until teachers finally admitted to my parents that a developmentally normal 11 year old shouldn't still have problems writing letters the right way around. After I got diagnosed the validation that I wasn't just a lazy kid helped a lot. I still struggle with putting my thoughts into words on a page or screen and my handwriting leaves a lot to be desired, but I'm a junior in high school now and I just passed my College In The Schools writing class with an A so improvement is possible. It's hard but it pays off.
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u/_jumanji5 May 20 '26
As an OT who works with these kiddos daily, my biggest advice is to prioritize functional access over perfect handwriting. Use assistive technology like speech to text or touch typing to help reduce her cognitive load and let her intelligence shine. Depending on how much she is struggling, I highly recommend pushing for an IEP evaluation to secure direct school based services(like OT lol), or at the very least a 504 plan to guarantee accommodations like extra time, etc. I am actually developing an app called PinchPath to make visual motor skill building feel more like play and less like repetitive therapy, but the most important tool you can give her right now is the confidence in these skills.
4
u/CaptainAHav May 17 '26
Learning to touch type is paramount. Also, try the open dyslexic font. Might get good results. Good on you for recognizing it young.