Q: I visited your website and want to get some pointers from you. I live in the Detroit area. My 12-year-old son is in seventh grade. He's intelligent and plays well with friends. He plays clarinet and guitar, organizes his toys and plays video games. But he has a handwriting problem and his work is often untidy and unreadable with spelling errors. I often tutor him and his school gives him pages of cursive handwriting work, which he sometimes does well.
Can you let me know a contact in our area so that I can get a consultation for him? I do not want my son to know, as he feels bad if I suggest a doctor. My son says, "No, I do not have a problem! I am careless!" Could you guide me on what to do?
A: First I want to assure you that many boys have handwriting problems. While some girls also do, they're much more common for boys. If that is your son's only problem and all else is going well for him at school, you won't have to see a doctor at all. You can ask the school to arrange for the occupational therapist to do an evaluation of your son's problem to determine if strengthening his hand muscles by occupational therapy would improve his handwriting. If the school doesn't consider the problem serious enough to allow an evaluation, you can ask your family doctor about an occupational therapist in your area to conduct the evaluation. Occupational therapy evaluations are usually covered by health insurance if your doctor makes a referral.
Because your son is already 12, encourage him to type as much work on a computer as possible.
He would benefit by taking a keyboarding class. While using a computer, he can also learn to use spell-check to improve his spelling errors. If the occupational therapist evaluates him as having a problem, he or she could possibly send a letter to the school requesting that your son be allowed to use a notebook computer or alpha-smart keyboard while others are writing. In this age of technology, consider that learning to type well on a computer may help your son be more successful than improving his handwriting.
If your son's problem goes beyond handwriting, it's possible that he could also have attention problems or other disabilities. Under those circumstances, a psychologist who specializes in children could help you. Again, the school can possibly provide you with services through the school psychologist or recommend someone in your area in a local clinic. Because you mentioned that he also makes spelling errors, it's possible that his admitted carelessness is a problem, or he may have other learning problems. Either way, a psychologist can help identify the problems and recommend approaches to use in improving his achievement.
For free newsletters about pencil anxiety, learning disabilities, underachievement or ADHD, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the address below.
Dr. Sylvia B. Rimm is the director of the Family Achievement Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the author of many books on parenting. More information on raising kids is available at www.sylviarimm.com. Please send questions to: Sylvia B. Rimm on Raising Kids, P.O. Box 32, Watertown, WI 53094 or srimm@sylviarimm.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM
