Handwriting & Occupational Therapy
BY CARRIE PIKE, OT 

Handwriting is one of the most important skills anyone develops.  Students use it in school for just about every class, adults use it to fill out forms, make shopping lists, write out checks; the list goes on.  And yet, more and more children are displaying difficulty with handwriting.

Handwriting difficulties range from messy or illegible handwriting to labored handwriting resulting in early fatigue.  General indicators of handwriting problems are avoidance of writing, awkward pencil grips, quick fatigue during writing tasks, or messy or disorganized writing. What most people don’t know is that all of these indicators are most likely due to underlying causes such as weak or poor muscle control in the upper extremities and hands, poor motor planning, visual perceptual problems or even a sensory processing problem.  The good news is that all of these things can be improved thus improving handwriting. 

Children as young as preschool age can show early signs of handwriting difficulties such as, if they struggle with prewriting skills, crayon skills, and copying shapes.  Early intervention is the best approach to improving handwriting difficulties.

Occupational Therapists specialize in treating the underlying causes of handwriting difficulties.  Services can be provided within the school setting or at a local clinic.  Treatment is made fun and meaningful by using activities that each child or person enjoys doing to help build the skills necessary for handwriting. 

Results Physical and Occupational Therapy will hold a workshop, Easing Handwriting Headaches on April 8^th at 5:30 pm at our Bangor clinic 890 Hammond Street. If you or someone you know has any of these handwriting issues please call (992-4042) to reserve a seat at this workshop. One of our Occupational Therapist will go over the signs, the issues, and some of the ways to improve handwriting problems.

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