Handwriting Problems in teens with autism

Poor handwriting among children with autism tends to persist well into the teen years.

Unlike with younger children, the reason for poor handwriting among autistic teens seems to have less to do with motor skills issues than with problems in perceptual reasoning, or the ability to reason through problems with nonverbal material.

Handwriting problems may offer clues about how the brains of kids with autism function and what types of interventions could help overcome such difficulties. Handwriting is important for success in school, in social life and on the job. Being able to write clearly is even more important for people who have difficulty communicating verbally, as many with autism do.

Researchers asked 24 girls and boys aged 12 to 16 years in America, half of whom had an autism spectrum disorder, to write a scrambled sentence ('the brown jumped lazy fox quick dogs over') as neatly as they could. IQ tests showed all of the teens, both with autism and typically developing, scored within the normal range of perceptual reasoning. Researchers also tested teens' motor skills, including balance and timed movements. The handwriting sample was scored on five measures, including legibility, form, alignment, size and spacing.

It was found that on an average, kids with autism had poorer handwriting than kids without autism. The average score for autistic kids was 167 out of 204 possible points, and normally developing teens scored an average of 183. While teens with autism were also more likely to have motor skill impairments, problems in that area were not associated with sloppier handwriting. Yet scoring worse on the test of perceptual reasoning was associated with worse handwriting among children with autism.

Almost every subject taught in school requires handwriting skills, so if a child or adolescent has writing difficulties, this can be very frustrating. Kids with autism may need more time to complete their tests and homework. An occupational therapist can determine why a child or adolescent is having difficulty writing and offer help. Handwriting requires many skills, including visual skills, hand strength, memory, and good posture. Different kids have different problems, so it is important to individualise the methods used to improve handwriting.

Therapies that may work include using special pencil grippers, lined paper and exercises to improve posture, coordination and strength. Some kids find that using a computer or other keyboard is much easier than writing. These therapies could help teens with autism to progress academically and develop socially.