Is it normal for autistics handwriting to look like trash?

Post Reply New Topic

My handwriting is awful. Despite efforts over the years it's not improved much.

I'm usually pretty focused on it, but I just don't have the fine motor control or whatever to produce good handwriting for more than a sentence or so. Also, writing hurts.

Symptoms of dysgraphia

A mixture of upper/lower case letters, irregular letter sizes and shapes, unfinished letters, struggle to use writing as a communications tool, odd writing grip, many spelling mistakes (sometimes), pain when writing, decreased or increased speed of writing and copying, talks to self while writing, muscle spasms in the arm and shoulder (sometimes in the rest of the body), inability to flex (sometimes move) the arm (creating an L-like shape), and general illegibility.

Many people who are dysgraphic experience pain while writing. The pain usually starts in the center of the forearm and then spreads along the nervous system to the entire body. This pain can get worse or even appear when a dysgraphic is stressed. Few people who do not have dysgraphia know about this, because many with dysgraphia will not mention it to anyone. There are a few reasons why pain while writing is rarely mentioned:
Sufferers do not know that it is unusual to experience this type of pain with writing.
If they know that it is different from how others experience writing, they feel that few will believe them.
Those who do not believe that the pain while writing is real will often not understand it. It will usually be attributed to muscle ache or cramping, and it will often be considered only a minor inconvenience.
For some people with dysgraphia, they no longer write, and just type everything, so they no longer feel this pain.

Dysgraphics who experience this pain may exhibit reluctance or refusal to complete writing tasks.
Symptoms of dysgraphia


A mixture of upper/lower case letters, irregular letter sizes and shapes, unfinished letters, struggle to use writing as a communications tool, odd writing grip, many spelling mistakes (sometimes), pain when writing, decreased or increased speed of writing and copying, talks to self while writing, muscle spasms in the arm and shoulder (sometimes in the rest of the body), inability to flex (sometimes move) the arm (creating an L-like shape), and general illegibility.

Many people who are dysgraphic experience pain while writing. The pain usually starts in the center of the forearm and then spreads along the nervous system to the entire body. This pain can get worse or even appear when a dysgraphic is stressed. Few people who do not have dysgraphia know about this, because many with dysgraphia will not mention it to anyone. There are a few reasons why pain while writing is rarely mentioned:
Sufferers do not know that it is unusual to experience this type of pain with writing.
If they know that it is different from how others experience writing, they feel that few will believe them.
Those who do not believe that the pain while writing is real will often not understand it. It will usually be attributed to muscle ache or cramping, and it will often be considered only a minor inconvenience.
For some people with dysgraphia, they no longer write, and just type everything, so they no longer feel this pain.

Dysgraphics who experience this pain may exhibit reluctance or refusal to complete writing tasks.

Cases of dysgraphia in adults generally occur after some neurological trauma. Dysgraphia may also be diagnosed in a person with Tourette syndrome, ADHD, learning disability or an autism spectrum disorder such as Asperger syndrome. The DSM IV identifies dysgraphia as a "Disorder of Written Expression" as "writing skills (that) ...are substantially below those expected given the person's ...age, measured intelligence, and age-appropriate education."

My handwriting is beautiful, a work of art. And a nightmare. I give more focus to writing nicely than to what I'm writing about. My college notes are beautifully presented, but I have no idea what's in them. It's also time consuming because if I make a mistake, then I have to rewrite the whole page.

Cases of dysgraphia in adults generally occur after some neurological trauma. Dysgraphia may also be diagnosed in a person with Tourette syndrome, ADHD, learning disability or an autism spectrum disorder such as Asperger syndrome. The DSM IV identifies dysgraphia as a "Disorder of Written Expression" as "writing skills (that) ...are substantially below those expected given the person's ...age, measured intelligence, and age-appropriate education."

My handwriting ranges from quite neat to utterly illegible. Often in the same sentence. There is no consistency.

I just remembered the times I have read that being left-handed probably causes my terrible handwriting, and I am like, really. Left-handedness causes handwriting so bad it can be diagnosed as a learning disability? I don't think so.

Wow, was that author from the south?

My dad was ostracized in school for lefty-ness and was forced to write the right way. He ended up the salutatorian in high school, though ....HA HA

Edit: Grade school was in Alabama.