The main symptom of dysgraphia is extremely bad handwriting that is often illegible. Dysgraphia is not usually diagnosed until third or fourth grade because written assignments are not long or complex enough for problems to show up.
Students with dysgraphia will often be able to type, as this does not require the same motor skills as handwriting. They may also benefit from taking oral examinations instead of written tests. If handwriting is necessary, using graph paper with one letter or number per box will help students with dysgraphia to write clearly.
Although dysgraphia and dyslexia are separate disabilities they are believed to have the same underlying cause. According to a report in the Sept. 15, 2009, journal "Cortex," scientists think that both disabilities are caused by impairments in the brain's procedural learning system, with dysgraphia affecting motor skills and dyslexia affecting language skills.