Search
agraphia (dysgraphia)
Inability to express one's thoughts in writing.
Etiology:
1) motor system disorders
2) Gerstmann syndrome
3) lesions of the inferior parietal lobe produce both alexia & agraphia
4) idiopathic
Clinical manifestations:
1) children
a) generally emerges when they are first introduced to writing
b) they make inappropriately sized & spaced letters, or write wrong or misspelled words, despite thorough instruction
c) other learning disabilities may be present
d) usually have no social or other academic problem
2) adults
a) generally occur after some trauma
b) poor handwriting
c) wrong or odd spelling
d) production of words that are not correct (i.e., using 'boy' for 'child')
Special laboratory:
Assessment:
1) ask the patient to write a complete sentence
2) if the patient cannot write, ask him/her to dictate a sentence
3) motor system disorders produce a mechanical agraphia
4) Gerstmann syndrome produces an aphasic agraphia
Management:
- treat motor disorders to help control writing movements
- address impaired memory or other neurological problems
- use computers to avoid the problems of handwriting
- prognosis
- some individuals improve their writing ability, others do not
General
learning disorder (learning disability)
References
- nlmpubs.nlm.nih.gov/hstat/ahcpr/
- Cummings, Hospital Practice, May 1993, pg 56-68
- NINDS Dysgraphia Information Page
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Dysgraphia-Information-Page