Poor handwriting is one of the most common symptoms of dyspraxia. Children who have poor handwriting don’t need their parents or a teacher to tell them about it. Every time they write, they can see that they are not as good as their friends.

Handwriting expert Dr Rosemary Sassoon believes that children with dyspraxia should be judged only against their own best efforts. They should be encouraged to progress in a relaxed way. Her leaflet A Quick Look at Handwriting Problems gives practical suggestions about working with children to develop handwriting skills.

As the child progresses through the educational system, the requirement for written work increases. Take Time by Mary Nash-Wortham and Jean Hunt provides exercises that can help with handwriting. Write from the Start by Ion Teodorescu and Lois Addy are two books that contain the Teodorescu Perceptuo-Motor Programme, for developing the fine motor and perceptual skills for effective handwriting.