Low muscle tone (aka hypotonia) is a real problem during handwriting. It might appear to be weakness. It isn’t. It might appear to be poor coordination. It isn’t.
Kids with low muscle tone are often holding their pencil in a fist, making so many control errors that their letters and numbers are illegible. They incorrectly substitute vertical and horizontal lines to write because they struggle with circular and diagonal strokes. They aren’t being supported well by their teachers because…teachers aren’t therapists. They should not be expected to know how to assess and manage low muscle tone. That is why occupational therapists should be screening preschool students and pediatricians should be proactive about referrals. They know what low tone looks like. They just don’t know that something can be done to avoid all the tears and the frustration..
First, I want to tell you about my handout packs. Then I will give you a list of handwriting tricks:
After writing volume II of my JointSmart series, Living and Thriving With Hypermobility: The School Years , I decided to write a handout pack specifically on special needs handwriting. It is NOW available on Your Therapy Source!
Have a kid with hypermobility due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Down syndrome, or PWS?
I loved writing both of my books on hypermobility in kids, and I will eventually write volume III for the tween and teen with hypermobility. The book that addresses handwriting strategies and adaptations is Volume II in the JointSmart Child series: The JointSmart Child: Living and Thriving with Hypermobility:
I realized last summer that my handout packs, sold on Your Therapy Source , are also an affordable resource for both parents and professionals. These are easy-to-read single sheets, have less theory and more practical information per page than my books, and get right down to the information people need in the moment.
So…what are the tricks that improve handwriting?
Not every child with hypermobility has hypotonia, also known as low muscle tone. But every child with low muscle tone will have some degree of hypermobility. It can be mild or moderate, or severe. And it makes holding a pencil and writing far more challenging than many realize. My book covers the basics, but not everyone wants to buy a book just to get ideas for handwriting and handwriting instruction. Each child is unique. Not every idea will work for every child. But there are some cheap and easy strategies that can make a difference right away.
These are the “go-to” techniques that work:
- Do not underestimate the power of posture. Even some PTs can get away from the basics of looking at the core first. Kids with low tone need more supportive seating than other kids, so constantly prompting them to sit up won’t matter as much as providing the right seating.
- The best writing utensil can matter a lot more than anyone realizes. A sharp pencil, and one a bit on the thicker side, gives more control to a child that could need the extra advantage. I am a big fan of the thicker mechanical pencils. They deliver both attributes in a colorful and affordable package.
- Teach kids with low tone to check their posture, grip, and paper positioning occasionally. They don’t have a wide latitude of error for poor positioning. Teaching this early and making it a habit will be worth the effort. Some kids need a written checklist to consult: let them make one and place it in a plastic sleeve or on a large Post-It note on their desk.
- Consider offering micro-breaks. Muscle fatigue happens more quickly with hypotonic kids. Letting them take long breaks isn’t always as helpful as shoe breaks with some gentle range of motion moves.
