Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing ability and fine motor skills. It interferes with spelling, word spacing, and the general ability to put thoughts on paper, and makes the process of writing laboriously slow. Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder that can affect both children and adults.

Signs:

• Kids with dysgraphia have unclear, irregular, or inconsistent handwriting, often with different slants, shapes, upper- and lower-case letters, and cursive and print styles. They also tend to write or copy things slowly.
• Parents or teachers may notice symptoms when the child first begins writing assignments in school. Other signs of dysgraphia to watch for include:
• Awkward or cramped grip, which may lead to a sore hand
• Difficulty spacing things out on paper or within margins (poor spatial planning)
• Difficulty following a line or staying within margins
• Frequent erasing
• Inconsistency in letter and word spacing
  • Trouble forming letters or spacing words consistently
• Has difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation
• Poor spelling, including unfinished words or missing words or letters
• Unusual wrist, body, or paper position while writing
• Trouble with sentence structure or following rules of grammar when writing, but not when speaking
• Difficulty organizing or articulating thoughts on paper
• Copying or writing is slow or labored
• Pronounced difference between spoken and written understanding of a topic
• This learning disability also makes it hard to write and think at the same time.
  • Creative writing tasks are often especially hard.

Different Kinds of Dysgraphia:

• Dyslexic dysgraphia: In this form of dysgraphia, spontaneously written text (meaning writing that hasn’t been traced or copied) is most strongly affected, and is often illegible, particularly as it goes on. Spelling, either oral or written, is extremely poor. Drawing and copying are not affected. Finger-tapping speed, a commonly used measure of fine motor skills, is in the normal range

• Motor dysgraphia: Motor dysgraphia most strongly affects fine motor skills, so finger-tapping speed is highly abnormal. All forms of writing, either spontaneous or copied, are close to illegible. Drawing and tracing skills are far below average. Spelling skills are usually normal.

• Spatial dysgraphia: This type of dysgraphia most strongly affects the spatial relationship between the writing itself and the medium on which it’s written. This means all forms of handwriting, and particularly drawing, are highly problematic. On the other hand, finger-tapping speed and spelling skills are close to normal.

Knowing What to Look For

Parents (and grandparents) or caregivers are often the first to suspect that a child might be on the autism spectrum. If parents are concerned, they should discuss their observations with a family doctor, pediatrician or nurse practitioner. Some healthcare professionals may advise a “wait and see” approach or suggest that your child will “catch up.” If your child has normal development and then regresses, you should seek help immediately.

Early screening of a child results in an earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment. The earlier a specialized diagnostic team can confirm the diagnosis, the earlier any necessary treatment can begin.  There are many resources available for free until a child is 6 years old.

Some children and adults with autism have serious cognitive disabilities and sensory problems.  They may display extremely repetitive behaviours, including meltdowns, self-injury, defensiveness and aggression.  These are often provoked by anxiety and/or pain.  Without appropriate intervention and understanding the underlying cause, behaviours may become persistent and difficult to change. Living with and caring for a person with autism can be challenging, requiring tremendous patience and an understanding of the condition. 

• Non-verbal reasoning (the ability to understand and analyze visual information and solve problems using visual reasoning)
• Exceptional memory
• Perceptual motor skills (hand-eye coordination, body-eye coordination, auditory language skills)
• Computer proficiency
• Exceptional skills in creative and imaginative expression (music, art, writing, drama)
• Visuospatial ability (capacity to identify visual and spatial relationships among objects)

The above exceptional skills may be combined with subtle characteristics in other areas of development.  All individuals with the diagnosis demonstrate some of the following:

• Impairment in social relationships
• Insufficient communication and use of language
• Perseverating on interests and activities
• Dependence on routine
• Unconventional reaction to sensory stimulation
• Behaviour problems
• Self-Injury
• Tourette's disorder
• Tics
• Bipolar Disorder
• Impulse control disorder
• Catatonia
• Variability of intellectual functioning
• Uneven development profile
• Difficulties with sleeping, toileting and eating
• Immune irregularities
• Gastrointestinal (gut) problems 

It can be very tough for a parent to determine whether behaviors are traits of autism or just ordinary variations in development. How much lining up of toys is excessive? How much desire for repetition is normal? 

There is also the possibility that non-autism-related issues cause some developmental differences. For example, not responding to a name could very well be a symptom of hearing impairment. Late talking could be due to  aphasia or apraxia or speech. 

To properly diagnose autism, professionals use a set of specific tests that actually measure a child's presentation. They may also decide that your child should undergo testing for hearing impairment or speech issues that are unrelated to autism.

For that reason, if you're concerned about your child, take your concerns to your pediatrician. If the pediatrician is not able to help, and you still have worries, it may be time to make an appointment with a developmental pediatrician or another diagnostician.

• At what age do clear autism traits develop? Autism traits usually develop before a child reaches 3 years of age. These traits include impaired communication, social skills, responsiveness, and repetitive behaviour. However, sometimes autistic children with low support needs aren’t diagnosed until later. Since autism presents differently in females, they may also be diagnosed at a later age.

• What are autism traits at 9 to 12 months old? Autistic infants may exhibit a delay in babbling or pointing (which usually develop in the first year of life), as well as impairments in language development—not saying single words by 16 months of age. Among other traits, they may also be under-responsive to social stimuli or not respond to hearing their name.

• What are traits of autism with low support needs? Autism with low support needs combines normal or unusual intelligence with autism traits. A child may do exceptionally well academically, for example, but have trouble relating to peers in social settings. Other traits include a susceptibility to sensory overload; anxiety or depression; lack of organizational skills and problems with “executive function”; emotional dysregulation; and struggling with verbal communication.

Just as there are traits that suggest your child might be autistic, there are common developmental signs indicating your toddler is not autistic. 

You may be concerned that your child displays some autism traits. However, remember that children develop at their own pace and a single delay or atypical behavior isn't usually a sign of an autistic toddler.  There are common developmental milestones that pediatricians will look for at well visits. If your child misses these milestones, it may indicate a developmental delay but not necessarily autism. For example, for a child who misses one or two of these milestones, it may be related to premature birth or managing a medical challenge such as low hearing.

A toddler who responds to their name, copies spoken words, and waves "bye-bye," for instance, is developing normally. It's unlikely they have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a diagnosis that involves a pattern of traits and behaviors. Other physical, intellectual, or mental disorders cannot explain these autism traits. 

It's common to wonder whether a child's unusual tendencies or quirks are just personality traits, delays that shouldn't be a concern, or part of a pattern due to autism spectrum disorder. The following are behaviors that may worry you, but these are not always indicators of autism.  

Your child interacts with you and others and has normal play habits and sensory responses, but doesn't respond to your voice when they have their back turned away from you.  You may see this on a list of autism traits to watch for, but alone, this is not a reason for concern. However, this is common among children who are engaged in an activity. If the lack of response persists, discuss it with your pediatrician to check for hearing loss or other issues. 

If your child developed and behaved like most children until they reached the age of 6 or older, then they likely do not have an autism spectrum disorder, even if straight emerge at a later age.  To be diagnosed, your child must have first shown autism traits at an early age, even if those traits only caused problems in later years. A brand new trait at age 12 or 14 may look a little like autism, but the likely cause is something else. When children start school, some parents begin to see learning delays or an inability to keep up with neurotypical peers. While these traits may be part of a learning disorder and should be evaluated, this is not a clear indication that your child has undiagnosed autism.

A child who seems interested only in very specific or unusual subjects or hobbies is not necessarily autistic. Similarly, an early talent for math, music, or some other activity doesn't usually mean a child has autism, although some people assume that.

Many autistic people hyper-fixate on certain subjects and show special talents at a young age, but these are not autism traits on their own. They may mean your child is highly intelligent and creative.

It's true that many (but not all) autistic children are late talkers. Some never learn to talk at all. But if your child develops normally except for not yet using spoken words, autism is not the likely problem.

Speech delays can result from many factors. Your child may have hearing problems or other issues that impact the brain, such as aphasia, which can affect the part of the brain that controls language.

The pace at which children develop language skills can also differ. Many of these issues can be treated or even cured. Meanwhile, there is a good chance that your child's speech will progress in its own time just fine.

If this issue persists, talking with your child's healthcare provider can help address these delays promptly. Some delays related to speech may be signs of a sensory processing disorder (SPD). These include:

• Not babbling or using words on time
• Lack of eye contact
• Lack of engagement when you're interacting with your child

You've probably heard autistic children tend to be introverts. By and large, that's true. But so are many other people.

There could be many reasons why your child is not overly social. Some of these may be due to real issues while others are not. For instance, some children (and adults) feel overwhelmed when their senses are overly fired up. A great deal of noise or light can prompt them to withdraw.

Some also prefer to quietly read or draw instead of running around with peers. If your child's development is otherwise on pace but they seem to prefer being alone, shyness may be the real reason they appear aloof.

But if you feel that something more is going on, ask for your child to be assessed. You may need to address sensory processing issues or some other problems to help them feel less anxious when they socialize with others.

Autistic kids often like to arrange objects and toys a certain way. In fact, these activities often take the place of real, symbolic play.

However, the desire for order by itself is not an autism trait. If your child lines things up but also plays in the usual ways, chances are they simply like to create order from chaos.

If you have concerns, keep a good eye on your child to see whether they line up objects for a reason, or whether it appears to be compulsive. Try to also observe whether they like to play pretend or other games with you or their peers.

If your child develops typically in other ways, you may have no cause for concern. If you are worried, it is worth your while to consult with your child's healthcare provider.

If your child has achieved the following by their third birthday, they are unlikely to receive an ASD diagnosis:

• They make eye contact most of the time.
• They respond to their name.
• They copy your actions and words.
• They can speak in simple sentences.
• They ask questions.
• They engage in pretend play.
• They show empathy.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism are both neurodevelopmental disorders, and they have several symptoms in common. For example, people with autism and ADHD may both be impulsive,1 and people with both disorders may develop speech later than is typical in children.

ADHD and autism, however, are distinct diagnoses. It's entirely possible to have both ADHD and autism. When that happens (which it does quite often),2 it's important to recognize and treat both disorders appropriately. 

Symptoms of Autism & ADHD:

While the symptoms of ADHD and autism may not look the same on paper, they can look very similar in person.

Traits like distractibility and impulsivity, for example, are part of the ADHD diagnosis. While they're not part of the autism diagnosis, they appear in most people with autism. Speech delays and idiosyncrasies are part of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and not the ADHD diagnosis. Yet, people with ADHD often have speech delays.

Both ADHD and autism are usually diagnosed in childhood, and symptoms are likely to continue throughout patients' lives.

Diagnosis:

There are no medical tests for either ADHD or autism. Diagnosis for both relies on observations, interviews, and assessments of development and behavior. Prior to making an autism or ADHD diagnosis, practitioners conduct tests and ask questions to rule out other possible contributions to attentional issues such as anxiety or a learning disability.

In most cases, autism and ADHD are diagnosed in young children. The process starts when a pediatrician screens a child for symptoms by asking a series of questions about the child's development and behavior. If the screening suggests further testing is necessary, the pediatrician will recommend a full evaluation.

Children who are struggling academically may seek a psychoeducational assessment to assess whether any coexisting learning disabilities (LDs) may exist along with ADHD. A complete assessment of a child’s learning strengths and needs is essential for a student who continues to be impaired at school. Psycho-educational assessments cost approximately $2,000-$4,000

 Psychologists are not covered by provincial health care plans, but may be partially covered by private health coverage. 

 The most important thing to note is that the medical professional you choose must be knowledgeable about ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia or whatever else you might be concerned about in order to get a proper assessment for your child.