If your child avoids writing tasks, struggles to organise their ideas, or constantly battles with spelling and grammar, you may be seeing signs your child has a writing disorder.
These challenges can go beyond typical learning hurdles and affect how children express their thoughts clearly through writing.
A writing disorder isn’t just about poor handwriting – it can be rooted in deeper language-based difficulties. That’s where speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can help.
At Pop, our speech therapists use evidence-based strategies to strengthen spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and idea organisation. Our goal is to support children in building their written expression skills in ways that feel achievable and engaging.
If you’re noticing early signs of a writing disorder explored below, we offer free discovery calls to help you figure out whether speech therapy might be the right step for your child.
Recognising the Signs: Difficulties with Writing Skills
Writing disorders typically become noticeable when a child starts school, between the ages of 6 and 8. This is when children are expected to write simple sentences and complete basic writing tasks.
However, the challenges can become more apparent as academic demands increase, usually by the time children are around 9 to 10 years old.
In some cases, difficulties may not fully emerge until later, such as during the high school years, when writing assignments become more complex.
For example, a 10-year-old might take hours to finish a homework assignment because they don’t know how to get started, avoid writing activities like birthday cards, or feel upset when their written work doesn’t match the ideas they can easily share out loud. These signs can point to a writing difficulty that needs support.
Research suggests that approximately 7-10% of school-aged children experience writing challenges linked to language processing or motor skills difficulties.
Common Indicators of Writing Challenges
Parents can look out for signs of writing difficulties in their child’s everyday activities, such as:
- Messy or hard-to-read handwriting
- Frequent frustration or avoidance of writing tasks
- Lack of detail in writing
- Difficulties spelling simple words
Common Signs by Age
Here are some common signs that your child may have writing difficulties by age:
| Signs of Writing Difficulties for a 6 Year Old | Messy handwriting: Difficulty forming letters clearly, with inconsistent sizes and shapes, making it hard to read.
Limited sentence structure: Struggling to form complete sentences or relying on very basic sentence patterns, such as “The dog ran.” |
| Signs of Writing Difficulties for a 10 Year Old | Difficulty with organisation: Struggling to organise thoughts in writing, leading to unclear or jumbled ideas in stories or assignments.
Frequent spelling mistakes: Regularly misspelling common words or showing no improvement over time, despite repeated practice. |
| Signs of Writing Difficulties for a 14 Year Old | Inconsistent writing skills: Writing that may be hard to follow or not matching their verbal abilities; for example, they can express ideas clearly in conversation but struggle to write them down.
Avoidance of writing tasks: A noticeable reluctance to complete writing assignments or a tendency to procrastinate or give up easily when faced with writing projects. |
Concerned That Your Child Has a Writing Difficulty? Book a Free Discovery Call to Speak with a Speech Therapist.
How Long Does Speech Therapy Take?
How many sessions will you need to start seeing progress? What does progress look like for children?
The duration of speech therapy varies depending on the individual needs of a child, the severity of the writing or language challenges, and the goals set for therapy.
Typically, children begin to show progress after about 6 to 12 sessions, but this can vary. Some children may see improvements sooner, while others might require more time and practice. Speech therapy often involves weekly sessions, though the frequency can be adjusted based on the child’s needs and progress.
Ultimately, progress will be measured by how well the child is meeting their specific goals and how their confidence in writing and communication continues to grow. Regular feedback from parents, teachers, and the therapist will help track improvements.
Start Your Speech Therapy Journey with Pop Family Today!
Worried about your child’s writing progress? Let’s talk it through. Book a free discovery call with one of our friendly speech therapists—no pressure, no jargon, just real answers about what might help your child thrive.
Ready to start your speech therapy journey with Pop?
Discover the difference Pop Online Speech Therapy can have in your child’s writing ability by booking a free discovery call.
References:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Speech and language disorders in children. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/
Stoeckel, R. E., McHugh, K. E., & O’Malley, A. C. (2013). Early intervention for children with writing disorders: The role of speech-language pathologists. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 56(3), 872-883. https://doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2012/12-0171)
Berninger, V. W., & Abbott, R. D. (2013). Executive function and the functional impact of writing disorders in children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 46(6), 516-528. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219413486272
Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools. A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Alliance for Excellent Education. Retrieved from https://all4ed.org/reports-factsheets/writingnext/
Shaywitz, S. E., & Shaywitz, B. A. (2008). Reading and writing disorders: Their functional impact on academic and social development. Pediatrics, 121(6), e1525–e1531. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2007-2712
Snow, C. E. (2010). Academic language and the challenge of reading for understanding. American Educator, 34(4), 8-13. Retrieved from https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Snow.pdf
