WELD also known as dysgraphia can well be described as a specific learning disorder which impacts a person’s ability to both produce and construct coherent, accurately spelled, grammatically correct, and punctuated sentences. WELD is therefore not like common writing problems that most people may experience from time to time, but rather involves having severe problems in organizing thoughts coherently, constructing proper sentences or even expressing ideas on the written form to match the age, intelligence or education of a person.
Epidemiology
Written language disorder is believed to affect learners equally as other learning disorders. Across academic areas of learning, including reading, writing, and math, a 5%-15% rate of a particular learning disorder pervades children of school going age across diverse languages and cultures.
Epidemiology of WELD is skewed regionally with many of the studies done in North American and European settings.
The figures may not accurately capture the actual global prevalence because different diagnostic criteria and school-based interventions exist all over the world.
Anatomy
Pathophysiology
The causal mechanisms of Written Expression Learning Disorder (WELD) also known as dysgraphia are not well elaborated, however, genetic aspects are central to its development. Several causative genes involve neurodevelopment and plays a crucial role in brain connectivity DYX1C1, ROBO1, and KIAA0319 are associated with learning disorder including WELD. These genes influence the movement of neurons in the brain, the direction of axon growth in developing neurons, and synaptic plasticity, the ability to modify the connections and communication between neurons required to build circuits responsible for language impairment and motor disturbances. Mutations in these genes may even cause disorders in the formation and functioning of part of the cognition organisms that is responsible for motor control, memory, and language which may lead to writing impairment.
Etiology
Brain Structure and Function: Differences in brain regions related to language processing, motor control, and working memory (e.g., frontal and parietal lobes) are common. These areas are integral to writing processes such as organizing ideas, grammar, and fine motor skills.
Neurological Pathways: Since writing requires fine motor skills as well as coordination between the hands and writers’ higher cerebral centers including Broca and Wernicke’s areas, it is so vital. Abnormal functioning in these circuits might lead to acquisition of immature written language and slow development of written language fluency.
Family History: WELD has been described in many patients that are of familial origin and there is evidence that WELD is genetically determined. It is considered that some mutations of genes make it difficult to learn and master the skills of handling language, work with the focus and coordination of movements necessary for writing.
Genetics
Prognostic Factors
The prognosis for Written Expression Learning Disorder (WELD), also known as dysgraphia, varies widely depending on several factors: the degree of severity of the disorder, the age at which he or she was diagnosed, and the existence of other illnesses such as ADHD or dyslexia, as well as the targeted interventions.
Clinical History
Age Group:
Dysgraphia is a common learning disorder which begins in childhood and adolescence, although it is noticeable in school going children. Although it can appear in early childhood, children are usually identified to have this problem during the period that a child writes more complicated sentences and organizes ideas in middle and late childhood (ages 7-12). However, some children may not be diagnosed until they are adolescents or even adults, they are just overlooked, or another factor is attributed to them.
Physical Examination
For a person suspected to have Written Expression Learning Disorder, common physical assessment features may include examining or looking for other causes of weak written expression other than WELD or a learning disorder.
Age group
Associated comorbidity
Other Learning Disorders
Reading Disorder (Dyslexia)
Mathematics Disorder (Dyscalculia)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Anxiety and Depression
Expressive Language Disorder
Fine Motor Skills Challenges
Associated activity
Acuity of presentation
Mild Acuity: Children will sometimes have wrong spelling or grammatical issues and may also have issues with sentence construction but that does not cause a major issue to academic performance. In mild cases, a child may gradually gain functioning with such support as writing tools or tutoring.
Moderate Acuity: Small problems with grammar, punctuation, spelling and structure become larger problems when doing commonplace writing. The written work might take a lot longer; students get easily frustrated.
Cognitive-behavioral interventions such as extended time, teaching of outline templates, and employing graphic organizers are regularly essential.
Severe Acuity: The disturbance includes written communication, so it affects performance in almost all writing tasks. This may entail extreme impairment in ability to express self on paper, organize thoughts into clear concepts or write sentences and even handwriting.
In more serious cases, common interventions may be augmented with writing schema, such as using ‘voice-recognition’ software and teaching approaches of this nature.
Differential Diagnoses
Reading Disorder (Dyslexia)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Motor Disorders
Language Disorders
Intellectual Disabilities
Laboratory Studies
Imaging Studies
Procedures
Histologic Findings
Staging
Treatment Paradigm
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): Individual objectives to accommodate the learning of the student’s writing profile.
Strategies: Explicit instruction in writing mechanics, pertaining more to spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax.
Graphic organizers: Assisting the students before they write their ideas on paper.
Frequent practice with feedback: Allowing the learners to write often with some direction given.
Assistive Technology: Some of the helpful aids are word and other word processors, voice dictation, and spell check.
Focus on Writing Process: Approaches and techniques in teaching brainstorming, writing first drafts, rewriting, and proofreading. Collaboration with Support Teams: To have educators in special education, speech therapists as well as psychologists to diversify the team.
Behavioural Strategies: Rewards or precise encouragement for any writing activity accomplished.
by Stage
by Modality
Chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy
Surgical Interventions
Hormone Therapy
Immunotherapy
Hyperthermia
Photodynamic Therapy
Stem Cell Transplant
Targeted Therapy
Palliative Care
lifestyle-modifications-in-treating-weld
Quiet, Distraction-Free Workspace: Give the student an environment that will not make them get bored or distracted while writing.
Use of Technology: Permit the use of speech recognition text to speech (e.g., Read Write), word processing programs with Spell checkers or grammar checkers.
Extended Time: More time on assignments, especially writing ones and tasks that require time pressure should be given as much time as possible to enable the student to organize their thoughts.
Graphic Organizers: Use templates or graphic maps to help the learner plan the details in a more appropriate way before putting pen to paper. This could be writing templates such as for writing essays, outline or even brainstorming.
Clear Instructions and Expectations: Provide clear, step-by-step instructions and expectations for writing assignments. This can help reduce anxiety and confusion about the task at hand.
Access to Writing Support: Let the student write with a writing coach or tutor or allow the student to work with a special education teacher for writing activities.
role-of-management-in-treating-weld
Assessment and Diagnosis: One should recommend the evaluation of writing problems with the help of the standard test and checks that will help to define the severity of the problems and particular issues which may include grammar, spelling, and organization of the texts.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Intervention Plan: Develop personal learning plan based on student’s requirements or needs, that may involve additional time or/and use of special tools.
Skill Development: Concentrate the efforts of teaching error-free writing only in terms of spelling, writing speed, grammars, formation of sentences and the arrangement of ideas in writing through many special activities and approaches.
Strategy Teaching: Instruct methods such as outlining, idea generation and guided use of graphic organisers when writing and planning tasks require organisation.
Ongoing Support and Monitoring: To monitor the level of accomplishment and the effectiveness of the interventions, it is necessary to re-evaluate and reassess the objectives and goals and offer constant assistance and support to sustain and enhance the skills in writing.
Collaboration with Educators and Parents: The teachers, therapists and caregivers should have limited and constant references for the development of writing for the learner at school as well as at home.
»
Home » CAD » Written Expression Learning Disorder
Written Expression Learning Disorder
Updated :
December 16, 2024
WELD also known as dysgraphia can well be described as a specific learning disorder which impacts a person’s ability to both produce and construct coherent, accurately spelled, grammatically correct, and punctuated sentences. WELD is therefore not like common writing problems that most people may experience from time to time, but rather involves having severe problems in organizing thoughts coherently, constructing proper sentences or even expressing ideas on the written form to match the age, intelligence or education of a person.
Written language disorder is believed to affect learners equally as other learning disorders. Across academic areas of learning, including reading, writing, and math, a 5%-15% rate of a particular learning disorder pervades children of school going age across diverse languages and cultures.
Epidemiology of WELD is skewed regionally with many of the studies done in North American and European settings.
The figures may not accurately capture the actual global prevalence because different diagnostic criteria and school-based interventions exist all over the world.
The causal mechanisms of Written Expression Learning Disorder (WELD) also known as dysgraphia are not well elaborated, however, genetic aspects are central to its development. Several causative genes involve neurodevelopment and plays a crucial role in brain connectivity DYX1C1, ROBO1, and KIAA0319 are associated with learning disorder including WELD. These genes influence the movement of neurons in the brain, the direction of axon growth in developing neurons, and synaptic plasticity, the ability to modify the connections and communication between neurons required to build circuits responsible for language impairment and motor disturbances. Mutations in these genes may even cause disorders in the formation and functioning of part of the cognition organisms that is responsible for motor control, memory, and language which may lead to writing impairment.
Brain Structure and Function: Differences in brain regions related to language processing, motor control, and working memory (e.g., frontal and parietal lobes) are common. These areas are integral to writing processes such as organizing ideas, grammar, and fine motor skills.
Neurological Pathways: Since writing requires fine motor skills as well as coordination between the hands and writers’ higher cerebral centers including Broca and Wernicke’s areas, it is so vital. Abnormal functioning in these circuits might lead to acquisition of immature written language and slow development of written language fluency.
Family History: WELD has been described in many patients that are of familial origin and there is evidence that WELD is genetically determined. It is considered that some mutations of genes make it difficult to learn and master the skills of handling language, work with the focus and coordination of movements necessary for writing.
The prognosis for Written Expression Learning Disorder (WELD), also known as dysgraphia, varies widely depending on several factors: the degree of severity of the disorder, the age at which he or she was diagnosed, and the existence of other illnesses such as ADHD or dyslexia, as well as the targeted interventions.
Age Group:
Dysgraphia is a common learning disorder which begins in childhood and adolescence, although it is noticeable in school going children. Although it can appear in early childhood, children are usually identified to have this problem during the period that a child writes more complicated sentences and organizes ideas in middle and late childhood (ages 7-12). However, some children may not be diagnosed until they are adolescents or even adults, they are just overlooked, or another factor is attributed to them.
For a person suspected to have Written Expression Learning Disorder, common physical assessment features may include examining or looking for other causes of weak written expression other than WELD or a learning disorder.
Other Learning Disorders
Reading Disorder (Dyslexia)
Mathematics Disorder (Dyscalculia)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Anxiety and Depression
Expressive Language Disorder
Fine Motor Skills Challenges
Mild Acuity: Children will sometimes have wrong spelling or grammatical issues and may also have issues with sentence construction but that does not cause a major issue to academic performance. In mild cases, a child may gradually gain functioning with such support as writing tools or tutoring.
Moderate Acuity: Small problems with grammar, punctuation, spelling and structure become larger problems when doing commonplace writing. The written work might take a lot longer; students get easily frustrated.
Cognitive-behavioral interventions such as extended time, teaching of outline templates, and employing graphic organizers are regularly essential.
Severe Acuity: The disturbance includes written communication, so it affects performance in almost all writing tasks. This may entail extreme impairment in ability to express self on paper, organize thoughts into clear concepts or write sentences and even handwriting.
In more serious cases, common interventions may be augmented with writing schema, such as using ‘voice-recognition’ software and teaching approaches of this nature.
Reading Disorder (Dyslexia)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Motor Disorders
Language Disorders
Intellectual Disabilities
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): Individual objectives to accommodate the learning of the student’s writing profile.
Strategies: Explicit instruction in writing mechanics, pertaining more to spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax.
Graphic organizers: Assisting the students before they write their ideas on paper.
Frequent practice with feedback: Allowing the learners to write often with some direction given.
Assistive Technology: Some of the helpful aids are word and other word processors, voice dictation, and spell check.
Focus on Writing Process: Approaches and techniques in teaching brainstorming, writing first drafts, rewriting, and proofreading. Collaboration with Support Teams: To have educators in special education, speech therapists as well as psychologists to diversify the team.
Behavioural Strategies: Rewards or precise encouragement for any writing activity accomplished.
Pediatrics, General
Quiet, Distraction-Free Workspace: Give the student an environment that will not make them get bored or distracted while writing.
Use of Technology: Permit the use of speech recognition text to speech (e.g., Read Write), word processing programs with Spell checkers or grammar checkers.
Extended Time: More time on assignments, especially writing ones and tasks that require time pressure should be given as much time as possible to enable the student to organize their thoughts.
Graphic Organizers: Use templates or graphic maps to help the learner plan the details in a more appropriate way before putting pen to paper. This could be writing templates such as for writing essays, outline or even brainstorming.
Clear Instructions and Expectations: Provide clear, step-by-step instructions and expectations for writing assignments. This can help reduce anxiety and confusion about the task at hand.
Access to Writing Support: Let the student write with a writing coach or tutor or allow the student to work with a special education teacher for writing activities.
Pediatrics, General
Assessment and Diagnosis: One should recommend the evaluation of writing problems with the help of the standard test and checks that will help to define the severity of the problems and particular issues which may include grammar, spelling, and organization of the texts.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Intervention Plan: Develop personal learning plan based on student’s requirements or needs, that may involve additional time or/and use of special tools.
Skill Development: Concentrate the efforts of teaching error-free writing only in terms of spelling, writing speed, grammars, formation of sentences and the arrangement of ideas in writing through many special activities and approaches.
Strategy Teaching: Instruct methods such as outlining, idea generation and guided use of graphic organisers when writing and planning tasks require organisation.
Ongoing Support and Monitoring: To monitor the level of accomplishment and the effectiveness of the interventions, it is necessary to re-evaluate and reassess the objectives and goals and offer constant assistance and support to sustain and enhance the skills in writing.
Collaboration with Educators and Parents: The teachers, therapists and caregivers should have limited and constant references for the development of writing for the learner at school as well as at home.
WELD also known as dysgraphia can well be described as a specific learning disorder which impacts a person’s ability to both produce and construct coherent, accurately spelled, grammatically correct, and punctuated sentences. WELD is therefore not like common writing problems that most people may experience from time to time, but rather involves having severe problems in organizing thoughts coherently, constructing proper sentences or even expressing ideas on the written form to match the age, intelligence or education of a person.
Written language disorder is believed to affect learners equally as other learning disorders. Across academic areas of learning, including reading, writing, and math, a 5%-15% rate of a particular learning disorder pervades children of school going age across diverse languages and cultures.
Epidemiology of WELD is skewed regionally with many of the studies done in North American and European settings.
The figures may not accurately capture the actual global prevalence because different diagnostic criteria and school-based interventions exist all over the world.
The causal mechanisms of Written Expression Learning Disorder (WELD) also known as dysgraphia are not well elaborated, however, genetic aspects are central to its development. Several causative genes involve neurodevelopment and plays a crucial role in brain connectivity DYX1C1, ROBO1, and KIAA0319 are associated with learning disorder including WELD. These genes influence the movement of neurons in the brain, the direction of axon growth in developing neurons, and synaptic plasticity, the ability to modify the connections and communication between neurons required to build circuits responsible for language impairment and motor disturbances. Mutations in these genes may even cause disorders in the formation and functioning of part of the cognition organisms that is responsible for motor control, memory, and language which may lead to writing impairment.
Brain Structure and Function: Differences in brain regions related to language processing, motor control, and working memory (e.g., frontal and parietal lobes) are common. These areas are integral to writing processes such as organizing ideas, grammar, and fine motor skills.
Neurological Pathways: Since writing requires fine motor skills as well as coordination between the hands and writers’ higher cerebral centers including Broca and Wernicke’s areas, it is so vital. Abnormal functioning in these circuits might lead to acquisition of immature written language and slow development of written language fluency.
Family History: WELD has been described in many patients that are of familial origin and there is evidence that WELD is genetically determined. It is considered that some mutations of genes make it difficult to learn and master the skills of handling language, work with the focus and coordination of movements necessary for writing.
The prognosis for Written Expression Learning Disorder (WELD), also known as dysgraphia, varies widely depending on several factors: the degree of severity of the disorder, the age at which he or she was diagnosed, and the existence of other illnesses such as ADHD or dyslexia, as well as the targeted interventions.
Age Group:
Dysgraphia is a common learning disorder which begins in childhood and adolescence, although it is noticeable in school going children. Although it can appear in early childhood, children are usually identified to have this problem during the period that a child writes more complicated sentences and organizes ideas in middle and late childhood (ages 7-12). However, some children may not be diagnosed until they are adolescents or even adults, they are just overlooked, or another factor is attributed to them.
For a person suspected to have Written Expression Learning Disorder, common physical assessment features may include examining or looking for other causes of weak written expression other than WELD or a learning disorder.
Other Learning Disorders
Reading Disorder (Dyslexia)
Mathematics Disorder (Dyscalculia)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Anxiety and Depression
Expressive Language Disorder
Fine Motor Skills Challenges
Mild Acuity: Children will sometimes have wrong spelling or grammatical issues and may also have issues with sentence construction but that does not cause a major issue to academic performance. In mild cases, a child may gradually gain functioning with such support as writing tools or tutoring.
Moderate Acuity: Small problems with grammar, punctuation, spelling and structure become larger problems when doing commonplace writing. The written work might take a lot longer; students get easily frustrated.
Cognitive-behavioral interventions such as extended time, teaching of outline templates, and employing graphic organizers are regularly essential.
Severe Acuity: The disturbance includes written communication, so it affects performance in almost all writing tasks. This may entail extreme impairment in ability to express self on paper, organize thoughts into clear concepts or write sentences and even handwriting.
In more serious cases, common interventions may be augmented with writing schema, such as using ‘voice-recognition’ software and teaching approaches of this nature.
Reading Disorder (Dyslexia)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Motor Disorders
Language Disorders
Intellectual Disabilities
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): Individual objectives to accommodate the learning of the student’s writing profile.
Strategies: Explicit instruction in writing mechanics, pertaining more to spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax.
Graphic organizers: Assisting the students before they write their ideas on paper.
Frequent practice with feedback: Allowing the learners to write often with some direction given.
Assistive Technology: Some of the helpful aids are word and other word processors, voice dictation, and spell check.
Focus on Writing Process: Approaches and techniques in teaching brainstorming, writing first drafts, rewriting, and proofreading. Collaboration with Support Teams: To have educators in special education, speech therapists as well as psychologists to diversify the team.
Behavioural Strategies: Rewards or precise encouragement for any writing activity accomplished.
Pediatrics, General
Quiet, Distraction-Free Workspace: Give the student an environment that will not make them get bored or distracted while writing.
Use of Technology: Permit the use of speech recognition text to speech (e.g., Read Write), word processing programs with Spell checkers or grammar checkers.
Extended Time: More time on assignments, especially writing ones and tasks that require time pressure should be given as much time as possible to enable the student to organize their thoughts.
Graphic Organizers: Use templates or graphic maps to help the learner plan the details in a more appropriate way before putting pen to paper. This could be writing templates such as for writing essays, outline or even brainstorming.
Clear Instructions and Expectations: Provide clear, step-by-step instructions and expectations for writing assignments. This can help reduce anxiety and confusion about the task at hand.
Access to Writing Support: Let the student write with a writing coach or tutor or allow the student to work with a special education teacher for writing activities.
Pediatrics, General
Assessment and Diagnosis: One should recommend the evaluation of writing problems with the help of the standard test and checks that will help to define the severity of the problems and particular issues which may include grammar, spelling, and organization of the texts.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Intervention Plan: Develop personal learning plan based on student’s requirements or needs, that may involve additional time or/and use of special tools.
Skill Development: Concentrate the efforts of teaching error-free writing only in terms of spelling, writing speed, grammars, formation of sentences and the arrangement of ideas in writing through many special activities and approaches.
Strategy Teaching: Instruct methods such as outlining, idea generation and guided use of graphic organisers when writing and planning tasks require organisation.
Ongoing Support and Monitoring: To monitor the level of accomplishment and the effectiveness of the interventions, it is necessary to re-evaluate and reassess the objectives and goals and offer constant assistance and support to sustain and enhance the skills in writing.
Collaboration with Educators and Parents: The teachers, therapists and caregivers should have limited and constant references for the development of writing for the learner at school as well as at home.
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