dysgraphia

neurological disorder

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder that impairs handwriting ability. It is characterized by illegible writing or writing that requires excessive time and effort. When present in children, it is classified as a learning disability, meaning it is a chronic difficulty in learning to write, believed to have a neurological origin. This does not indicate subnormal intelligence, but rather a neurologically based difficulty in processing language. In adults, dysgraphia is typically acquired due to brain damage from events like stroke or trauma.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

neurodiversity
Kinds of neurodiversity
…in numbers and mathematics), and dysgraphia (difficulty writing). Dyspraxia, sometimes called developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a neurodevelopmental difficulty with movement and coordination. Many other conditions are sometimes included under the neurodivergent umbrella.
Read More
…in numbers and mathematics), and dysgraphia (difficulty writing). Dyspraxia, sometimes called developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a neurodevelopmental difficulty with movement and coordination. Many other conditions are sometimes included under the neurodivergent umbrella.
Read More