Writing Deficiencies in Children With Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's syndrome, a neurological condition sometimes described as high-functioning autism, causes deficiencies in fine-motor skills and some aspects of high-level thinking. Children with the disorder find it hard to express their thoughts coherently in essays and other compositions.

Handwriting Problems

• Children with Asperger's often write with slow, awkward movements. Problems with fine-motor skills and understanding spatial relationships can result in an almost illegible handwriting, even by the standards of other children the same age.

Obsession With Details

• Teachers may notice that students with Asperger's syndrome have exceptional memories, which can cause them to get lost in a sea of unrelated details when they write. They may repeat the same idea over and over, have trouble getting to the point of an essay or lose track of the topic before they reach the end.

Concrete Versus Abstract

• Students with this disorder do best when writing a step-by-step explanation of a process. They have trouble writing creatively, developing a plot or working with abstract concepts, e.g., "friendship."

Classroom Helps

• Dr. Leslie Carter of the American Mental Health Alliance suggests that allowing students to use a computer for homework makes more sense than trying to improve their handwriting. Asperger's students do well with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to learn paragraphing and other composition techniques. They also benefit from detailed and organized feedback on their work.