Does your child have difficulty with writing? Support with a graphotherapist can help. Definition, price, course of the session, reimbursement… Catherine Ranval-Dario, graphotherapist, tells us more about this specialty.
Illegible writing, pain in the wrist, distorted letters or lack of desire to write… For various reasons, a child may experience difficulties in learning to write. These can increase over time, especially at school, in the absence of appropriate care. To help their child, parents can call on the services of a graphotherapist. What does this job consist of? In which cases to consult for your child and how does a session take place? Answers with Catherine Ranval-Dario, graphotherapist in Paris.
What does a graphotherapist do?
Specialist in writing, the graphotherapist treats all graphic malfunctions. “In graphotherapist, there is the word therapistbecause in addition to a writing problem, there is often something else that disturbs the child”, nou explains Catherine Ranval-Dario.
“For example, a young person with high potential can present a dyssynchrony, that is to say that there will be a difference in rhythm between his psychomotor development, his affective development and his intellectual development. This combined with a lack of self-confidence, self-esteem will then be reduced. The graphotherapist will try to determine what is malfunctioning graphically and why”. develops the specialist.
“The graphotherapist will try to determine what is malfunctioning graphically in the child and why.”
When should you consult a graphotherapist for your child?
It is recommended to consult a graphotherapist when a child has difficulty with writing (sequences between ineffective letters, damaged line, poor grip of the pencil, unsuitable posture, etc.). “Either his writing is illegible, or he does not finish his homework, or he complains of pain in the wrist or fingers, he begins to divest from graphics activities. Sometimes it is the parents who made their child work a lot, especially during confinement, who noticed that he was not getting to work quickly, that he was delaying the moment of writing, they felt in the observation that the writing was not progressing smoothly, that it was an expensive gesture, that it required an effort from him”, details our interlocutor.
What is the price of a session with a graphotherapist?
The price of a session varies according to the location and the training of the graphotherapist. As it is not a regulated profession, the fees are free. The price of a session with a graphotherapist generally varies between 40 and 90 euros. The cost of one graphomotor balance sheetit is 120 to 160 euros.
There supported of the child duringa graphotherapy session begins with a graphic assessment which will make it possible to detect the cause of the problem of writing in children. For two hoursthe graphotherapist observes the holding of the pencil of the child, his posture facing the writing.
“We are also looking at the graphics speed which are evaluated according to calibrations by age group. Then, we zoom in more particularly on the spelling by looking at the areas of the letters, the supports, whether it is effective or not, we look mechanically at how it works, then graphically, we also look at the copying, the reading. For the older ones, we give spelling tests“underlines the expert. In some cases too, the graphotherapist can redirect the child to a Speech Therapistan orthoptist or other specialist.
What is graphic rehabilitation?
At the end of the graphotherapy assessment, if the specialist considers that graphic support is necessary, he will suggest that the child do graphic rehabilitation during which he will make him make several small practical and fun exercises. The idea is to rediscover fluidity in writing, ease of gesture and the pleasure of writing. “I work a lot with the imagination so that it becomes part of the child’s memory. He must be able to reuse the tools afterwards, that the gestures become spontaneous”, emphasizes Catherine Ranval-Dario.
Are graphotherapy sessions reimbursed?
Nowadays, graphotherapy is not a regulated profession and is not recognized by the state. THE consultations are therefore not reimbursed by social security, but some mutuals offer full or partial coverage depending on the contract to which you have subscribed. It should also be noted that sometimes, graphotherapists are psychologists or other therapists who have chosen to train in this complementary discipline.
Thanks to Catherine Ranval-Dario, graphotherapist in Paris.