ABSTRACT
Children with literacy difficulties can feel a lack of self-worth if they frequently receive help and are unable to redress the balance by helping others. Children who are frequently congested or prone to ear infections may have difficulties with glue ear. If children are finding literacy difficult, it is relevant to consider whether they are having any difficulties with hearing and, if necessary, to have their hearing tested. Children should have their eyesight checked regularly because they may not realise if they are unable to see properly. Most children in the UK are offered visual screening at 4–5 years old at school. For most children, a tripod grasp is ideal, where the pencil is gripped between the index finger and thumb with the third finger supporting the pencil from below. Children should be praised for using interesting vocabulary in their writing, even if the words are not correctly spelt.
