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Anorthography: What Is It and How to Avoid It

Anorthography is a term that refers to a loss of the ability to write or to express thoughts in writing because of a brain lesion . It is also known as agraphia or logagraphia. Anorthography can affect different aspects of writing, such as spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, and word choice. Anorthography can be caused by various types of brain damage, such as stroke, tumor, infection, trauma, or degenerative disease. Anorthography can also be classified into different subtypes, depending on the nature and location of the brain lesion and the specific writing impairments. Some common subtypes are:

• Lexical anorthography: This subtype involves difficulty with spelling words correctly, especially irregular words that do not follow phonetic rules. For example, a person with lexical anorthography may write “fone” instead of “phone” or “wun” instead of “one”.
• Phonological anorthography: This subtype involves difficulty with writing words based on their sounds, especially unfamiliar words or nonwords. For example, a person with phonological anorthography may write “nife” instead of “knife” or “blim” instead of “blimp”.
• Surface anorthography: This subtype involves difficulty with writing words based on their visual appearance, especially words that have similar shapes or letters. For example, a person with surface anorthography may write “trail” instead of “trial” or “form” instead of “from”.
• Deep anorthography: This subtype involves difficulty with writing words based on their meaning, especially words that have multiple meanings or homonyms. For example, a person with deep anorthography may write “rose” instead of “rows” or “see” instead of “sea”.
• Allographic anorthography: This subtype involves difficulty with writing letters in different forms, such as uppercase and lowercase, cursive and print, or different fonts. For example, a person with allographic anorthography may write “A” instead of “a” or “g” instead of “q”.
• Agraphia apraxia: This subtype involves difficulty with the motor movements required for writing, such as holding a pen, forming letters, and spacing words. For example, a person with agraphia apraxia may write illegibly, slowly, or erratically.

Anorthography can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to communicate effectively and perform daily tasks that require writing. However, there are some strategies that can help people with anorthography improve their writing skills and cope with their condition. Some of these strategies are:

• Using assistive devices: There are various devices that can help people with anorthography write more easily and accurately, such as spell checkers, word processors, voice recognition software, and electronic dictionaries.
• Practicing writing skills: There are various exercises and activities that can help people with anorthography practice their writing skills and overcome their difficulties, such as copying texts, tracing letters, filling in blanks, matching words and pictures, and playing word games.
• Seeking professional help: There are various professionals that can help people with anorthography diagnose their condition and provide appropriate treatment and support, such as neurologists, neuropsychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and special education teachers.

Anorthography is a challenging condition that affects a person’s ability to write and express themselves in writing. However, by understanding the causes and types of anorthography and by using the available strategies and resources, people with anorthography can improve their writing skills and quality of life.