The answer to both questions is a resounding YES!
Research shows that the act of handwriting and the fine tuning of the underlying skills associated with handwriting help improve the child’s capacity to self organize the young brain, and prepares the brain for future reading readiness and overall learning.
Dr. Carol Leibovich-Mankes offers evaluation, group and individual occupational therapy sessions to remediate underlying skills and teaching strategies for improved handwriting and learning success. These skills retrain the brain and help with overall academic learning, language development, focus and concentration, organization skills, impulse control and reading.
Frequent Questions
What does Dr. Carol Leibovich-Mankes do?
As a parent, you play a critical role in your child’s development and its of utmost importance to understand that each child is unique and different. Most parents are concerned first and foremost with why their child can’t read, write, spell and/or follow directions in the classroom. They usually will seek tutoring in the hopes of remediating the difficulties. However, at times, more is needed. This is where Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes is called to action.
Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes works on strengthening underlying skills required for brain/ body integration. These weaknesses are most likely the ones preventing your child from reaching his/her full potential at home and/or school.
How does Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes determine where the breakdown in learning is and what can be done to close those gaps?
The main goal is to find out where is the disconnection in the brain/body and rewire it.
Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes conducts an evaluation and determines the course of treatment. Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes will attempt and rebuild neural connections within the brain to get the right side and left side working together for critical thinking, emotional stability, problem solving, auditory processing, organization, retention and focus. Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes will reinforce these handwriting related skills in the hopes of bridging the gap between the right and left side of the brain facilitating more complex tasks of higher learning, emotional regulation and improved handwriting quality.
How does handwriting remediation by Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes rewire the brain?
- Improves Fine-motor problems
- Improves tracking, retention and pencil grip
- Helps your child establish dominance
- Improves their visual-motor skills, crossing the midline and hand-eye coordination
- Improves visual perceptual skills responsible for directionality, writing in a stationary line, neatness, organization and reading success.
- Provides more opportunities for sensory-motor development
- Helps your child who is often impulsive, lack attention and focus, display disruptive behavior and experience stress or anxiety develop emotional regulation.
When should I contact Dr. Carol Mankes for in school services?
If your child is experiencing any of the following difficulties:
- Avoidance of pre-writing activities such as scribbling, coloring, drawing, and/or cutting
- Frustration / avoidance of handwriting, drawing or copying activities in class/at home
- Awkward or poor pencil grasp, writes slowly
- Holds pencil too tightly or too loosely
- Fatigues quickly during writing/motor tasks
- Omits letters or words when copying from the board or from the same page
- Has difficulty naming and/or forming letters and/or numbers
- Has difficulty remembering sequence and/or reverses letters and/or numbers
- Has difficulty keeping letter sizing and alignment
- Has poor spacing of letters within or between words
- Easily distracted, poor organizational skills and/or emotional regulation
- The child is bright but struggles with academic work math, spelling, writing
Services Offered
(Services Offered Virtually And In Person)
The Handwriting Doctor Initial Consultation:
Free of charge (up to 15 minute phone conversation)
In School Screenings:
Handwriting intensive:
- Short screening done by Dr. Carol Leibovich – Mankes to determine if a comprehensive OT evaluation is necessary.
- Eight 45-60 minute long sessions, 4 times a week (M-R). For quick refinement of handwriting legibility. Available as Individual, Dyad/2 children or Small group (3) sessions. Screening is a prerequisite to determine eligibility
Initial Evaluation:
Re-Evaluation:
- Includes a comprehensive assessment and report specifying treatment plan/goals and recommendations.
- Based on recommendations of initial evaluation (typically on a 6 month/1 year basis).
Individual Therapy Sessions:
Child class Observation and Meetings:
- Frequency and duration based on initial evaluation results/recommendations.
- Teacher, Caregivers, Other Professionals (Service will be billed on an hourly basis.)
