Handwriting skill develops in childhood and is affected by our physical skill and our cultural norms. Children may have difficulty learning how to write, and working with a pediatric occupational or physical therapist can strengthen their writing abilities, including motor planning and control.
Specific diagnoses lead to difficulty with handwriting. A child with cerebral palsy (CP) may have trouble stabilizing at the trunk to move their arms and manipulate a pencil with their hand.
A child with Down syndrome (DS) may demonstrate hypotonia, which makes their grasp of a crayon weak. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) also causes a child to struggle with motor planning and to write efficiently.
The good news is that therapy can help your child hone their writing skills encouragingly and educationally. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment. Mark Their Words Therapy Services is here to help!
The development of handwriting skills
Handwriting practice starts with learning how to write letters of the alphabet and progresses to forming words and sentences.
Suppose there are issues with forming letters, numbers, and even the ability to write in a straight line. In that case, it may be time to develop strategies to improve handwriting before your child carries poor writing habits into adulthood.
Remember, handwriting takes practice, and practice makes perfect!
Helpful hints
Children learn by example and repetition. As a parent, you can support their handwriting development in the following ways:
1. Practice drills – Have your child trace over printed letters. This is a common strategy of primary school teachers as it can help train muscle memory for children.
2. Verbal repetition – Working with your child to have them speak aloud the words as they write them. This can help focus and address underlying issues, e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or dysgraphia.
3. Modeling handwriting – Demonstrate to your child how to hold a pen and position the paper. Children enjoy copying what their parents do, which can be a fantastic way to bond.
Physical and occupational therapists can assist your child with handwriting
According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, titled, “The effect of fine motor skills on handwriting legibility in preschool-age children,” Pediatric physical and occupational therapists are both great resources for helping your child harness their skills.
As the study states, “The study results showed a high level of correlation between fine motor skills and handwriting legibility. The study revealed that the accuracy of hand and in-hand manipulation skills [are] factors that have an effect on handwriting legibility.
Through the current research, occupational therapists can provide activities that aid the development of fine motor precision and in-hand manipulation skills for children during the instruction and treatment of handwriting to preschool-age children, which helps to conduct better legibility in their handwriting.”
This study supports physical and occupational clinics such as ours as effective methods for improving a child’s handwriting.
What will therapy for improving handwriting look like?
You probably wonder what a pediatric occupational or physical therapy session will look like for your child. First, your pediatric therapist will conduct an evaluation that will include testing specific to handwriting. Core strength, upper extremity movement, grasp, and attention to the task will be assessed. Depending on the root cause of your child’s handwriting difficulties, therapeutic activities could include:
- Core stabilizing and strengthening exercises on a therapy ball
- Hand exercises with putty
- Manipulative play with small toys to increase dexterity
- Upper extremity weight-bearing exercises to improve proprioception and joint integrity
- Practice with different writing implements to determine the best match for your child
Finally, your child’s therapist will provide a home program for you to implement. Together you will work for your child’s success.
Contact us for more tips to improve your child’s handwriting
In addition to working with your child’s teacher or a private tutor, you may also want to consider reaching out to a physical therapist for support with this process. Contact Mark Their Words Therapy Services to schedule an evaluation for your child.
Sources:
Tags: Health, wellness, naturalpainrelief, healthytips, achesandpains, healthandwellness, physicaltherapy, pediatrictherapy, occupationaltherapy
