OT for kids

                   When it comes to handwriting, how a child is holding the pencil (pencil grip) plays a major role to create legible writing with ease. Being a pediatric occupational therapist, I have come across many children who hold the pencil inappropriately, leading to difficulty in writing with ease. There are many factors that contribute to the development of a functional or ideal pencil grip. A child needs a lot of gross motor & fine motor play activities in his early years to develop an ideal pencil grip. In this article, I will be sharing some simple activities that can be very effective in developing a child's functional grip. How does an ideal pencil grip help a child in writing?  Holding a pencil with an  ideal pencil grip  allows the child to : ⏩ Move the fingers while writing(not the whole hand, the wrist or the arm), ⏩ Finish a writing or drawing task easily without getting tired. ⏩  Complet...

What are Pre-writing skills? Pre - writing skills  are the fundamental  skills  children need to develop before they are able to write. These skills are essential pre-requisites for a child before he/she learns to write letters/numbers or words.  These include the pencil strokes that most letters, numbers, shapes and early drawings are comprised of. Why are pre-writing skills important? Pre-writing skills are essential to develop because:- ➧These skills assist a child to develop the ability to hold and move a pencil easily and effectively. ➧Help to  produce legible writing hence boosting the child's self-confidence. ➧The child is motivated to write & doesn't need to be forced to if his pre-writing skills are well developed. ➱ On the other hand, if these skills are underdeveloped, it can lead to frustration, resistance to writing, low self-esteem, and poor academic performance. Some common problems that children show when their pre-writing skills are not deve...