Handwriting Challenges? How do we spot these? - Occupational Therapy

Handwriting challenges? How do we spot these?

There are many underlying components that affect handwriting. Some include:

·Posture: - Having the core strength to sit upright at a desk ·Visual – motor skills: - transferring ideas from your head onto paper - copying from the board ·Fine motor skills - Hand (fingers and wrist) and arm strength - Dexterity (in-hand manipulation) - Being able to grasp and move the pencil efficiently ·Sensory feedback - Touch and proprioception feedback (are they holding the pencil too tightly? Are they pressing down too hard/too lightly on the page?) ·Hand - eye coordination - Line awareness (are they writing on the line?) ·Spatial awareness - Do they have appropriate spacing between words and letters? - Sizing (how big/small their letters are and does it remain even throughout?) ·Direction and reversals - Letter formation (q/p, b/d) - Are they writing left to right?

To improve handwriting, we have to first establish what underlying skills need improvement through assessment and then work on them in a variety of fun ways.

Image: biglifejournal.com

If you are looking for occupational therapy assessment or intervention, contact us to arrange an appointment at our new centre in Oak Rd, Kirrawee. Email info@kidsinspired.com.au

- Christine

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