Fine Motor & Gross Motor Skills
Who requires Fine & Gross Motor Support?
Your child may require support with fine motor skills if you or the teacher have noticed difficulties with speed or legibility of printing, poor/awkward pencil grasp, difficulties with letter learning or difficulty with functional fine motor skills such as buttons and laces, manipulating knife and fork or opening lunch containers.
Your child may require support with gross motor skills if you or the teacher have noticed they seem less coordinated than their peers or have not reached certain gross motor milestones. This may be observed as having difficulty in gym class, poor balance when attempting to ride a bike, or they may avoid sports or recess games like skipping and 4 square.
What treatment may include?
Therapy will start with an assessment and observation to help understand the underlying issues that may be causing the motor problem. By understanding the concerns first, we can then offer explanations to you, as well as address and treat the challenges. Whether it be proprioceptive awareness, decreased core strength, processing speed and/or rhythm and timing, we can offer help.
Treatment sessions are then developed to practice skills, build confidence and develop strategies for improving motor skills. Fine motor treatment will include fun activities, such as the use of putty, shaving cream and finger puppets, in addition to writing tasks that are client-focused, motivating and rewarding. Gross motor activities will be engaging through the use of therapy balls, swings, and obstacle courses to improve underlying concerns such as balance, motor planning and core strength.
Why OT?
Occupational Therapists specialize in task analysis: breaking down a task into all the components. By doing this we are able to present and teach in a manner that allows the child to face one challenge at a time, and feel successful. We often call this a “Just Right Challenge”. With our OT perspective we are able to address motor skills while recognizing the needs of the whole child. Presenting and practicing in ways which decrease frustration, increase the challenge gradually and ultimately lead to a feeling of pride and accomplishment.
OTs are experts at teaching printing to kids with a variety of needs. Younger clients may benefit from our individual treatment, based on well recognized programs such as Handwriting without Tears. Kids get a sense of mastery when they can print legibly enough to read what they wrote. With older children we often hear parents say that “there is just some disconnect between what’s in their brain and what comes out their hand.” OTs are the professional experts for assessment of difficulties with written expression.
In addition to this OTs at Brant Kids can administer standardized assessments such as the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC). This is the gold- standard of standardized motor test to determine if your child has a significant difference in motor skills compared to other children. The results can be used by your doctor or psychologist to determine if a motor coordination disorder is present such as Developmental Coordination Disorder.