FINE MOTOR SKILLS

 

If your child struggles with tracing, copying, cutting, printing, colouring, cursive writing, or dressing (fasteners) tasks, they may have difficulty with their fine motor skills. Fine motor skills involve the small movements that occur in the wrists, hands and fingers.

 

Assessment of Fine Motor Skills

Our therapists use a combination of assessment tools as well as client observation to evaluate fine motor skill development. Primary assessments administered include the Motor Right Along Assessment, the McMaster Handwriting Assessment and the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (Visual Motor Integration, Visual Perception and Motor Coordination sub-tests).

Areas of of assessment may include:

✓ pencil grasp (including wrist position and pencil pressure)

✓ dexterity/palmar arch development

✓ motor planning skills

✓ visual motor (eye-hand coordination) skills

✓ visual perceptual (spatial awareness) skills

✓ upper extremity strength, range of motion and muscle tone (fingers, hands and shoulders)

✓ motor coordination

✓ letter and number formation, size and orientation to the line

✓ letter and number reversals

✓ keyboarding skills

✓ speed of written or typed output

✓ scissor skills

✓ set-up of desk/chair

 

Treatment of Fine Motor Skills

Once your child has been assessed, an individualized therapy plan will be developed in collaboration with your therapist to target your child’s specific area(s) of difficulty.  The Handwriting Without Tears program is often used to work on improving printing or cursive writing skills.  Our therapists use a play-based approach during treatment sessions.  All equipment/resources needed during therapy sessions will be provided by your therapist.  Your therapist may suggest that you purchase some small items that may be helpful for your child (i.e. pencil grips, therapy putty, stress balls, etc.) to use at home or school.  Typically, resources are provided for your child to work on in between sessions in order to consolidate the skills they are building during therapy.