1. Motor Skills 0 - 9 Years

2. Basic Principles of Motor Development Due to brain development & environment Head to toe Proximal to distal Bilateral to unilateral Gross to fine

4. Reflexes & Cortical Control Birth: flexion & spinal level reflexes 0-4 months: increasing extension 4-6 months: brain stem reflexes, increasing volition 6-15 months: mid-brain reflexes & beginning cortical control 12 months: cortical control

5. Signs of Abnormalities Muscle tone: high or low Asymmetry Primitive reflexes Quality & quantity of movement Motor milestones: large variability

6. Early Motor Skill Development for Printing 2 years: whole arm movement, fisted grasp with wrist extension, hand preference beginning, switching of hand dominance 3 years: index finger along top of pencil, 4- fingered grasp 4 years: establishing hand dominance, static tripod

7. Early Motor Skill Development for Printing 5 years: dominance established, static tripod becoming dynamic tripod 6 years: dynamic tripod, tight grip, excess pressure 7 years: rapid & accurate movement of thumb, index, & middle, appropriate pressure

8. Motor Components for Printing Proximal stability Forearm position Wrist extension Palmar arching Motor separation of 2 sides of hand Mary Benbow, OTR/L

9. Motor Components for Printing Isolated movement of thumb Isolated movement of fingers Maintain thumb web space Rapid & accurate movement of thumb, index & middle digits as a unit

10. Skill Development for Printing Bilateral coordination & finger movement: snap beads, sewing cards, stringing beads, nuts & bolts, construction toys, play dough Proximal stability: push-pull toys, gross motor Wrist extension & proximal stability: easels, white boards, games on wall Short crayons, crayons with rounded ends Water/bubble guns, penny held by ring & little fingers, cloths pin games

11. Skill Development for Printing Correct desk & chair: 90, 90, 90, 90 Slant board or binder with clip Alternative pencil grasp Pencil grippers Handi-writer Handwriting Without Tears - Jan Olsen in pudding, sand, jello powder