Fine Motor Principals Stability before mobility A. body B. furniture Sensory supports Motor Proximal to Distal (large to small) Palm to finger Hands used together Hands used separately Developmentally ready!

Birth to 3 months Hand SkillsPosture Sensory Play and cognition Reflex dominate movemen t Influenced by: tactile & proprioception; head position Skills present:  Hand grasping midline (3 mths)  Visual regard of hand  Reflexive grasp of an object Asymmetric posturing Neck and shoulder stability developing: prerequisite for control of reach & hand movements in space Emerging sense of midline. Head freed for vision by 3rd month. Visual, mouthing & tactile reflexes: primary learning sources Tactile +Propriocept +Visual = contribution to development of grasp and release patterns Play: sensory experiences

4 through 6 months Hand SkillsPostureSensoryPlay Remarkable strides in development of visual motor system Learns to reach toward an object, place hands on top and rake object toward self Palmar grasp: allows grasp but does not allow object to move within hand. No control of release Brings object to mouth, palm up increases by 6 months: allows mouthing while visualizing it Symmetrical posture: Can hold arms in space while grasping an object Prone: pushing onto extended arms and shifting weight side to side. On elbows infant able to lift one arm from surface for reach. Provides proprioceptive input through hands. Helps strengthen arms. Primary basis for movement: SENSORY Mouthing, hand to hand fingering, and intense visual Sensory exp dominate child’s play : visual & auditory Movements motivated by sensation that results. Actively explores using specific movements to create sounds and visual effects. Toys related to simple movements are favorites: rattles, toys activated by generalized responses preferred: mobile or rattle rather than busy box

10 through 12 months Hand SkillPostureSensoryPlay Controlled object release Grasp of very small objects 2 objects together Functional use of objects Uses fingertips for grasping Thumb oppose index finger Control of hand opening and can release object easily Object rotation and transfer Postural stability increases Can reach out of reach to body’s contra lateral side. Can reach overhead and behind when sitting Weight bearing: provides heavy work for arms. Uses release to achieve interesting auditory and visual effects of object Vision as primary guide More fingering & hand to hand manipulation than mouthing Understanding of object’s functional use. Functional play rather than sensory play Basis for development of additional manipulation skills: imitation

19 through 24 months * Hand skillsPostureSensoryPlay/ Cognitive Huge changes based on: Ability to blend mobility and stability into more complex motor patterns; Ability to integrate sensory info with motor skill. Fingertip grasp for precision and palmar grasp for power Excellent control by 2 Child focuses on speed, strength, balance, and endurance. Improved sensory discrim and integr: Ex: stringing beads and simple dressing Uses utensils in play and self care activities. Improved perceptual motor and beginning eye hand coordination

TWO YEARS TO TWO & A HALF 6-9 Block tower Catches small ball Moves individual fingers Turns door knob Unscrews lid Two Year olds do not have perfect controlled release of their fingers.

THREE YEAR OLD Copies a circle Imitates a square Threads large beads Unbuttons large buttons/unzips Uses glue with supervision Cuts straight line Feeds self Build tower of 10 blocks Doesn’t have hand muscles developed enough to write name

FOUR YEAR OLDS Cuts out 2 to 3 inch shapes Copies square/triangle Makes marks to represent name Strings small beads Uses static tripod grasp Uses finger to act out simple songs Puts together simple puzzles

Cathy Loyacano

FIVE YEAR OLDS Draw a person with facial features Builds steps with blocks Uses tools with little supervision Draws specific objects: may look different Write first name and few letters May have letter/number reversals and letters not in straight line Uses scissors to cut non paper materials

EFFICIENT GRIPS

COMMON HANDWRITING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FINE MOTOR WEAKNESSES Child may have an awkward pencil grip. Child may have difficulty coloring within lines, tracing, and forming letters. Hand movements may appear awkward.

Child:  Keeps arms very close to chest during hand activities  Keeps shoulders “hiked” near ears  Difficulty using two hands together for activities such as catching a ball rolled to them, rolling out playdough, using scissors, dressing activities Gets tired easily: endurance is reduced for age Complains of hand fatigue or pain consistently Is frustrated with writing, cutting, etc. Consistently avoids messiness. Hand dominance set since early months RED FLAGS

THINGS TO REMEMBER Look for activities that support: SHAPING THE HANDS USE OF THE INDEX FINGER USE OF THE THUMB +2 VERTICAL PLAY WITH THE HANDS: wrist up IN HAND MOVEMENT

SENSORY MAKES IT WORK Tactile Perception: Touch Proprioception: Pressure Vestibular: Movement Visual: Seeing

VISUAL PHYSICAL & PERCEPTUAL Physical Visual: Gives us information concerning our movement and position. Must be integrated with proprioceptive information for reaching. Perceptual Visual: Enables us to see details, spatial orientation of objects, visualize, similarities and differences.

DEVELOPMENT OF “SPATIAL TERMS” yearsIn, off yearsOn, under, out of, together, away from yearsUp, top, apart, toward yearsAround, in front of, high, in back of, next to yearsBeside, bottom, backward, forward yearsDown, low yearsBehind, ahead of, first, last

COMMON PROBLEMS AND MODIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH VISUAL SPATIAL AWARENESS WEAKNESSES Child may have difficulty : With puzzles/parquetry blocks which may lead to avoidance. Drawing simple pictures: He may not “picture” how they look Visualizing the shape/letter/number formations Placing letters on or between the lines correctly at correct age Spacing between words or letters (age appropriate) Difficulty with reversals of letters and numbers after taught repeatedly and correctly (age appropriate) Difficulty forming rounded letters: letters may be flat on the bottom if he is distracted by the printed lines ALWAYS CONSIDER AGE APPROPRIATENESS !!!!

Child who: Consistently tilts head to one side Covers one eye with hand or by laying head down on table Does not follow people or objects with eyes Avoids visual perceptual items such as puzzles, block patterns Poor eye contact Immature drawing abilities RED FLAGS

THINGS TO REMEMBER ENCOURAGE TRACKING THROUGH PLAY EYE EXAM BODY TO 3D TO 2D UNCLUTTER AND UNLOAD VISUALIZE ART AND MATH

TACTILE SYSTEM * Touch Discriminatory: Ability to tell what an object is based on touch alone Protective: Ability to automatically withdraw or defend the body from harm. A balance is needed between the ability to discriminate something by touch and the protective response. For writing to become automatic, it needs to be felt through the sense of touch and sense of finger movement

PROPRIOCEPTION The proprioceptive system receptors are located primarily around and in our joints, and in our muscles and tendons. They tell us about: Movement of our body against itself Movement of our body in relationship to itself: body awareness

VESTIBULAR Influences Eye movement control Balance Muscle tone Postural control Bilateral coordination Motor planning Activities Infants: Gentle swinging, being carried, Johnny Jump Ups (feet flat on floor) Toddlers: Swinging, climbing, sliding Preschoolers: Playground activity, musical games WARNING: Vestibular very powerful

Sensory Processing: Red Flags Sensory Avoider Sensory Under Responder Sensory Craver

THINGS TO REMEMBER SENSORY ALERT BIGGER IS BETTER EYES CLOSED MAKE IT AUTOMATIC

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