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Common Handwriting Problems and Solutions
Pencil Grasp: The optimal pencil grasp is known as the "tripod grasp".
This is when the pencil is supported by the thumb, index
and middle finger. The ring and little finger are bent
and rest comfortably on the table. You shouldn't worry
about your child's pencil grasp unless it is affecting
his/her writing or your child is experiencing fatigue.
If your child holds his/her pencil too close or too far
from the tip, you can wrap a small rubber band around
the area where the fingers should be placed. This will
remind your child where to hold the pencil. You can also
remind them to hold the pencil "where the paint ends."
Pencil Size: Some young children have difficulty manipulating a large
or regular-sized pencil. A suggestion is smaller-sized
pencils, such as those used by golfer's.
Arm Movement: Some young children move their entire arm when they
write. Have your child lay on the floor to write. This
puts weight on the arms and stabilizes them. You can
also have your child write on a vertical surface, such
as a chalkboard or stable easel). This helps your child
put his/her wrist in a functional writing position and
also works on shoulder stability.
Finger position: Some young children write with their fingers
straight. Try placing a small object, like sponge or
marble, in the last two fingers. Have your child hold
onto this object while writing.
Pressure: Some young children applies too much pressure when they
write. This may be because the child has poor awareness
of finger placement and movement or poor control of the
smaller muscles of the hand. Sometimes correcting the
pencil grip may help this problem. Have the child
practice coloring pictures light, medium, and dark
with the same crayon to increase their awareness of
different degrees of pressure on the pencil. You can
also have the child place their paper on a piece of
Styrofoam (if they press too hard they will poke holes
in their paper).
Some young children write too soft. Have the child
practice coloring pictures dark. Sometimes correcting
the pencil grasp can also help with this problem.
Reversals: Many young children reverse letters and numerals when
writing. For most children, this will self-correct with
more practice and exposure letters and numerals. Ask
your child to check his/her writing for reversals,
gently pointing out any that are missed. This will
increase your child's awareness of correct formation.
Posture: When sitting in a chair, your child needs to sit with
his/her hips, knees and feet at a 90-degree angle. If
your child's feet do not touch the floor try placing a
box or stool under his/her feet to help with stability.
Paper Placement: At an early age, children should have the paper
placed in front of them parallel to the edge of the
table. As your child gets older, the paper should be
tilted slightly. For children who are left-handed, the
left corner of the paper should be higher. For
right-handed children the right corner should be
higher. Your child's non-writing hand should be placed
on the paper to minimize paper movement.
These helpful hints were adapted from "Handwriting Without Tears"
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