Movement And Coordination
Fine motor development involves the movement and coordination of the arm and small muscles of the hands. Children must have adequate strength, range of motion and coordination in their arms, hands and fingers to reach, grasp and manipulate various tools and objects. Tasks such as drawing, writing, cutting, self feeding, manipulating buttons, zippers and tying shoes rely on proper fine motor development.
Fine motor development starts on day one and allows a baby to move their arms and hands advancing on to swatting at objects and grasping a rattle. Toddlers progress to building with blocks, turning the pages of a book, scribbling on paper and feeding themselves. Preschoolers cut with scissors, copy simple shapes and lines and dress independently. As simple as these developmental milestones may seem there are major implications in a child’s development when they are not achieved.
Treatments based on individual needs include:
- Creative stimulating activities that assist in fine motor development.
- Common household items are incorporated into our therapy so that parents are able to reinforce their child’s treatment at home.