Does your child hold his pencil or crayon with a “death grip?” Does she hold it too lightly or touch it only with the tips of her fingers? Is your child complaining that his hand is sore and he cannot complete assignments at school?
In my role as an occupational therapist, I see children who use inappropriate grips for writing. How important is a pencil grip? A pencil grip that is appropriate will have a direct impact on your child’s ability to write. Handwriting will be difficult for children who get tired of writing too fast. Children will avoid writing by handwriting, and this can have a negative impact on their academic performance.
Grip development is similar to how a child learns crawling before learning to walk. A gross grip is the first stage. This is when you hold your writing instrument like a fist. This increases strength and stability of the pinky hand. This is crucial because the child will be expected to use their pencil for long periods of writing years later. Second, hold the pencil using a digital pronate grip. Here, the child grips the pencil with his thumb and forefinger. The pencil is held at the tip of the hand. This increases strength and dexterity for the three first fingers. It is essential to have dexterity in order to increase fluidity and efficiency while writing. Next, you will hold your pencil with the eraser pointed upwards at the tip. This is known as the webspace. This space should not cause strain in the hands. To ensure stability, the two last fingers should be placed in the palm. This was learned during stage 1. The child may begin to hold his hands together at this point. When coloring, he may use all of his arm. If it’s functional at his/her developmental level, this is okay. These are the stages that incorporate this tripod grip. The main objective is to only move the tips of your fingers, while keeping the wrist and arm stable.
What can you do now to improve grip? GRIP TIP: Get rid of all thick and long writing instruments. Small writing instruments are best for children who have smaller hands. Breaking crayons into thirds, or halves is strongly recommended. You can sharpen your golf pencils to a length of 2-3 inches. Many parents and teachers are often shocked when they are asked to do this “silly” act. The end result is often well-worth it. A writing instrument that is tall or long can be held by a child with many different grips. The implement should be held by the child’s first three fingers if it is too short. You’ll eventually be able to hold the implement with a perfect tripod grip.
What happens if a child appears to be struggling with writing? A lack of stability can be indicated by sloppy writing or difficulty reading the lines. The other possibility is that the child is trying to compensate for their lack of stability by holding onto their pencil with a “death grip.” This is when a child may overlap their fingers over other fingers. A child might wrap his thumb between the pencil’s front and index finger to make it easier. This creates a webspace that is too tight. After a while, the child may feel the need to press hard, break their pencil tips, or have hand pain. GRIP TIP: To promote stability, tuck small objects into your palm. The last two fingers must hold it. As long as the object is not too heavy, it will work. A popular item is to use a penny and call it a “magic penny.”
Please keep in mind that these techniques may cause hand fatigue when your child first attempts to use them. Because your child has already learned how to perform a particular task, this is normal. Your child is ultimately learning how to retrain his muscles. Your child will soon be able to write well once his muscles adjust.