A child can exhibit fine motor delays at a very young age. Delayed fine motor skills can be noticed in young children as they play with toys and use utensils to eat. Without treatment, this delay continues as they are using crayons, markers and scissors and dressing oneself. Many of these children are not recognized until an early childhood teacher identifies the real impact of a fine motor delay when a child is writing manuscript or cursive letters.

It is estimated that 95 percent of children who are experiencing difficulty with visual motor integration and delayed hand writing also have difficulty participating in gym class, getting ready for recess, playing games or participating in structured and unstructured sports and leisure activities. These children not only have poor handwriting that is affecting their academics but also have poor life skills caused by an underlying motor disorder.

What should parents do if they suspect a fine motor problem? Parents should seek the advice of an experienced pediatric occupational therapist who is trained to identify visual perceptual motor dysfunction, a motor-based disorder called apraxia in children or a sensory integration disorder. Psycho-educational testing (cognitive testing) can determine if the child has dysgraphia or the writing of a dyslexic. There are specific interventions which would be helpful with treatment for students with this specific diagnosis.

Treatment Focus for Pediatric Occupational Therapy

•   Activities of Daily Living, ADLs 
• Development of
• Fine Motor Skills, Strength, Range of Motion and Coordination
• Feeding/Swallowing
• Handwriting
• Organizational skills, including attention to task and sequencing
• Splinting and Casting
• Sensory Motor Training
• Visual Perception and Visual Motor Skills
• Vision Therapy
• Sensory Integration
• Community Integration
• Pre-vocational skills