A bunch of people emailed us and asked on social media:
“What causes an inefficient pencil grasp, anyway?”
There’s no easy answer to this one.
A few reasons for an inefficient or maladaptive pencil grasp are:
- Overexposure or increased access to writing and drawing activities before a child is developmentally ready
- Anatomy – such as poor hand strength, low muscle tone, or lax ligaments
- Sensory processing – such as tactile defensiveness of the hands, or avoidance of the feeling of pencil on paper
And, a reason that may surprise you…
- Primitive reflexes that haven’t naturally gone away (integrated)
There are actually five (5) different reflexes that impact a child’s grasping pattern. Here they are!
Keep in mind, every child needs to be observed to see what’s what for each individual case.
Freebie: Possible Long-term Effects of Unitegrated Infant Reflexes
Learn more about primitive reflexes
I’ll send you a simple 6-page handout—straight to your email inbox—that will be your go-to resource for possible long-term effects of unintegrated infant reflexes.
This resource is provided courtesy of MovePlayThrive.com.
