Teachers often recommend pencil grips as a way to support your child’s grasp and handwriting. That sounds like an easy fix, right? There may be more to the story though. We, as occupational therapists, evaluate the factors that are impacting a child’s ability to grip a pencil and write. Additional factors involved in hand writing include: body awareness, strength – of the trunk, shoulder and hand, endurance, positioning, and motor planning…as you can see, the list can go on! Pencil grips are just one tool in the tool box of many to help with correct positioning of fingers on a pencil.

 

Top 4 Pencil Grips

Here are some popular, commercial grips with some details on their designs:

• 1) Triangle Grip
  • Provides physical promoting for a tripod grasp with the three-sided design
  • Good for early learners as it promotes good finger placement

• 2) Claw Grip
  • Provides a cap for the child’s thumb, index, and middle finger
  • Helps to maintain position of the fingers in tripod grasp

• 3) Grotto Grip
  • Promotes placement of thumb and index finger
  • Prevents children from wrapping their finger around the pencil

• 4) Solo Grip
  • Provides cues for finger placement of thumb and index finger
  • Works well for smaller hands

As mentioned previously, the actual grip on a pencil is only one component of hand writing success in children.  There are many factors that contribute to the success of a child’s developing penmanship.  It’s important to note that pencil grips don’t solve the underlying factors impacting your child’s grip.

 

Does Your Child Need Extra Help?

 

A pediatric occupational therapist at Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center will assess your child’s hand writing skills in a number of different ways to make the most appropriate recommendations to get them started on the road to success!  Call one of our fine motor specialists today at 773-687-9241 for more information!