What are fine motor delays?​

Fine motor delay is when a child is not able to use their hands and fingers to complete age-appropriate tasks involving holding, manipulation, and use of objects. Fine motor skills require eye-hand coordination to give the ability to see something and respond with the right movements in the hands and fingers. The ability to speak also uses fine motor skills because the lips, tongue, and face muscles must coordinate to make different shapes so a child can speak. Children can have a delay in fine motor skills, gross motor skills (big movements like crawling or walking), or both.

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What is the role of the Occupational Therapist?​

Occupational Therapists will work to increase skills such as bilateral hand coordination, wrist extension, gross grasp strength, pincer grasp, open thumb web space, and separation of the sides of the hand. They will use forms of play such as stringing beads, playing with play-doh, and using scissors to engage the child and increase these skills.

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Additional Resources

• https://www.theottoolbox.com/fine-motor-skills/