I also have a poor pencil grip and I coped fine!

Poor fine motor skills can really affect a child's school skills!
by: OT Mom

Hi Michelle!

You did not say how old your child is, but I assume he/she is still in the early years of school??

There are many adults with lousy pencil grips like you, who seem to cope ok, and children with poor fine motor skills will eventually learn to write, but I have seen lots of long-term effects of not remedying a poor pencil grip:

1) Their bodies will compensate for their poor skills by using less efficient muscles to do the job. For example, by using wrist muscles instead of finger muscles, or by tensing up their neck muscles.

2) In the long run, they may well complain of fatigue and neck-ache when faced with writing tasks

3) A poor pencil grip may also cause a child to struggle to finish written tests and essays in the given time.

4) If their handwriting is poor, this may also count against them as many teachers don't take the time to decipher messy writing, and they may score lower marks than they deserve in exams.

We are not trying to create perfect children, but we do want to help them to have the best chance at doing well in their lives. And while we may not be able to "cure" children with poor fine motor skills, or make them have a perfect pencil grip, we can help them to be as functional as possible.

If occupational therapy is too expensive, why not try some of the Fine Motor Activities that I suggest on this site? The hand exercises and finger exercises are really great for helping to get those hand muscles working together well.

I hope this helps you!
Kind regards,
OT Mom

I also have a poor pencil grip and I coped fine!

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I also have a poor pencil grip and I coped fine!