Shaky hands when writing

by Stacey

I seem to have several little cherubs, whom, when participating in a manuscript or writing task, experience considerable difficulty owing their hands shaking when writing.

What causes this and how can I help them?

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Shaky hands when writing

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dealing with shaky hands when writing
by: OT Mom

In my personal experience, I find that children who have shaky hands when they write often have poor shoulder girdle stability or poor proprioceptive skills (part of Sensory Processing Disorder). They may also have muscle tone issues (low muscle tone, high muscle tone or fluctuating muscle tone).

If shoulder girdle stability is the problem, then regular shoulder exercises and gross motor exercises can help to strengthen the shoulder and arm muscles to help the child to have more control over the pencil.

Doing some simple shoulder exercises before each handwriting task often has a positive effect on the child's shakiness or tremor.

However, if the shaking/tremor is very severe and does not resolve with gross motor exercises, or if the child displays very poor muscle control in other areas, I would definitely recommend a physiotherapy or occupational therapy evaluation to identify the underlying problems.

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