Understanding the Stages of Pencil Grasp Development

Handwriting Grasp Development

•  Encouraging a mature pencil grasp includes skills such as core strength, crossing midline, bilateral coordination, shoulder and arm stability, separation of the two sides of the hand, improving hand strength, along with finger dexterity and finger isolation.
•  Different fine motor activities are one of the best ways to promote good finger and arm strength for handwriting.

What is Tenodesis?

• A passive insufficiency of finger extensors which occurs when the wrist is flexed, causing the fingers to extend.
• Writing on a vertical surface such as a slant board, promotes wrist flexion which is crucial for a mature writing grasp.
• Strengthening the endurance of the flexor and extensor muscles of the wrist and hand will help correct the tenodesis.

 

Grasp Development

Palmar Supinate Grasp

• A fisted grasp with the thumb wrapped at the top of the writing utensil
• Developed around 12-15 months old

Digital Pronate Grasp

• The fingers are pointed down towards the bottom of the writing utensil, however all of the fingers are being used with a lot of arm and shoulder movements assisting.
• Developed around 2-3 years old

Quadruped Grasp

• Also referred to as a 4-finger grasp, 3 fingers on the writing utensil and then resting on the 4^th This grasp can be considered an efficient grasp, some children need an extra finger to help support a pencil
• Developed around 3-4 years old

Five Finger Grasp

• A mature grasp for a 4-year-old
• 5-fingers holding the pencil and the wrist is usually held off the table and wrist movement occurs while writing

Static Tripod Grasp

• One in which the pencil is held with the thumb, and index finger with a closed web space and the movement comes from the wrist, elbow, or shoulder
• Developed around 4-5 years old

Dynamic Tripod Grasp

• One in which the pencil is held by the thumb, index, and middle finger with an open web space, the 4^th and 5^th fingers are tucked in the palm of the hand
• The movement comes from the fingers rather than wrist, elbow, or shoulder
• Developed around 5-6 years old