4Real Forums: griping pencil too tightly...

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Topic: griping pencil too tightly...

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CathinCoffeland
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Posted: Aug 09 2007 at 3:55pm \| IP Logged

I noticed dd doing this -her knuckels were white...
I do this too

Any way i can get her to loosen up her grip?

Also some one recommend a pencil for lefites/kids with poor fine motor...anyone know what kind?

Thanks, Maggie

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jugglingpaynes
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Joined: May 27 2007
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Posted: Aug 09 2007 at 9:44pm \| IP Logged

Curious, are you left handed as well?

I am left-handed. My oldest is left handed and I had no trouble teaching her to write, but my younger two are right handed. When I taught my righty son to write, I noticed that right handers hold the pencil differently. Trying to mirror my method was difficult for him. Who knew?

My older daughter loves to draw. I think drawing helped her become comfortable with the pencil. I offered lots of paper and markers (they are easier to get a strong line without digging into the page.) When doing handwriting, I would tilt the paper so she didn't need to curl her arm over the top of the sheet. She gripped at first, but with practice she loosened up. I remember having the same problem. I wrote so hard the letters were embossed on the page.

I never used it, but I recently saw a cushion device that looks like a cube bead in the local teacher supply store that you slip onto the pencil. It has marks on each side to show finger placement for right or left handers. I may get one to try with my youngest.

Good luck with your lefty, we're very unique and creative people!

Peace and Laughter,

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KC in TX
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Posted: Aug 09 2007 at 11:56pm \| IP Logged

My son has this problem and he also makes serious indentions in his paper. His OT recommended using one of those foam sheets under his paper. If he presses too hard, he makes a hole in the paper. It seems to work for him.

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Rachel May
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Posted: Aug 10 2007 at 6:51am \| IP Logged

Here are directions from a Getty-Dubay handwriting series book.

"PLace the pencil between the index finger and the middle finger. THe pencil rests between the index and middle fingers by the large knuckles. Hold the pencil with the regular way with the tips of the fingers."

They recommended this for children with "thumb wraps" or "death grips." In the book, there is a picture too for both left and righties.

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Lori B
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Posted: Aug 12 2007 at 9:59am \| IP Logged

I had two with "death grips", and one of them carved his paper

A trick I picked up somewhere (I have no idea, it was years ago) is to give the child a wadded piece of paper or a couple of cotton balls to hold in their palm while they hold the pencil with their fingers. It's impossible to form a 'death grip' this way, and they can't put enough pressure on the pencil to carve, either.

Worked for both of them, though for my son it took a few weeks longer.

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