It is tempting to ignore how a child holds their pencil assuming that they will simply grow out of it as they grow older.
Not so. Many hand and finger deformities as well as problems with writing are caused by children not being taught how to grip their pens and pencils correctly from the start. If left unchallenged bad habits form and irreversible finger developments occur, which means they will never grow out of them.
But why it is crucial that children are shown and expected to use the tripod grip (pencil pinched between thumb and index finger, while pencil rests on the third finger underneath for support) when so many people hold their pens and pencils in different ways?
Well the main problem is school – as children get older and take more and more exams, the more they are expected to write in a very short space of time.
All children who hold their writing tools correctly complain of sore hands and aching fingers after such a writing marathon. However, children who hold their pens and pencils incorrectly, not only have aching hands and fingers, they also have aching arms and shoulders causing them more discomfort and in some cases excruciating pain that prevents them writing as the pain sets in much sooner.
So holding a pen or pencil incorrectly puts unnecessary strains not only on the hand muscles, but for some children on their wrist, arm and even shoulder muscles, making it difficult for them to write for long periods of time. Thus putting these children at a greater disadvantage to other children.
Be the first to comment