Why Are Fine Motor Skills Important?
At Comprehensive Rehab, our occupational therapists work with children to develop their fine motor skills. Why is that important? What are fine motor skills?
Fine motor skills involve the use of small muscles that control the hand, finger, and thumb.
The skills refer to detail-oriented tasks, such as feeding, coloring or building with blocks.
In contrast, large (or gross) motor skills refer to the development of larger muscle movements responsible for movements including running, jumping and throwing.
Improving fine motor skills takes practice and work. Fine motor skills need a number of independent skills working together to appropriately manipulate an object or perform a task.
Fine motor skills include:
If a child struggles with fine motor skills, it can affect his or her self-esteem, academic performance and play options.
- Academics (pencil and crayon skills, scissor skills, coloring, drawing, etc.)
- Self-Care (dressing, eating, cleaning teeth, brushing hair, etc.)
- Play (building with blocks, dressing dolls, etc.)
Working with an occupational therapist can develop a child’s fine motor skills.
As skills develop, the speed and efficiency of the task improves.
Contact Comprehensive Rehab to learn more about how occupational therapy can help your child. Comprehensive Rehab has Iowa locations in Clinton and Maquoketa.