Your Kids OT
  • HOME
    • Telehealth OT >
      • Wheel Decide
    • Articles >
      • Activities of Daily Living
      • Technology for OT
      • Bilateral Coordination
      • Cognition and Concepts
      • Executive Functioning
      • Fine Motor Skills
      • Gross Motor Skills
      • Handwriting and Writing
      • Homemade >
        • Arts and Craft
        • Kids in the Kitchen
        • Christmas
      • Play
      • Sensory Modulation Skills
      • Social Emotional Learning and Regulation
      • Visual Perceptual Skills
    • YKOT You-Tube Library
    • Direct Therapy Services
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contact >
      • Contact
      • eNewsletter Subscription
  • HOME
    • Telehealth OT >
      • Wheel Decide
    • Articles >
      • Activities of Daily Living
      • Technology for OT
      • Bilateral Coordination
      • Cognition and Concepts
      • Executive Functioning
      • Fine Motor Skills
      • Gross Motor Skills
      • Handwriting and Writing
      • Homemade >
        • Arts and Craft
        • Kids in the Kitchen
        • Christmas
      • Play
      • Sensory Modulation Skills
      • Social Emotional Learning and Regulation
      • Visual Perceptual Skills
    • YKOT You-Tube Library
    • Direct Therapy Services
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contact >
      • Contact
      • eNewsletter Subscription

Did you know that your hand has two sides?

25/2/2014

 
Picture
Your hand has two sides.  I'm not talking about your palm and the back of the hand.

I'm referring to the first three fingers of your hand as one group and your fourth and fifth fingers as the second group.

Here is a photo to explain what I mean.

The ability to use these two sides of the hands separately is called the "dissociation of the two sides of the hand".  It is an important skill for manipulation and use of tools such as pencils, cutlery, scissors, etc.  

When our "side 2" is stable {curled up into our palm or extended away from the other fingers}, we are best able to control "side 1" for precise movement. 

Picture
Your Kids OT

Infants begin to develop this dissociation of their hand during crawling and tummy time activities. This is further developed as a toddler and preschooler with the manipulation of small objects and toys in daily activities.
Picture
How does hand dissociation affect activity performance?
In handwriting, you may notice your child moves their whole hand {and often their arm} across the page as they write.  This may result in slow work and a lack of fluency of movement.  It may also result in poor legibility as your child may not be able to control the pencil in a precise manner.

In cutting, you may notice your child has difficulty manipulating the paper to turn as they cut out a shape. 

In buttoning a shirt, you may notice your child is unable hold the button hole with one hand and the button in the other hand.  This involves precise control and stability with both hands working together.

In tying shoelaces, you may notice your child has difficulty stabilising the laces to tie the bow. Learning to tie shoelaces may be very frustrating for a child who has difficulty with hand dissociation.

Your child may appear "clumsy" or "all fingers and thumbs" when trying activities such as these.

Picture
Picture
What can you do?
To assist a child with separating the two sides of their hand you can encourage them to hold something with side 2 whilst using side 1.  

For example, your child may try holding a piece of Lego, a ball of playdough, cotton wool, an eraser, a button or a coin with their 4th and 5th fingers.  They can attempt any of the activity suggestions below whilst holding onto this item.

Activity suggestions - 
  • poking toothpicks into playdough, theraputty or marshmellows;
  • threading activities;
  • travel games with small parts (eg. Connect Four, Battle ship);
  • manipulating pipecleaners or wikki sticks to create shapes and pictures;
  • tearing pieces of paper;
  • scrunching paper into balls;
  • pulling apart cotton wool balls;
  • pulling "post it" stickers off their pad;
  • placing coins into a piggy bank;
  • using water guns or squirt bottles;
  • using pegs on a low clothes horse; and
  • placing stickers onto paper;
  • building a lego creation.
Read more about the separation of the two sides of the hand at The Happy Handwriter. 

Picture
Writing charms are little toys attached to a pencil to help aid the stability of a child's hand.  I haven't used them in therapy and I am unaware of an Australian distributor.  However, they may be purchased at http:www.funandfunction.com in the USA.

{Note: I have not received any renumeration for this post.}

Have you noticed that your child moves their hand as one unit?  Do they have difficulty with handwriting, cutting, buttoning or tying shoes? Does it affect your child with another activity?  

Try incorporating some of these activities into your child's play this week.

Picture

Your Kids OT © 2021, All Rights Reserved
ABN: 84803478584

AHPRA OT REGISTRATION # OCC 0001765196
www.yourkidsot.com

Celeste Shackleton link
26/2/2014 06:04:30 am

Hi Cindy,

All your emails are very informative and helpful. This post is particularly helpful with some really great ideas, just what I need for my oldest son at the moment! Thank you very much!

Thanks Celeste

feyching un
26/2/2014 08:25:33 am

Hi cindy
Good tips. Will pass on website to Jarryd childcare. She be keen to read and pick up things about kids.
Fey

Cindy link
26/2/2014 12:02:34 pm

Hi Fey, I can drop in a business card for you to pass onto childcare.
Thanks!

Aline
11/12/2014 01:12:58 pm

Hi Cindy,
I'm OT from Brazil And love this post! Help me a lot!
Thank You.

Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
11/12/2014 01:41:59 pm

I'm glad this post was helpful to you Aline! Thanks.


Comments are closed.

    Author

    Hi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here.

    Picture
    Picture
    SEARCH THIS SITE

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All
    Acessibility Notes
    Alphabet
    Ask An OT
    Bilateral-coordination
    Bilateral-coordination
    Christmas
    Concepts And Cognition
    Easter
    Evidence Based Practice
    Fine Motor
    Freebie
    Functional Skills For Kids
    Giveaway
    Gross Motor
    Guest Blogger
    Handwriting And Writing
    Homemade
    Interoception
    Kids In The Kitchen
    Lego-challengee27c5a2753
    Meme
    Organisation
    Other
    Ot Profession
    OT Resources
    Pencil Grasp
    Play
    Printable
    Regulation
    Reviews
    Rewards And Motivation
    School
    Scissor Skills
    Self Help Skills
    Sensory
    Social Skills
    Visual-perception
    Visual-perception
    Website Spotlight
    Welcome
    World Ot Day
    YKOT Shop
    Your Kids Therapy Ideas

    Popular Posts

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Visit Your Kids OT's profile on Pinterest.

Join the YKOT e-newsletter!

Subscribe to get our latest content by email and receive

the SHAPE ROADS PRINTABLE NOW!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and receive your free printable!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Join our Mailing List!

Subscribe to get our latest content by email and receive

the SHAPE ROADS PRINTABLE NOW as a thankyou!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and receive your free printable!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit
Disclaimer: The information on this site is general in nature and should be used for educational  and entertainment purposes. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions.  This blog does not replace formal therapeutic professional advice given by a health professional or medical practitioner.  Reviews and endorsements of products will only be made based on my expertise and personal opinion; and deemed worthy of such endorsement. The opinions shared in sponsored content will always be my own and not that of the advertising company or brand. Content, advertising space or posts will be clearly identified if paid, affiliated or sponsored.  Affiliate links may  be found throughout this website in advertising. This means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links, Your Kids OT will receive a percentage of the sale. Your Kids OT undertakes to meet the requirements of the "Social Media Policy" as published by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).  Further information about this policy can be found here.

Find me


Follow me

Visit Your Kids OT's profile on Pinterest.
Picture

About me

Author

Hi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here.

Picture
Copyright © 2017 Your Kid OT