05/23/2025
A parent recently inquired about printing therapy but didn’t want us to ‘assess’, rather just to ‘fix’ it. They assumed that practice alone leads to improvement, and wented ys to just work in printing. However this is not the case. A proper OT screening (observational assessment) lets us know which components of printing are the ones leading to difficulty with written output. There are several factors and it’s not the same for all kids. Maybe it’s mostly postural, and we can correct seating and ergonomics for a quick fix (and cheaper than several 1:1 printing sessions). Or maybe it’s visual motor integration, and therapy won’t look like printing. Our clinic follows evidence-based practices. We use research informed tools to screen/assess and treat. Trust us and we will guide you in the write direction.
Did you know that handwriting skills are built on a foundation of various underlying skills? 📝 Here are some of the essential building blocks of handwriting development:
💺 Posture: Good posture helps with stability and control, allowing for more efficient use of the arms, hands, and fingers.
🧠 Executive Functioning Skills: These include cognitive processes such as planning, organizing, and self-regulation, which are crucial for following instructions and completing written tasks.
🎨 Visual Motor Integration: This refers to the ability to coordinate visual information with motor movements, allowing for precise and accurate letter formation.
🖐️ Fine Motor Development: This encompasses the development of small muscles in the hands and fingers, which are necessary for holding and controlling a writing utensil.
🧑🦲 Sensory Processing: This refers to how our nervous system processes and responds to sensory input, which can impact handwriting in areas such as pencil pressure and letter size.
📌 Check out our latest blog post which puts it all together, and has links for tips and tools to target each building block: https://www.theottoolbox.com/a-complete-guide-to-handwriting/
📝👨🏫👩🏫✏️📐📏🖊️📝
