13 May Eye-Hand Coordination

Eye-hand Coordination is the ability to control hand movement guided by vision. The vision system coordinates the information received through the eyes to control, guide, and direct the hands in a given task. A child who is challenged in this area has difficulty coordinating body movements in response to what he/she is seeing.

Why is it so important for your child to develop this skill?

• In school, visual-motor integration, which is a vital skill for handwriting, develops from a good eye-hand coordination base. The eyes need to guide the hand in forming the letters and making sure they stay within the lines. It may affect young children’s ability to color, draw basic strokes, and pictures.

• In gross motor activities, hand eye-hand coordination can help your child to catch a ball and bat a ball.

• Eye tracking skills, which are vital for reading, can also develop through the gross motor activities used for eye-hand coordination.

Visual motor deficits in children are often not discovered until a child is in elementary school.  Difficulties with learning to draw simple pictures, write, and use classroom tools may be the first signs that there is a problem. When visual motor problems are identified through testing, there is not necessarily a deficit in vision or with motor control. Therefore, the deficit is often when the visual and motor systems are not communicating well with each other.

Occupational therapists can improve a child’s visual motor skills through repetition and practice of the activity itself.  It can additionally be developed by breaking down the activity into building blocks.  The building blocks for developing the skill are worked on and added to as each part is mastered. Moreover, the child can be taught various strategies that can help to compensate for their deficit.  Through therapy, the child can effectively gain the age-appropriate visual motor skills necessary for their development.

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Robin (Rivky) Akselrud, MS, OTR/L is a licensed occupational therapist. David (Yakov) Ettinger, PT, DPT, GCS is a Doctor of Physical Theray and is a Board Certified Geriatric Specialist. Their state-of-the-art outpatient treatment facilty for adult and pediatric rehabilitation, Forward Physical and Occupational Therapy is located at 3815 13th avenue. Please contact us at (718) 677-6777 to schedule an appointment so we can help YOU move FORWARD!

Most major insurances accepted.

Occupational Therapy is NOW available in Flatbush! Come and see our new clinic at 2918 Avenue M(between east 29th street and Nostrand Avenue)