NRS Healthcare Pen Grippers - Pack of 3

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Pencil control activities require a more controlled hand. Try these simple cards to encourage your child to perfect their pencil grip. Sometimes the easiest way to ensure a better grip on a pencil is by getting a smaller pencil into those hands. Golf pencils are some of the best tools for smaller hands, as they are the right size. The use of larger pencils and crayons leads to compensatory grasping patterns, as they are too long and too heavy for little hands to grasp and hold for long periods of time. A typical sized pencil in the hands of a child, is the equivalent of an adult trying to use a 12 inch pencil! Powered by hydraulic fluids, hydraulic grippers provide more gripping power than their pneumatic counterparts, making them ideal for heavy duty applications. Interdigital grasp: The tips of all the fingers and the thumb are on the pencil, which is held without movement during writing.

There are other grasps that can be considered “functional” in which the child holds the pencil differently than described here, but can also write in an efficient manner. We've separated the gripper types above based on the methods used to power the gripper, but there are other ways to distinguish gripper types, such as by form, which results in terms like 'parallel gripper', 'soft gripper' and 'angular gripper.' You may also have encountered terms like 'adaptive gripper', 'mechanical gripper' and 'claw.' Don't worry about this extra terminology for now; it will be covered in the sections where we dive into more detail on different gripper types. How to choose the right robotic gripper? Lateral tripod: The pencil is held along the lateral side of the thumb by the index finger and long finger. The pencil does not rest in the webspace. Writing is done by moving the fingertips. Designed with a wide barrel that boasts an ergonomic, latex-free cushioned grip, this pen reduces writing stress. In fact, Meredith Warner, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and founder of Well Theory indicates that she opts for this pen when she gets writer’s cramp and finds it extremely helpful.In the newborn hand, there is a normal physiological flexion. The hand reflexively grasps around objects placed in it. 2,3 As the baby starts to spend more time in prone, they open their fingers more 3 and learn to push up onto the hands. Grasp of objects progresses from a crude palmar grasp, to ulnar palmar, to a raking grasp, to a radial palmar grasp. By 8 to 9 months of age, the palmar arches are starting to develop as the child’s weight shifts through their hands as they crawl. As a neat pincer grasp develops, the child is able to isolate their finger for pointing. 2,3

To meet the needs of the individual student, a pencil grip may be supplied as a tool to support those individual needs. Deciding which type of ergonomic writing tool is the best for you will depend on your personal needs and preferences. If you have arthritis or carpal tunnel, you may find that pens designed to alleviate stress and redistribute weight are most useful. Meanwhile, if you experience hand tremors, have trouble controlling a pen, or writing comfortably, you may find that writing tools with some weight to them are better for you. Unfortunately, some people develop an awkward static grasp pattern, which can impact handwriting and speed since the motion primarily comes from the wrist. There are three types of immature grasp: 1 Dynamic tripod: The pencil is held in the tips of the thumb, index finger, and long finger, resting in the webspace. Writing is done by moving the fingertips. So you can see that it all is up to each individual when it comes to forcing a student to move from quadrupod to tripod. It just may not make sense to do so for some…and that’s ok and very functional! Other Functional Pencil GraspsBefore we get into the various types of pencil grips you may see an occupational therapy practitioner recommend, it’s important to cover functional pencil grip. If you are having trouble gripping more traditional pens or you are not able to write legibly or control the pen’s movement, you may want to consider an ergonomic writing tool. Even not being able to write for a prolonged period of time without experiencing pain or fatigue could be a sign that you could benefit from a different writing implement, Dr. Bose says. And while stretching and hand strengthening exercises should be utilized as well, an appropriate writing tool can help make putting pen to paper a little easier. And, possibly the best of all, you’ll get access to a secret challengers Facebook group, where you can share wins, chat about all things pencil grasp, and join a community of other therapists, parents and teachers working on pencil grasp issues. Functional grasps have a few basic components, which include; an open web space, skill fingers holding the pencil (thumb, first, and middle fingers), and stability (achieved with the ring and little fingers being curled securely into the palm). This results in an efficient and functional tripod grasp for the most success with handwriting, drawing, and coloring. Now, without further ado, let’s proceed to types of pencil grips that most OTs recommend, what their purpose is, and why they are recommended!

Lateral thumb-wrapped grasp: The thumb wraps over the pencil to press it against the index finger for control. The fingers will help hold the pencil but do not move during writing. Teachers will love the Centers activities to incorporate into learning to impact carryover of handwriting skills.Then we spent hours researching the different types of pens on the market, evaluating everything from their weight and sizing to their ease of use and grip design. The end result was a comprehensive list of ergonomic pens designed to assist with writing depending on your specific condition. Here is an OT tip just for you! Create a pencil grip kit as pictured below. This will serve you coordinate an approach to determining the best pencil grip for any learner. You will have children that the typical grip will not work for, and you’ll need that one rarely used grip just for them! Have it on hand!