Blogs

What are gross motor skills? Gross motor skills are what children need to perform whole body movements using large muscle groups. This includes movements with their arms, legs and other large body parts. Gross Motor Skills are what the child needs to be able to perform everyday activities such as standing, walking, running and jumping. This is what helps them sit at the dinner table or school desk. It also includes skills such as throwing, catching, and kicking. Children need gross motor skills to ride their bike or scooter, and to go swimming. Occupational Therapy can help with gross motor…

What is low muscle tone? Muscle tone is the amount of tension (or resistance to movement) in muscles. Low tone means that there is less tension in the muscle when it is at rest. Low muscle tone is used to describe muscles that are floppy, which is also known as hypotonia. Children with low tone may also tire more easily. They use more energy to move their muscles. Muscle tone and muscle strength are not the same thing. Children can have strong muscles but still have low tone. Low muscle tone is a neurological issue.  Low muscle tone is used…

Why is using a knife and fork important? Parents often ask about teaching their child to use a knife and fork. Mealtimes are an important aspect of family and social life. Most cultures use food as a part of bringing their communicate together. Its important that children can participate appropriately in these social situations. Not every culture uses cutlery. However, in cultures where cutlery use is expected, it is important that children learn this skills by the correct age. Learning to eat with a knife and fork is a gross motor, fine motor and social skill. When children eat with…

Tummy time is not just for babies… WHAT ARE THE SIGNS THAT A CHILD NEEDS TUMMY TIME? Does your child fidget in their chair? Do they have trouble holding their head up at the table? They may benefit from tummy time. The Occupational Therapists at our clinic in Bondi Junction, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, recommend tummy time for all children. They use fun, exciting tummy time activities for older children to help their motor skill development. HOW DOES TUMMY TIME HELP? Tummy time is the foundation skill for rolling, sitting, crawling and pulling from sit to stand. It is an…

What to expect at your child’s Occupational Therapy assessment You’ve made the decision to have your child assessed by one of our Occupational Therapists at OneOnOne Children’s Therapy. For some parents at our Bondi Junction clinic and Mascot clinics,  it is a relief to start the therapy process. Other parents feel quite anxious about the results of the occupational therapy assessment, and some parents feel overwhelmed with the journey they may be starting. It is normal to feel some or all of these emotions. Chances are that you don’t know what to expect in an Occupational Therapy assessment. Let’s go…

Is a pencil grip really that important? Does it matter if a child doesn’t hold their pencil correctly? The answer is ‘yes’ Handwriting is still a very important skill that impacts your child’s success at school. It takes time to develop a good pencil grip. Let’s hear what our Occupational Therapists in our Bondi Junction clinic have to say about handwriting and pencil grip. When children learn to hold their pencil properly while they’re young, their handwriting will be efficient, effortless and they can write for a longer period of time. If children have the wrong pencil grip when they start…

What are fine motor skills? Fine motor skills are the co-ordinated movements of the small muscle in the fingers, hands and arms. Fine motor skills also include hand-eye coordination. This is when you use your vision to help you control the movements that you are making with these small muscles. The development of fine motor skills is a specialty area for an Occupational Therapist. Fine motor skills are crucial for toddlers and pre-schoolers. It leads to  many other skills. Firstly, fine motor skills allow children to play with toys. Playing with toys leads to language development, cognitive development and social…

What is a pincer grasp? A pincer grasp is  a developmental milestone which allows a child to pick up small objects with their thumb and forefinger. It normally develops between the ages of 9-12 months. What happens if children don’t have a good pincer grasp? Children who have an immature grasp will find it difficult to play with small toys such as blocks and beads. They may also struggle to independently complete self care tasks such as dressing (clasping buttons, zips and laces) and eating with cutlery. It will also effect their fine motor development in the lead up to…

What is hand dominance? Hand dominance refers to the fact that children have a preferred hand for precision work. We call it the worker hand or dominant hand. How does hand dominance develop? From a very young age, babies and then toddlers explore how their hands work together.  First, they begin to bring their hands together in front of them. They play with their fingers and start making movements using both hands such as  clapping.  Then they perform activities that involve the movement of both hands. This includes crawling and climbing. Young children then start to scribble, cut and complete…