Hand-eye coordination is a vital skill that contributes to your child’s ability to learn and socialize with others well. If your child is struggling with hand-eye coordination, our expert occupational therapists are here to help. Keep reading to find out what hand-eye coordination is, why it is important, and how it can be improved with pediatric occupational therapy.
What Is Hand-Eye Coordination?
Hand-eye coordination is the ability to coordinate the movements of the hands in response to input from the eyes. It is a vital skill for your child’s physical, cognitive, and social development because it is used in tons of daily activities like playing, writing, getting dressed, and feeding.
Common Signs of a Hand-Eye Coordination Delay
Common signs of a hand-eye coordination delay include:
- Trouble walking or balancing
- Difficulty with writing or drawing
- Struggles with getting dressed
- Trouble playing with toys
- Difficulty playing sports
- Struggles with self-feeding
- Challenges with following a
moving object
Daily Activities that Depend on Hand-Eye Coordination
Many people think hand-eye coordination is only useful in sports, but it is important in so many other areas of life. You need good hand-eye coordination to be able to:
- Drive a car
- Unlock a door with a key
- Use a calculator
- Text or call someone
- Play a musical instrument
- Take care of your hygiene
- Type on a keyboard
- Cook a meal
- Play video games
- Clean your home
- Play with your child
- And much more
How Delayed Hand-Eye Coordination Can Impact a Child’s Growth
Children with delayed hand-eye coordination can have a hard time learning and building other vital developmental skills. Poor hand-eye coordination can make it difficult for a child to get dressed on their own, do schoolwork, feed themselves, and even play with other children. And if it isn’t addressed, it can lead to challenges with the daily activities listed above. Poor hand-eye coordination can affect your child in every area of life, which is why early intervention is important for their wellbeing.
How Can Occupational Therapy Improve My Child’s Hand-Eye Coordination?
Our pediatric occupational therapists have extensive training and experience in building up visual motor skills like hand-eye coordination. We use proven therapeutic exercises, techniques, and activities to help children develop their hand-eye coordination for success in school, self-care, and beyond. We can also give you tips and activities you can do at home with your child to help them continue working on their hand-eye coordination between therapy sessions. With our one-on-one treatment and your support, we can work together to help your child master this important developmental skill.
Benefits of Pediatric Occupational Therapy for Hand-Eye Coordination
If your child is struggling with their hand-eye coordination, occupational therapy can help them build up this vital skill. This can lead to fantastic benefits such as:
- Stronger feeding skills
- Improved handwriting
- Better academic performance
- More independence
- Better ability to play and explore
- Increased self-esteem
- Improved quality of life
Schedule Your Child’s Evaluation
Pediatric Therapy Partners has clinics in Bossier and Shreveport, LA, to meet your family’s needs. All you have to do is call us at (318) 746-1199 or fill out the contact form below and our Intake Coordinator will help you schedule your child’s speech therapy evaluation.