Can’t Touch This…

Full disclosure: I hate hate HATE the feel of certain textures.

I hate them so much so that I will find ways to avoid touching them. I will never play in mud. I refuse to clean out a pumpkin. The thought of kneading dough or mixing raw meat with my hands freaks me out. I will use a fork and knife to eat BBQ ribs or chicken wings because the feel of the sauces of my fingers genuinely stresses me out. 

As odd as this is, I’m not the only one. We may know kids that can’t stand the tags on shirts, the feel of sand on their hands, or when paint or glue get on their skin. Why? It’s an overresponsive tactile system. 

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“It’s a Fine Motor Issue…”

Dissecting Fine Motor Skills

A common reason that children are referred to OT is for “fine motor issues.” However, it usually isn’t just a fine motor issue. There could be other factors involved.

What are fine motor skills? They are the coordinated movement that involves the use of fingers, hands, and arms. This includes:

  • Reaching
  • Grasping
  • Object manipulation (buttoning a button or putting coins in a piggy bank)
  • Tool usage (eating utensils and writing utensils)

These skills develop at birth and work with other areas of development, such as vision, touch, and postural and proximal strength/stability.  

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