Short-term sensorimotor-based intervention for handwriting performance in elementary school children

• Published in: Pediatrics international 2016-11, Vol.58 (11), p.1118-1123
• Main Authors: Alhusaini, Adel A, Melam, Ganeswara Rao, Buragadda, Syamala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Careers; Child; Children; elementary school; Elementary school students; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Grip strength; Handwriting; Humans; Intervention; legibility; Male; Motor ability; Motor Skills - physiology; Pediatrics; Schools; Sensorimotor Cortex - physiology; Sensorimotor system; Students; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Visual Perception - physiology
• ISSN: 1328-8067; 1442-200X
• DOI: 10.1111/ped.13004

Background Handwriting problems in childhood can have lifelong repercussions, affecting learning and career. Sensorimotor intervention therefore helps to alleviate these problems. Methods Thirty‐one students (16 boys, 15 girls) underwent Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA) to assess legibility, form, alignment, size, and spacing (the primary variables in this subject) as well as rate. Finally, 10 students (seven boys, three girls) aged 6–8 years (mean age, 77.1 ± 1.45 months) participated in an intervention program. Baseline MHA, Handwriting Proficiency Screening Questionnaire (HPSQ), and grip strength were measured. The same group of students acted as their own controls and were analyzed before the interventions and later after completion of the protocol. Results There was a significant improvement in MHA scores for legibility, form, alignment, size and spacing (P < 0.05), with the exception of rate. There were also significant changes in legibility, time performance and physical and emotional wellbeing domains in the HPSQ, and grip strength (P < 0.05, paired t‐test). Conclusion Short‐term sensorimotor‐based intervention produced significant improvements in the handwriting performance of elementary school children.