Looking for info about Callirobics

[salinda]

My dd has completed all the levels of Handwriting Without Tears. She still has handwriting issues, but it is legible. The problem she has is with gripping the pencil so tightly she makes her hand hurt. I was looking at Callirobics at 7 to 14 year old level and thought that it might help her in relaxing her grip. She is also learning keyboarding, but I want to make the physical act of handwriting easier for her. Would Callirobics work for this?

[kRenee]

My ds is using Calirobics because his OT wanted him to try it. I am not terribly impressed, but then I don't think it is what my ds needs. He finds the music irritating so I don't often use it, and the shapes and patterns you are told to use are not rocket science. Anyone with a medium level of imagination could come up with shapes and patterns that would work. I think the idea is that the music will relax a person and the shapes aren't really letters to they can relax a little more and just let the pencil glide across the page.

 

On the positive side, it isn't very expensive and you don't have to think about inventing shapes of your own - so if you are inclined it is one of the easier and cheaper 'therapies' to try.

[NCW]

I just wrote a long answer and it somehow disappeared before I finished! A much shorter version:

 

Try coloring with crayons or colored pencils...tints and shades are made by learning to control pressure.

Try mechanical pencils.

Try "heavy work" exercises for the hands/shoulders before you begin writing - pushing fingertips together, pushing hands into desk, hooking fingers and pulling hands apart, lugging heavy buckets of water to the chicken yard, etc.

 

Callirobics helps with flow, automaticity, control, and endurance. It's good for these things if a child is stressed by forming letters/words but still needs to improve in these other areas. It may or may not help with pencil pressure - perhaps it could if your child finds the music relaxing. Perhaps you could just put on some music you know they like while they're coloring or drawing first, and see how they respond.

 

hths,

NCW