Pencil Grips--CLAW?

[umsami]

Has anybody used the CLAW pencil grips? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AGN4N2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A2EJPM0U9O7KKY

 

 

DS1 has horrific handwriting and has always held the pencil wrong. We've tried more mainstream grips (bought at Staples), but they don't seem to help.

[Mynyel]

We used them once with ds4 in his therapy session. They are OK.

 

The problem I have with them is that my son didn't grip the pencil. He would keep his fingers in the claw but not grip. I don't know if yours would do that.

 

Honestly, if you want to work on grip get these or use very short pencils.

 

My ds4 likes to hold regular crayons, pens and pencils resting on his pinky, instead of the ring finger or middle finger. So we take and break the crayons in half and that corrects his grip.

 

You can try these or these as well.

[ChristineW]

We used them once with ds4 in his therapy session. They are OK.

 

The problem I have with them is that my son didn't grip the pencil. He would keep his fingers in the claw but not grip. I don't know if yours would do that.

 

Honestly, if you want to work on grip get these or use very short pencils.

 

My ds4 likes to hold regular crayons, pens and pencils resting on his pinky, instead of the ring finger or middle finger. So we take and break the crayons in half and that corrects his grip.

 

My DD uses the recommended grips linked above in her OT class and it has helped tremendously.

[gardening momma]

Has anybody used the CLAW pencil grips? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AGN4N2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A2EJPM0U9O7KKY

 

 

DS1 has horrific handwriting and has always held the pencil wrong. We've tried more mainstream grips (bought at Staples), but they don't seem to help.

I bought a couple of these at the convention. We've used them a little bit, but haven't used them regularly. Every now and then I insist on it, but I often forget to pay attention to how dc hold their pencils. I bought them because I thought "Finally! a way to get them to hold the pencil correctly!" I have several other kinds of pencil grips, but I think dc didn't care for the bulkiness of those. Plus, when you take them away, they seemed to go back to however they wanted to hold the pencil. With the claw, the fingers are almost directly touching the pencil, compared to the other kind that have a much thicker barrier between the fingers and pencil. But we haven't had enough experience with the claw yet to give an opinion on how well it works.

 

I have thought of putting stickers on the pencil to show where to hold it. Or something stuck to the fingers maybe? I don't know. Dd8 tends to wrap her thumb over & past the pencil.

 

ETA: we have these, these (the crossover), and these.

 

ETA: Plus these (which are not for adjusting pencil grip, just for comfort), these, and these (another that's for comfort and not postion).

Edited May 18, 2012 by gardening momma

[lea1]

I used the crossover (linked above) with my two sons. One of them took note of how the grip would place his fingers and he started holding his pencil that way purposely until he formed that habit. The other used the crossover grip for over a year. When I finally took it off of his pencil, he went straight back to his old, familiar grip, which is not a proper grip.

 

I did not hold my pencil correctly until college. When I was young, the teachers and my mom and sister tried to show me how to hold it right but it just did not feel comfortable to me and I always returned to my unique grip. Many years later, in college, I decided to change it (can't remember why) so I did. Now my old grip feels strange and the proper grip feels right. The good news is that my old grip never hindered my writing ability.

 

I think I have decided to give up on trying to change my sons grip and just let him go with it, as long as it does not hinder his writing ability. He actually holds it very similar to how I used to hold mine.:tongue_smilie:

Edited May 18, 2012 by Lea in OK

[gardening momma]

So I was just looking around and found this one. It would keep the thumb from crossing over, but looks like the student holds the pencil directly, without something between the pencil and fingers.

 

Some people are curriculum junkies. I may be a pencil grip junkie. :D

[umsami]

Thanks everybody.

 

I actually just got back from our local teacher store where I went little crazy buying a bunch of different grips.

 

I hold my pencil incorrectly--but it has never affected my writing. That's why I wasn't as worried about DS, but lately he's been saying it's painful to write more than a word or two. He also prefers to write in pen or with a mechanical pencil....not sure if that says anything about the problem or not.

[Mynyel]

Thanks everybody.

 

I actually just got back from our local teacher store where I went little crazy buying a bunch of different grips.

 

I hold my pencil incorrectly--but it has never affected my writing. That's why I wasn't as worried about DS, but lately he's been saying it's painful to write more than a word or two. He also prefers to write in pen or with a mechanical pencil....not sure if that says anything about the problem or not.

 

 

Actually... pen is better. There is less drag on his hand and he doesn't feel like he has to press as hard either.

 

I converted to pen with my kids a few months ago, I never heard one complaint.

 

I will use pen with ds4.. well when he gets to the age to write :)

 

If he wants to use pen, go for it. It might not be as "neat" as if he can erase but it will be easier for him.

 

If you want, have him practice the lesson on lines paper, then when he is ready actually write in the book to eliminate serious messiness.

[gardenmom5]

Has anybody used the CLAW pencil grips? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AGN4N2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A2EJPM0U9O7KKY

 

 

DS1 has horrific handwriting and has always held the pencil wrong. We've tried more mainstream grips (bought at Staples), but they don't seem to help.

 

my son didn't like the claw -it's pretty insecure.

 

The OT who did his evaluation wanted him in a "grotto" grip - which is the most secure for grip position. I have a bunch of "crossover" grips, which is a softer version of the grotto.