Dragonfly: Universal Access Resources / Play Tips / Why do they put everything in their mouths?
Quick Search
PLAY Pen Article
Decisions, Decisions!
Guide for parents.
|
|
Why do they put everything in their mouths?
By: Renata Bursten, Dragonfly Staff
One of the earliest fine moter skill children develop is the skill of "sensation". Sensation is the skill we use to tell the difference between a quarter and a dime by touch without needing to look at the coins.
Cognitively young children have their best sensation descrimination in their mouths. By mouthing objects and then feeling them with their hands, children correlate the sensations from two different sensory input channels.
,This "sensory intgration" helps them to tune up the sensory apparatus in the hands. As the hands become more sensitive, children will need to put things in their mouths less and less.
During this oral stage it is important to offer many textured grasp and handle toys. Dragonfly offers a full collection of well designed and easy to handle toys of this type.
Welcome to Dragonfly USA.
PLAY Tip
Occupational Therapy: Developing Hand Strength with Strength Putties and Therasaurs
It is important for children with fine motor delays to gain as much hand strength and dexterity as possible because it makes all other skills much easier to learn. A set of Tactile Putties or Therasaurs are perfect for children who need to improve their fine motor skills. As each level becomes easy, go to the next level up. Strong and limber hands help all fine motor skills.