Simple Tasks While Wearing Gloves Are Not So Simple

Sorry I am a little behind on my posts. The end of the semester is coming quicker than I would like. Writing papers and working on group projects has taken a front seat lately. A couple of weeks ago in my disability sport class we kind of strayed from the sport theme and focused on some fine motor skill tasks.

Working on tactile function tasks were a lot trickier than I could have imagined. Whether it was threading some beads or shuffling cards, if you are not able to actually feel what you are touching, it is near impossible. We simulated these tasks by wearing two different sized gardening gloves. One was very small and snug while the other was too big. Obviously tasks with the smaller glove were easier since you are able to better feel what you are touching.

Some of the tasks we used were from the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP). This included beads and a thread, a pad, box, and pennies, as well as a deck of cards. All of these tests are intended to gauge the fine motor skills of children, but during class they served as a way for us to realize how important the sense of touch is. Without these skills it is difficult for anyone to enjoy such tasks as even tying a shoe or holding a fork and spoon.

Luckily, with practice one can develop the fine motor skills necessary for day to day living. It took me most of the class period to actually feel comfortable picking things up with the gloves on. In your mind you do not think it would be that tough. You soon realize though how much you use your hands throughout the day. I can not imagine having to try and type this right now with those gloves on. I highly doubt it would be legible and coherent. There is something to be said about a room full of seemingly able individuals struggling to put a peg in a hole.

These skills are easier to develop the younger someone is so it is important to take some time to work on a daily basis. It can make a big difference in a child’s life and enable them to have the building blocks necessary to lead as normal as possible childhood.