With regards to syndactyly release, do you work on grip strength as well or are you more concerned with functional grasp first?
Answer
With syndactyly release, it depends on the age of the child. Grip strength with younger children is addressed with functional grasp. If it is an infant, they do not have a lot of strength requirements. Up until the age of about two, they do not need a lot of strength. They really need grasp development. I am looking more at grasp development. As they get older, I may look at grip strength if that is a weakness.
With infants, I am really still looking at grasp development and making sure especially that they are able to develop that radial sided grasp and pinch so that they can start to learn to manipulate. If it is an older child, I will look at grip strength. I am big on function so I will try to use as many functional activities as possible. If I want an older child to do grip strengthening, then I may have them playing Legos and pulling the Legos apart, or different types of objects that require pinch or grasp in order to manipulate.
Valeri Calhoun, MS, OTR/L, CHT
Valeri Calhoun is an Occupational Therapist with over 40 years of experience in various settings. Valeri obtained her BS in OT from Indiana University and an MS in Community Health from the University of Kansas Medical Center. She obtained her CHT in 1994 and has spent 16 years in pediatric hand therapy settings. She maintains current with the adult population by providing PRN Occupational Therapy services. Valeri has taught and lectured nationally and internationally on various topics and was the internationally invited Guest lecturer for the South African Society of Hand Therapists in 2013. She has taught graduate OT courses at multiple universities. Valeri recently returned from her third medical mission trip to the Eastern Caribbean through the World Pediatric Project and Touching Hands organization through the ASSH.
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