Can pincer grasp be taught?

[Blessed_Mom]

My DD at 10 mo still has not learnt the pincer grasp. Is that slow? Can I teach it to her (I tried) or is that something she is eventually going to grasp (no pun intended) herself some day?

[Kelly1101]

Your baby was a bit premature, right? Remember to adjust for that when you're looking at milestones.

I don't know if you can teach it, but you can encourage by putting very small things in front of her and let her mess around and figure out how to pick them up. Because once it's picked up, it will probably go in the mouth, try something edible like peach diced very small.

I remember right before mine started pincer grasp, she got really interested in her hands and would stick her index finger in the air like "counting to one" gesture.

[Blessed_Mom]

Yep - 5 weeks premature. But even adjusted it seems rather late in the day. Of course the fact that she has allergies explains it a bit....she doesn't want to do much with solids yet. But mama's not making sufficient milk and baby's obly 16# at 10 months....which is scrawny and tiny.

[Abraisme]

I never had to teach either of my kids, it's just something that they seemed to learn on their own when they were ready. From my experience 10mo seems kind of late to not have good hand control. My both of my children had mastered the pincher grasp by 7mo.

Just because your baby is small DOES NOT mean that you're not making suffient milk. Some babies are just small and some babies are not ready to eat solids (pincher or not) until 12mo+. My best friends kid didn't start eating much until 14mo and even then he didn't really start gaining weight. He's also small (-3% in weight and 10% in height) and there really isn't anything anyone can do about it. I know it's tough to have a baby that doesn't eat, but they all learn to eat in the end.

[lkmiscnet]

I helped my 10 mo old DS with learning the pincer grasp. I used organic "puffs", which are designed to dissolve in the mouth. I would help him use his thumb and index finger to pick them up off his high chair tray and I would have him watch me do it too.

Getting him to eat them is another story! He is still on purees and not ready for anything thicker. When he accidentally got the puff in his mouth, he gagged and promptly vomited up the pureed green beans I just got in him to get the puff out of his mouth...

[claddaghmom]

Can you give more info? Does she have the raking skill? This is where they rake their hands to collect a larger object on the ground. Can she switch items from hand to hand? What other general hand skills does she have?

I agree, it does sound a bit "late" even adjusted, but unless other skills are missing it might not mean anything.

[Blessed_Mom]

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

Can you give more info? Does she have the raking skill? This is where they rake their hands to collect a larger object on the ground. Can she switch items from hand to hand? What other general hand skills does she have?

I agree, it does sound a bit "late" even adjusted, but unless other skills are missing it might not mean anything.

She has the "raking" skill.... she switches from one hand to another...she even takes a whole set of "puffed rice" and tries clumsily to put them in her mouth while they stick to her hands and eats them, thusly ...it is just...she doesn't have the "pincer grasp" where she can pick one lone puffed rice and put them in her mouth. I want to try raisins....maybe they can go in her mouth better but because she is an allergic baby..am holding off on raisins for a while.....

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by Blessed_Mom

She has the "raking" skill.... she switches from one hand to another...she even takes a whole set of "puffed rice" and tries clumsily to put them in her mouth while they stick to her hands and eats them, thusly ...it is just...she doesn't have the "pincer grasp" where she can pick one lone puffed rice and put them in her mouth. I want to try raisins....maybe they can go in her mouth better but because she is an allergic baby..am holding off on raisins for a while.....

Oh, well don't take me as medical advice but she sounds fine then.

You could always try veggies or fruits that she can tolerate, slightly steamed and cut into small pieces. That would make them squishy and easier to pick up.

Also, have you taken her for an eye check up? I know this is a much older example, but when my sister was 8 she had a ton of difficulty with hand writing and hand/eye coordination...turned out she was severely farsighted. I remember my mom said she met a lot of milestones later than the other kids and always wondered if that was why.

[nudnik]

Yes, you can teach it. Many babies will enjoy (as we do) putting coins into a charity box or savings bank, but you can teach them to put Connect Four pieces into the grid as well. At first you may have to help hold their hand to show them, but they will eventually be able to do it alone.

[Blessed_Mom]

Maybe I should try with Cheerios like so many mamas here do....but I have this question - Most of the cheerios I find are honey nut cheerios which means they have honey and almond butter. Now my Ped's pamphlets' always stress not to give honey to my DD and almond if a nut NOT to be given to LOs until past their one year (even with no allergies). So how come so many of us give cheerios so freely?

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by Blessed_Mom

Maybe I should try with Cheerios like so many mamas here do....but I have this question - Most of the cheerios I find are honey nut cheerios which means they have honey and almond butter. Now my Ped's pamphlets' always stress not to give honey to my DD and almond if a nut NOT to be given to LOs until past their one year (even with no allergies). So how come so many of us give cheerios so freely?

Regular Cheerios (in the yellow box) have no nuts or honey.

My DD had a development evaluation a few weeks ago, at 9 months adjusted. She didn't have the pincer grasp yet and the evaluator wasn't concerned. She has since mastered it.

I definitely wouldn't give a baby raisins, as they are a choking hazard.

[Plarka]

I didn't think 9 mo was late for pincer grip, my dd started it then and I was under the impression it was normal.

Cheerios taste really sweet and sugary to me, I don't even give them to my 2 yr old.

I'd give your lo lots of opportunities to try and learn, with tiny foods. Practice makes perfect!

[Pookietooth]

freeze dried fruits are pretty easy to chew -- do you access to those?

[Blessed_Mom]

Originally Posted by Pookietooth

freeze dried fruits are pretty easy to chew -- do you access to those?

Are freeze dried fruit the same as sun-dried fruit? I happened to go to Safeway (my Wholefoods trek isn't until the middle of next week) and found some sun-dried Apricots. Can I give her those?

[bender]

Sun dried would be chewier. The freeze dried fruits dissolve in your mouth. Gerber has some freeze dried fruit in their line. I've found ours at Trader Joes, but i've seen them at Whole Foods too.

[Novus]

Slightly OT, but with freeze dried fruit, make sure you read the ingredients--a lot of brands have added sugar, which seems really unneccessary to me. But in general, the ones without added sugar have made really great finger foods.