WHAT ARE VISUAL MOTOR SKILLS?
Visual motor skills, otherwise known as visual motor integration is the ability to interpret visual information and respond with a motor action. For example, you see a baseball and you respond by moving your hands to catch the baseball. Research indicates that visual motor skills are related to academic performance and eye-hand coordination skills.
WHY ARE VISUAL MOTOR SKILLS IMPORTANT?
Visual motor integration is crucial for coordination activities. If visually presented information is not perceived correctly, the muscles will get incorrect messages resulting in inappropriate motor responses. Children who have deficits in visual-motor integration may exhibit problems with participating in sports, eye hand coordination skills, eye-foot coordination skills, bilateral coordination (combining both sides of the body together), body awareness, activities of daily living (i.e. getting food on a fork), copying visual information, reading, drawing, handwriting, lining up math problems, geometry, speed of complete motor tasks, etc.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VISUAL MOTOR INTEGRATION SKILLS?
Did you know that visuomotor integration in kindergarten alone can predict later reading and math? After studying 259 kindergarteners through second graders, researchers reported that executive function and visuomotor integration tend to be delayed in socioeconomically disadvantaged children and can explain nearly half the achievement gap at kindergarten entry and visuomotor integration in kindergarten alone predicted later reading and math (Brock & Grissmer, 2018).
Other research indicates that preschool children’s visual-motor integration and object manipulation skills are related to executive function skills and social behaviors (MacDonald et. al., 2016)
OUR APPROACH TO DIFFICULTIES WITH VISUAL MOTOR SKILLS AT THE HYCHE CENTER
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At The Hyche Center, our therapists work with children who have difficulties with visual motor skills by using a multisensory approach. Deficits in visual motor skills may be caused by difficulties with underlying visual perceptual skills or motor skills. To identify a child’s level of performance related to their visual motor skills our occupational therapists (OT) will administer a standardized assessment called the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration, or the Beery VMI. This assessment provides the OT with important information on the development of the child’s visual and motor abilities, as well as where the child should be performing for their age.
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Following the evaluation, the therapist will develop goals based on the child’s performance and design a treatment program that concentrates on improving these skills. The therapist will engage the child in various activities that incorporate movement, tactile, visual, and auditory sensations to enhance visual, fine and gross motor skills. Throughout therapy, the therapist will also provide activities and exercises for the child to complete at home, such as mazes, dot-to-dots, puzzles or ball activities. Participation in home exercises will help the child practice these visual motor skills during the week outside of therapy and will ensure improvements in participation of everyday activities.
