When a Child’s Clumsiness Warrants Special Attention

As a rule, children go through a stage where their motor skills are not yet developed, and these normally develop at a pace related to their over-all growth and development. As children grow, their movements become better coordinated, but this is not a uniform phenomenon. Some children become agile earlier, master eye-hand coordination more easily, and acquire balance and space perception with more ease. And there are those who may have difficulty developing these motor skills.

Development Milestones as a Tool

While children develop according to their own pace, certain development benchmarks can help parents keep track of whether or not a child’s lack of coordination is cause for concern. Children with coordination difficulties are often referred to as “clumsy”, and parents will often simply accept this without thinking that there is a need for professional assessment. This is where development milestones can prove useful as a tool for determining whether a child’s clumsiness or lack of motor skills needs to be evaluated by a professional.

There are some basic development milestones for children, and although a difference of a few months is nothing to be worried about, parents must remain sensitive to any persistent difficulties their children may have in any of the key areas in development.

Possible Causes of Clumsiness

When a child continues to be unmistakably clumsy even after the age of four, it is necessary for a parent to seek professional assistance to determine if the lack of coordination is caused by a developmental problem. There are several reasons why some remain clumsy, and some of them are relatively easy to address.

Poor eyesight is a common reason why the eye-hand coordination of some students is poor.
Anxiety is another reason why children become clumsy because of anxiety or some other challenge.

Diagnosis and Therapy

Children labeled as “clumsy” often suffer from low self-esteem, and their lack of motor skills can serve to isolate them from their peers. This is why early diagnosis is important for children who seem to have difficulty mastering the tasks they are expected to do at their age.

If you notice that your child is not acquiring age-appropriate motor skills, professional assistance will help determine why this is so. With counseling, parents can find out if children need special support to learn skills and catch up.

If you find yourself in this situation, take the first step to help your child overcome this challenge and get in touch with Carolina Counseling Services – Southern Pines, NC. This is where you are sure to get help from an expert individually contracted counselor.

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