Hand function development from the 7 to 12 months

Child growth is a complex process in which all areas of development are intertwined: motor, cognitive, speech and language, hand function development. There is a saying: "Your hands are a reflection of your brain". The hand is used for research, manipulating objects, activities of daily life.

Motor and hand function development

  • If we lowered the child on a flat surface already in 4th month, he/she begins to use open hands for support while moving on flat surfaces as early as 6th month.
  • When the child starts sitting, by moving from sitting to other positions, he/she begins to use his/her arm and open hand to protect him/herself from falling on his/her head.
  • Children who begin to stand up use their hands to pull themselves up into a standing position.

Development of grasping

With better motor control, the hand becomes more precise in grasping, manipulating and exploring what is in the environment.

In the third and fourth trimesters, the development of the grasping function proceeds as follows:

  • moving a toy from hand to hand
  • holding one toy in each hand, banging them against each other
  • grasping toys of different sizes and shapes (adjusting hand opening)
  • trying to grasp and hold as many as three or four objects of smaller circumference
  • squeezing soft objects
  • turning the pages of a book
  • opening boxes, lifting lids off boxes, taking wipes out of packs
  • separating two joined blocks
  • separating the forefinger for exploration, sticking a finger into holes, separating the forefinger for pointing
  • pulling a toy tied to a string
  • liking to lift heavier things (bottles full of water, toy boxes)
  • pushing and pulling boxes with toys, furniture (chairs, tables, clothes drying rack)
  • grasping small objects with the tips of his/her fingers, thumb and forefinger, and then with the tips of the thumb and forefinger (pincer grasp)

Hand and feeding

This age is also characterized by the introduction of non-milk foods. Food that we have cooked and prepared for blending or puréeing should pass "hand quality control". Allow the child to touch, crush, smear, throw, lick, put food in his/her mouth. Through the hands, the child will get quality information about what food is, what its texture and shape are, how it smells and, later, how it tastes, and will memorize all the necessary information about it:

  • how to pick it up, what grasp to use
  • what its texture is: soft, rough, squishy, moist
  • he/she will learn about size and shape: large, small, round, oblong

These things are also important in preparation for chewing and speaking.

The hand serves to support, protect, grasp, hold on to something, manipulate, "experience" different qualities from the environment. The child "sees" objects with his hand using a fine network of nerve endings and "complements" the image of what surrounds him/her. Therefore, explore together, taking care of his/her safety, of course (sharp, small objects, toxic substances such as household chemicals that he/she can reach, movable objects that he/she can pull on and get injured if they fall).