# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Did you know these 9 famous people are dyslexic?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out about Tourette syndrome, a condition that causes tics, including its symptoms, treatment and causes.

# data[].attributes.body
A guide for parents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Neurodiversity is a common term but what exactly does it mean? The term is sometimes used in different ways by different people. It is often used in the context of autism and ADHD.

# data[].attributes.body
The ADHD Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service.

# data[].attributes.body
Kids provide a wide range of support. From early years into adulthood. Learning and development. Playschemes, adventure playgrounds and youth groups. Parent support and mediation. Social connections and emotional wellbeing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
KIDS support over 11,800 disabled children, young people and their families every year by delivering over 60 services throughout England.

We ensure disabled children from birth to 25 have the opportunity to learn, play, build friendships, gain confidence and improve their well-being and we provide vital time, emotional and practical support to parents and siblings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
special educational needs and disability

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
KIDS support over 11,800 disabled children, young people and their families every year by delivering over 60 services throughout England. We ensure disabled children from birth to 25 have the opportunity to learn, play, build friendships, gain confidence and improve their well-being and we provide vital time, emotional and practical support to parents and siblings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In recent years, there has been an increasing dialogue about the best ways to support children who have developmental differences. These children are traditionally referred to as having special educational needs (SEN).

While this term was originally designed to ensure that we identify and support those children in a timely manner, it has been criticised for its dominant focus on a child's deficits and delays. In short, SEN only gives us part of the picture yet it can often become a dominant label that negatively shapes and shifts their experiences. This has to change if we are dedicated to improving children's physical, social, emotional, cognitive and academic outcomes.

The aims of this booklet are to:

introduce the concept of neurodiversity in an accessible way

consider how ableism is a barrier to inclusion

explore neurodivergent profiles of development

develop practical approaches in becoming neurodiversity-informed within our early years practice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A guide to neurodiversity in the early years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Best ways to support children who have developmental differences

# data[].attributes.body
The SEND local offer is a single place for information, services, and resources for children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and/or disabilities, their families, and the practitioners who support them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cookies

This site stores certain information as 'cookies' on your device in order to improve your website experience with Shropshire Council. We also share information about your use of the site with analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.

You can review and set individual cookie settings here.

Accept all cookies Essential cookies only

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Shropshire's local offer, giving care to vulnerable young people from 0-25.

# data[].attributes.body
PACC (PACC Shropshire) is a local parent carer forum and promotes the participation of parent carers in the planning and delivery of services for children and young people (0-25 years) with disabilities or additional needs in Shropshire.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parent and Carer Council Shropshire (PACC)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PACC is a local parent carer forum and promotes the participation of parent carers in the planning and delivery of services for children and young people (0-25 years) with disabilities or additional needs in Shropshire.

# data[].attributes.headline
Bee U - Children's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services

# data[].attributes.subject
Bee U - Children's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services

# data[].attributes.body
BeeU provides emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people (ages 0 to 25) in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

The service provides:

Emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people (0-25)

Neurodevelopmental assessments for children – autism for 5–18-year-olds, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for 6–18-year-olds

Community Eating Disorder Services for 0–18-year-olds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BeeU :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BeeU provides emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people (ages 0 to 25) in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

# data[].attributes.headline
Shropshire SEND Information, Advice and Support

# data[].attributes.subject
Shropshire SEND Information, Advice and Support

# data[].attributes.body
At Shropshire SENDIASS, we provide clear, impartial information, advice, and support to parents and carers of children aged 0 to 25, as well as young people aged 16 to 25, who have or may have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

​

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shropshire SENDIASS | SEND help shropshire | Shropshire, UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Shropshire SENDIASS | SEND help Shropshire - Special Educational Needs advice and information for Young People and their families

# data[].attributes.body
The website and our Facebook page have lots of advice about how to support children and young people's speech, language and communication or their eating, drinking and swallowing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our services

The children's speech and language therapy team offer a variety of services to support babies, children and young people in the Shropshire area. Click on the relevant links, below, to find out more.

New patients

The service is available for any child or young person registered with a GP practice that is affiliated to NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB, and for Children in Care by agreement with their Responsible Commissioner.

How do you refer into this service?

You will find the referral forms on the Getting more help page.

We only accept electronic referrals. Referrals should be emailed to: shropcom.childtherapyreferrals@nhs.ne t

Urgent and High Priority Referral

For Children with high risk eating, drinking and swallowing needs, cleft lip and palate, and early years complex needs complete an Early Years referral or a School Age referral. If you are unsure call the Advice Line on 01743 450800 (option 4). Also look at the information on this site.

Update from Speech, Language Communication Needs system redesign

New Developments in the Children's Speech, Language & Communication Needs Pathway for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin
Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) is everyone's business. Therefore, we need to empower everyone involved in the system (including parents, carers and educators) to support children and young people (CYP) with SLC needs in a timely way that encourages their progress with communication.

Throughout Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin we want to do this by promoting that communication is fun and ensuring the right support is available at the right time.

Over the last year we have been working in collaboration with parents, education setting staff, specialists in speech, language & communication and commissioners of services to develop a plan to improve services for children with speech, language, and communication needs. The delivery of the Speech and Language UK Talk Boost Intervention and Training for Key Stage 1 schools funded by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust commenced on 24 th March. And we will continue the roll out of the training throughout the year ahead.

(Please note that I CAN have changed their name to Speech and Language UK)
The Speech and Language UK Talk Boost Intervention and Training Key Stage 1:

Free training to increase the skills and confidence of staff working in schools

There are two Staff training places offered for every school

Every school who takes up the offer of free training will receive a toolkit purchased for them

Once a school is registered for the training, they will be sent information on how to collect their toolkit

For any school not already booked, additional training dates are available over the Summer and Autumn Terms

Early Talk Boost:

Places are available across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin for all Early Years Settings and support is also available for Child Minders.

The free training and resources for Early Talk Boost has been rolled out across the summer term.

Parents will be asked to contribute to the screening process and will be able to take part in the intervention process, for example, reading the given story books at home.

Settings and Parents can continue to monitor children's speech, language and communication once the screen and/or intervention has been completed, using the toolkit as needed.

Further catch-up dates will be available from the Autumn.

Further information
Information about these events is being shared by the Local Authority Early Years teams.

More information will be shared shortly about the roll out of Talk Boost Key Stage 2.

Further consultation about resources and training for secondary schools is planned.

In Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin :

The next training dates are:

8th June - KS1

29th June - KS2

This is an all day training and will be run via TEAMS.

You will also find tips and advice about speech, language, and communication development on this site.

Who are we?

The Children's Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service in Shropshire provides assessment and treatment of speech, language, communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing needs for children and young people from birth to 16 years old (or to 19 years if in full time education).

Speech and Language Therapists are "Allied Health Professionals" and are governed by two organisations;

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC): all Speech and Language Therapists must be registered with this organisation in order to call themselves Qualified Speech and Language Therapists.

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT): to be eligible for full membership of this organisation members must have successfully completed a degree qualification in Speech and Language Therapy.

We are a team of 26 whole time equivalent therapists and assistants. Most of us work part time so there are 42 team members. We work across a variety of settings including the Child Development Centres.

For information about our service please see our handbook.

Our Values and Principles

Parents have told us that they wish to have a leading role in their child's care and be supported to develop the skills and confidence to help their child. This means that wherever possible our first contact for a child will be with their family. Parents and carers will be invited to all relevant training workshops and coaching sessions.

Where a private or NHS therapist can meet the needs of a child/young person's speech, language and communication needs, we believe it is best for them, their family, and education setting to be seeing one therapist whenever possible. This means that parents can choose whether to receive private therapy or be seen by a therapist working for the NHS. A child may need to see other specialist therapists working privately or for the NHS, if they have more than one area of need. Private or NHS therapy may be more helpful at different times and for different needs, so with careful planning the children will be able to receive the care they need.

Wherever possible we feel it is important to share information to everyone who supports the child/young person's development. This means we may ask for your help with the contact details of non resident parents.

Speech and Language Therapists, support staff and administrators are committed to our NHS values.
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust values:

Improving lives in our communities

Everyone Counts

Respect and Dignity

Compassionate Care

Working Together

Commitment to Quality

Current waiting time

The local offer provides information for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and their parents or carers in a single place. You can find out more about information about this on our SEND reforms and Local Offers page.

Full SEND and Local Offer details are located elsewhere:

The Children's SLT Service works across all of Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire, closely with partners in both Local Authorities and across the wider children's workforce, to identify, assess and support children and young people with speech, language, communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing needs.

In line with the Children and Families Act 2014 each local authority has a Local Offer which aims to bring together useful information across education, health and social care in one place for children and young people, their families, and for professionals. You can find information, advice and guidance, and a range of local service providers who support children and young people aged 0-25 years with SEND.

Please click here to access the Telford and Wrekin SEND Local Offer

Please click here to access the Shropshire SEND Local Offer
About the local offer I Shropshire Council
Please click here for further information on the trust's local offer for children and young people with SEND ( https://www.shropscommunityhealth.nhs.uk/send-local-offer)

Page last reviewed: 12 May 2021

Next review due: 1 April 2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out about the Shropshire children and young person's Speech and Language Therapy Service.

# data[].attributes.body
Occupational Therapists provide advice and intervention where needed, for children who have functional difficulties with self-care, classroom activities and leisure. The website and our Facebook page have lots of advice about how to support children and young people to participate in everyday activities at home and at school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The local offer provides information for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and their parents or carers in a single place. You can find out more about information about this on our SEND reforms and Local Offers page.

Occupational therapy is the assessment and treatment of a range of difficulties and diagnoses using specific, purposeful activity to prevent disability and promote independent function in all aspects of school, leisure and self-care activities.

Our Occupational Therapy services are provided across the whole of Shropshire county, including Telford and Wrekin residents. We have teams providing care in the following areas of specialty:

Mainstream Schools

Physical Disabilities

Early Years

Learning Disabilities

Full details for each of these specialty areas is provided in the "Our services" section above.

Waiting times for appointments may vary. You can find out more about our waiting times by using our waiting time calculator in the right-hand column.

We provide a client centred occupational therapy service to children and young with an additional needs or disability in the following groups

Pre-school children

RTA / Trauma / Hospital discharge

Children referred for CDC assessment

Children undergoing statutory assessment

Children with severe / specific learning difficulties and / or complex needs attending special schools in Telford (Bridge, Haughton, Southall) and Shropshire (Severndale, Shrewsbury)

Children with and young people with a physical, disability who are experiencing functional difficulties and who are integrated into mainstream school settings

Children requiring specialist Development Coordination Disorder Assessment (DCD)

Children with development coordination difficulties

Children with sensory processing difficulties affecting motor and functional performance.

We work in partnership with the child, parent, family and carers, professionals and voluntary organisations to provide interventions that maximise the individual potential of each child personally, functionally, academically and socially.

The amount, frequency and type of therapy assessments and interventions are based on each child's strengths difficulties and needs.

The need for ongoing intervention is regularly reviewed with the parents, child or young person.

We regularly evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the service through processes of user feedback, and outcome measures.

Do we provide support for parents and carers?

Although assessment and intervention is focused on the child's needs, support is provided for the child's parents or carers to help them to understand their child's condition, to enable them develop and use strategies and skills to support their child, and to be at the centre of their child's care.

Our service is available for children aged between 0-18 years (19 years if in full time education) who are registered to a GP within either Shropshire or Telford and Wrekin geographical boundaries. The service is offered to all children and young people regardless of ethnic, cultural, spiritual, gender and disability backgrounds.

We operate an open referral system. We accept referrals from parents, school or any other professional with parents' consent for children between the ages of 0 to 18.

We ask that all referrals are made using our referral form which is available from our administration teams or can be downloaded from our website.

Existing patients can contact us directly for help and support. We are able to discuss any difficulties up to one year after discharge, by telephone (01743 450800) or via email to our advice clinic ( shropcom.OT4kids.nhs.net )

The service is currently open 8.30am to 5pm Mondays- Fridays except Bank Holidays. Our Main Bases are listed in our "Contact us" section of this page (right-hand column).

Clinics are held across the different venues on different days of the week; a full list of these clinic spaces is shown in the "Where are we?" section of this page (right-hand column).

Our Occupational therapists work in schools and various community settings. Parents may be asked to travel to clinics or schools for appointments. They may visit children, young people and their carers/families at home to monitor their progress or provide interventions.

Families can contact the service to ask for advice or find out more about what we provide by contacting our Advice Clinic:

Interpreters are available for assessments of children and young people if either they or their main carers do not speak English or if they use other means of communication such as signing.

Feedback and Complaints

The service receives feedback from parents, partners and children and young people in the following ways:

audit of feedback questionnaires following treatment sessions

care planning and goal setting review

sharing and learning from informal comments, complaints and compliments.

Wherever possible, complaints are dealt with verbally and locally with clinical staff, clinical leads and managers. If you have any questions of concerns talk with your child's Occupational Therapist.

Shropshire Community Health Trust has a dedicated Patient Liaison Service (PALS) and a Complaints Manager who are both available to be contacted for support. A link for further details about these services may be found in the relevant section below.

Currently support for individual children is free. Charges may be made for training.

Next review due: 1 September 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The local offer provides information for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and their parents or carers in a single place. You can find out more about information about this on our SEND reforms and Local Offers page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With your help, we can keep offering free support to those who need us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Unique!

Unique provides support, information and networking to families affected by rare chromosome and gene disorders.

Our helpline team can help you understand your family member's diagnosis and connect you with others. Why not join us today? Alternatively, have a look around first and contact us when you're ready....

Become a Member

New jargon buster from Unique

In this brand new animated video, we look at a genomic test called DNA Sequencing. But what is it and how does it work? Click the button below to watch it.

What is DNA Sequencing?

Free Disorder Guides

Click here to download our free guides on specific chromosome and gene disorders

VIEW GUIDES

News

New Research Study 16p11.2 duplication, 22q11.2 deletion and 1q21.1 deletion

Details of a new research study at Cardiff University focusing on 16p11.2 duplication, 22q11.2 deletion and 1q21.1 deletion

What is DNA Sequencing?

A brand new animated video from Unique, explaining what DNA sequencing is and how it works.

NEW Research: Trisomy 5p

Details of a new research project aimed at improving the lives of children, young adults, and families affected by Complete Trisomy 5p.

Please help us carry on by making a donation today

Only with your help at this time of uncertainty can we go on providing information and support to anyone affected by rare chromosome and gene disorders. All donations, however large or small, make a real and lasting difference. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unique | Understanding Rare Chromosome and Gene Disorders

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unique provides support, information and networking to families affected by rare chromosome and gene disorders. Our helpline team can help you understand your family member's diagnosis and connect you with others. Why not join us today? Alternatively, have a look around first and contact us when you're ready....

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This can make normal activities such as learning, playing or simply experiencing the world a huge challenge. Through our research we offer solutions and advice to help these children and their families enjoy lives full of hope and discovery.

Research is the foundation for all our work

Whether we're providing an innovative solution to a problem or new research on an existing condition, we partner with our experts to produce research-driven, evidence-based services, advice and support.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cerebra - Working with you and your amazing child

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cerebra is the national charity helping children with brain conditions and their families discover a better life together.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We use cookies on the Scope website to show us how many people our content is reaching.

It means we can:

See what content is most useful to people

Target more help where it's needed

Show relevant advertisements for our own services, no-one else's

It also means we can work more closely with partners in government, local councils and other public bodies, targeting support where it's needed most and offering a better range of services.

It's your choice whether to allow them or not, but you're helping us do more if you opt in. Thank you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We're Scope, the disability equality charity in England and Wales

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning Disability - Autism - Down's Syndrome

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mencap is a UK charity for people with a learning disability. We support their families and carers, too. We want the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

His sleep is frequently disrupted because his brother Arlo needs help at night.

NEW RESOURCES - Sibs Talk Lite

Sibs Talk Lite is a new set of FREE resources for primary and secondary schools to support siblings who are growing up with a brother or sister who is disabled, has special educational needs (SEND) or a serious long-term health condition.

Sibs Christmas cards now on sale!

Buy a pack of our beautifully designed Christmas cards and help support our work with siblings of disabled people.

NEW - Sibling group leader training, 2nd February 2024

Do you want to run group support for young siblings? This online session will give you all the information you need to plan, set up, run and evaluate your own local group

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sibs is the UK charity for people who grow up with a disabled brother or sister.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) - helping children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the education they are entitled to by law

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Contact - for families with disabled children | Contact

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are Contact, the charity for families with disabled children. We support families, bring families together and help families take action for others.

# data[].attributes.body
Autism West Midlands

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Autism West Midlands | Supporting the Autistic Community

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We use our passion and expertise to enrich the lives of people on the autism spectrum and those who care for them.

# data[].attributes.body
Autism Education Trust

Useful guides and information for parent/carers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parent Guide for Working Together with Your Child's School

Elective Home Education in England

The impact of Covid-19 on home education guidelines and useful links to relevant legislation.

Top Tips, Strategies and Resources for Parents

A collection of 10 practical strategies and additional tips to support parents of autistic children and young people.

A guide to help parents navigate equality law, rights and entitlements when their autistic child is excluded or at risk of exclusion from school

This resource outlines the legal duties the Equality Act 2010 places on your child's school in relation to the exclusion of disabled pupils.

The examples given relate specifically to autistic pupils and are intended to help you and your child's school avoid disability discrimination claims, where possible.

Exclusions

Advice and support on exclusions, explore the Autism Education Trust Exclusions resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you a parent or care of an autistic child or young person looking for guidance and advice? Explore our Parent Resources.

# data[].attributes.body
The National Autistic Society

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

# data[].attributes.body
A guide for parent/carers and children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On Friday 2 April it's World Autism Awareness Day.

The aim of the day, which is organised by the United Nations, is to raise awareness of autism and highlight what can be done to improve the quality of life for autistic people.

Here's everything you need to know about the condition.

What is autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - its medical name - is the name for a range of conditions which affect how a person communicates and interacts with the world around them, as well as their interests and behaviour.

It's not a disease or an illness, but a condition that somebody is born with. People who are born with autism have it all of their lives. Some people prefer to call it 'autism spectrum condition' (ASC) instead of ASD.

You cannot tell that somebody is autistic by looking at them.

It is estimated that about one in every 100 people in the UK is autistic, with more boys than girls diagnosed with the condition - though there are lots of theories about why this may be.

No one knows why people are born with autism, but there's lots of research going on into what causes it.

What is Asperger syndrome?

One form of autism is called Asperger syndrome. Tyler is 11 years old and has Asperger syndrome.

Following the death of his grandma, Tyler suffered from depression and mental health problems.

But, with the help of counselling, he got better and has now written a book all about his condition, his life and how he overcame his problems.

Someone with Asperger syndrome may find it hard to express themselves and how they feel. They may want to make friends and socialise with people just like everybody else, but they might find it very difficult.

Generally, people with Asperger syndrome don't have as many problems with talking, but they might still find it difficult to understand language, so they could struggle to understand how other people are thinking or feeling.

They may have above average intelligence, as they don't have the learning disabilities that many autistic people might have.

However, they may have specific learning difficulties and could need additional support, just like anybody else who is autistic.

How does autism affect people?

Autism affects different people in different ways.

This is why it might take time for someone to be diagnosed, as there isn't one simple list of symptoms and signs to look out for.

Anne revealed that she didn't actually get diagnosed until she was 45, back in 2003.

It can affect the way someone communicates with people, so a person might seem more shut off from those around them because they struggle to interact with them.

Autistic children might choose to play on their own rather than in groups or they might be a lot quieter than everybody else.

It can also have an impact on how a person makes sense of the world around them.

Someone who is autistic might be over-sensitive or under-sensitive to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours. They might wear special headphones to cancel out sounds so that the noise of the world around them isn't overwhelming.

People who are autistic can be really good at remembering things so they might have a lot of knowledge about one particular subject.

Newsround explores mental health

Because autism affects people differently, some people don't need a lot of help, but others might need extra support throughout their life.

For someone who is autistic, everyday life can be confusing and chaotic.

Their brain works differently so just communicating with people can be really hard.

Simple things like talking to other people, and reading people's body language and expressions can be difficult. Some people will be able to speak, while others may not be able to speak at all. They might use sign language to help with this.

An autistic person might seem like they're not interested in people and find it hard to make friends and meet new people.

They might also find it hard to use their imagination or be creative, so made-up games in the playground might be quite difficult for someone with autism to take part in.

Many autistic people find comfort in having a routine, so it is quite common to want to repeat things. Doing the same things every day can help - for example, playing the same games or eating meals at the same time - or they may engage in repetitive behaviours like turning light switches on and off, opening and closing doors, or lining up objects.

It can be frustrating not being able to communicate in the way that they might like, so this frustration might come out through their behaviour.

More of your inspiring stories

1. Be understanding - While you might find it difficult if somebody who is autistic doesn't want to talk to you or play with you, it's not their fault that they feel that way. They might even be frustrated about it themselves. Be patient and remember, the most important thing is not to take it personally. If you think someone is being rude or unfriendly to you, remember that they don't mean to be. If you're upset about anything, go speak to an adult that you trust about it.

2. Be accepting - The world can be a confusing place for autistic children and adults, and they may behave in a way that you think is a little strange. They might make noises or flap their hands, for example. Be kind and let them behave in a way that they are comfortable with. Don't stare or single somebody out because they are behaving differently.

3. Don't make assumptions - Don't make assumptions about what autistic people are like. It affects different people in different ways. For example, just because somebody who is autistic might struggle to communicate, it doesn't mean they struggle to understand what is being said around them.

4. Ask - If you are at all unsure about anything, go speak to an adult that you trust. You can speak to them about ways you might be able to help your friend with autism to make sure that they are OK.

World Autism Awareness Week 2021 takes place from 29 March to 4 April.

If you have any more questions about the condition or want to find out more, speak to an adult that you trust - maybe a parent, teacher or another relative - or you can speak to your local doctor, who will have lots of information and advice if you need.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a range of conditions which affect how a person communicates and interacts with the world around them, as well as their interests and behaviour.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Newsround has made a special programme about autism.

It's a condition that affects the way you live your life and see the world around you.

Our presenter Rosie was born with it. She says even though living with autism is difficult, it makes her unique and who she is.

As well as telling her own story, you'll find out how Ben, Tony and Lenny are affected by the condition.

Lots of children with autism get bullied at school and find it hard to get jobs when they grow up.

In our special film Rosie wants to tell the world what autism is and help people understand what it's like to live with it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsround has made a special programme about autism. It's a condition that affects the way you live your life and see the world around you. Our presenter Rosie was born with it. She says even though living with autism is difficult, it makes her unique and who she is.

# data[].attributes.body
An explanation of neurodiversity

# data[].attributes.body
The Autistic Girls Network.

Please also see their Facebook page for further support.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
4 times as many boys are diagnosed autistic as girls. This is not an accurate picture.

Frequently, for many reasons, girls are diagnosed later (on average up to 6 years later), missed or misdiagnosed, causing long term mental health problems with too many girls feeling too anxious to attend school as a result.

Currently the assessment tools used to screen for autism are male-centric. We want to see tools in place that reflect multiple presentations and needs so that no child's need goes unrecognised or unsupported. We are currently pilot-validating the Internal Presentation of Autism Checklist that sits within our white paper Autism, Girls and Keeping it All Inside , so expect that to change soon. Our survey had 1123 responses in a week, so there are many people who feel strongly about having screening tools which feel representative. Our vision is for a system that enables autistic girls to thrive, to feel understood and to achieve the best educational outcomes.

Our aim is to raise awareness of autism in girls and others who present in an internal way with health, social care and educational professionals and to bring change. Not only to the way that autistic girls are assessed and subsequently supported but to the narrative, with updated and positive terminology used to describe autistic traits.

Our private Facebook group supports both autistic girls and women and their extended families, but there are many more who need our help. We are now a registered charity, fundraising to enable us to both fund projects which offer face to face support and campaign for real change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are a small registered charity working to support, educate, and bring change. Here you will find lots of resources.

# data[].attributes.body
A child's perspective

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Marcus: How ADHD affects me and why being different is good

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch 12-year-old Marcus tell Newsround about how ADHD and autism affects him, his service dog and dealing with negativity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that lots of people have. It affects about one in ten people in the UK, including adults as well as children.

If somebody has dyslexia, they may have difficulties with their reading, writing or spelling.

It doesn't affect intelligence and it is not a disease or an illness - it is a condition that someone is born with.

The British Dyslexia Association hold an annual event called Dyslexia Week to raise awareness of the condition.

In 2020, the week will run from 5-11 October.

Read on to find out more about dyslexia and also check out our Newsround Special on it here.

Getty Images

What is it like having dyslexia?

Some people learn special techniques to help them to live with dyslexia on their own, whilst others may need special support to help them to do this.

Figures suggest that even though the condition is quite common, there are a lot of people who are living with it without knowing that they've got it. This means that they are 'undiagnosed'.

As with many learning difficulties and conditions, not everybody with dyslexia has the same experience.

Some people might struggle with their reading and writing, while another person with dyslexia might find maths more tricky.

One experience that is quite common is finding it difficult to remember things.

This can affect tasks like going to the shop or remembering what to pack for a particular trip.

People with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Another way that people with dyslexia might experience the condition is finding that words move about on the page when they try to read.

This can make school work difficult to complete without special help and support.

Radio 1 DJ Mollie King, who has dyslexia, explained: "The prospect of reading out loud in class filled me with dread. It got to the stage where I was so panicked that I'd make up an excuse to leave the room when it was my turn. That's when my teacher suggested I get tested for dyslexia."

When I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 10, it came as a huge relief. I'd been feeling like I was stupid and somehow worse than my classmates, and I didn't understand why. But with the diagnosis, everything clicked into place. I knew I wasn't worse than everyone else - I was just different.

How do you manage dyslexia?

There are lots of different ways that children with dyslexia manage their condition. It also depends on their experience of it and how it affects them.

Some children who struggle to remember things may use a voice recorder to set reminders.

Children who have trouble reading might use a coloured overlay over the top of their text to help them to read.

"Reading through a coloured sheet really helps - the colour that works for me is yellow," explains Mollie. "If I put it over, it means I can read from left to right and it stops the words popping out on the page."

Others may benefit from special learning techniques or personal tutoring.

Dyslexia is caused by differences in the language areas of the brain and the connections between them.

It often runs in families and it can affect people of any age from any country.

Dyslexia can't be cured and people who are born with dyslexia have it all their lives - but it can usually be managed if a person is given the right support.

People with dyslexia can go on to be as successful as somebody without the condition - like successful businessman Sir Richard Branson.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, Mollie King has some great advice for anybody who is living with dyslexia.

"You're not alone - it's something to be proud of we shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed and really focus in on those things you are good at," she said.

"For me it knocked my confidence because I couldn't keep up with the pace they read at [in school]. Focus on those things that you're good at - maybe you're sporty or maybe you're very creative."

Dyslexia isn't something that defeats you. The key is being diagnosed as early as possible. It breaks my heart that there could be people out there struggling through life unnecessarily because they've not been diagnosed, and are still feeling stupid the way I did. The better we all understand dyslexia, the more we can help people who have it to reach their full potential.

Getty Images/BBC

If you watched CBBC's music talent show 'Got What it Takes?' then you may remember Georgie.

Georgie has dyslexia and finds it hard reading things like song lyrics.

"It's something that I've found difficult and people don't always understand what it means to have dyslexia" Georgie said.

Georgie says she didn't wanted 'to make a big deal' out of having dyslexia and says it's just something she has.

But she still finds it hard and and hopes that other kids know that it's ok to struggle sometimes.

"I've had so many supportive messages, it's been amazing and that's why I wanted to talk about having dyslexia, I want other people know it's a completely normal thing."

Georgie isn't alone, she even had a special message from musician Freya Ridings who also has dyslexia.

"It was so amazing to get the message from Freya, she has achieved all the things she's achieved.

"That makes you feel as if nothing can stop you from doing the things you want to do."

And, Georgie said Freya is right: "Dyslexia is a superpower!"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that lots of people have. It affects about one in ten people in the UK, including adults as well as children. If somebody has dyslexia, they may have difficulties with their reading, writing or spelling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About one in every 10 children has dyslexia.

There's probably somebody in your class with it - but do you know what it is? My Dyslexic Mind explores what dyslexia is and some of the ways it affects children.

The show's presented by 12-year-old Ben, who really struggled at school until he found out he had dyslexia.

It's a learning disability, which means reading and writing are harder than for other kids. It also affects his memory.

As part of the show Ben meets Dominic - one half of Dick and Dom. He only found out he had Dyslexia when he was 15. He says it's been good for him, because it's pushed him forward to being a great TV presenter!

For more information, check out our guide to dyslexia and have a go at 'Try Being Me', an interactive experience, which aims to put you in the shoes of the children featured in the latest Newsround special.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
About one in every 10 children has dyslexia. There's probably somebody in your class with it - but do you know what it is? My Dyslexic Mind explores what dyslexia is and some of the ways it affects children. The show's presented by 12-year-old Ben, who really struggled at school until he found out he had dyslexia.

# data[].attributes.body
A free typeface you can download

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OpenDyslexic is a typeface designed against some common symptoms of dyslexia.
.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This website places cookies on your computer to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details, see our privacy policy. I agree

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. It will be unexpected in relation to age, level of education and experience and occurs across all ages and abilities.

Mathematics difficulties are best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and they have many causal factors. Dyscalculia falls at one end of the spectrum and will be distinguishable from other maths issues due to the severity of difficulties with number sense, including subitising, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparison, and ordering. It can occur singly but often co-occurs with other specific learning difficulties, mathematics anxiety and medical conditions.

(BDA Definition)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dyscalculia - British Dyslexia Association

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is Dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting a Child with Dyscalculia: A Guide for Parents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are concerned about your child’s performance in maths or their mathematical ability (maybe they seem to have persistent problems or difficulties in understanding) it might be worth finding out a bit more about dyscalculia. This guide gives information about what dyscalculia is, the symptoms of dyscalculia and the criteria for a diagnosis. It also gives some handy tips on how to help a child with dyscalculia. You can also find more information on our What is Dyscalculia? Teaching Wiki.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
This topic is about DCD in children, although the condition often causes continued problems into adulthood.

Find out more about DCD in adults.

Symptoms of DCD

Early developmental milestones of crawling, walking, self-feeding and dressing may be delayed in young children with DCD. Drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age.

Although signs of the condition are present from an early age, children vary widely in their rate of development. This means a definite diagnosis of DCD does not usually happen until a child with the condition is 5 years old or more.

Find out more about symptoms of DCD in children.

When to seek medical advice

If you're concerned about your child's health or development, talk to a GP or health visitor, or speak to a nurse, doctor or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child's school.

They may refer your child to an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or another health professional who can assess them and try to identify any developmental problems.

Find out more about diagnosing DCD in children.

Causes of DCD

Doing co-ordinated movements is a complex process that involves many different nerves and parts of the brain.

Any problem in this process could potentially lead to difficulties with movement and co-ordination.

It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD.

However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified.

These include:

being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy

being born with a low birth weight

having a family history of DCD, although it is not clear exactly which genes may be involved in the condition

the mother drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs while pregnant

Treating DCD

There's no cure for DCD, but a number of therapies can help children to manage their problems.

These include:

being taught ways of do activities they find difficult, such as breaking down difficult movements into smaller parts and practicing them regularly

adapting tasks to make them easier, such as using special grips on pens and pencils so they are easier to hold

Although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and they may need extra help to keep up at school.

Treatment for DCD will be tailored to your child and usually involves a number of different healthcare professionals working together.

Although the physical co-ordination of a child with DCD will remain below average, this may be less of a problem as they get older and develop coping strategies. Some children may continue to have problems.

However, difficulties in school - particularly producing written work - can become much more prominent and require extra help from parents and teachers.

Find out more about treating DCD in children.

Dyspraxia or DCD?

While many people in the UK use the term dyspraxia to refer to the difficulties with movement and co-ordination that first develop in young children, this term is used less often by healthcare professionals.

Instead, most healthcare professionals use the term developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) to describe the condition.

This term is generally preferred by healthcare professionals because dyspraxia can have several meanings.

For example, dyspraxia can be used to describe movement difficulties that happen later in life because of damage to the brain, such as from a stroke or head injury.

Some healthcare professionals may also use the term specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) to refer to DCD.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Developmental Coordination Disorder / Dyspraxia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Following the UK consensus meetings that took place in 2011 and 2012, there was common agreement on using the following text to describe DCD/Dyspraxia in children and adults. Definit…

# data[].attributes.body
ELIZA FRICKER is an author & illustrator, and an advocate & consultant for PDA, autism and learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With Eliza Fricker - author, illustrator & consultant for PDA, autism and learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tourettes Action is a support and research charity working to improve the lives of people living with Tourette Syndrome. Our services include online live-chat and email support, a befriender network, information, webinars, events and resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Meet Grace, Rupert and Connor, who all have Tourette's Syndrome.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
People across the globe will be marking World Down Syndrome Day today.

The awareness day was first celebrated in 2006, and has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.

It is a day to raise awareness of the genetic condition. This year, the theme of World Down Syndrome Day is: With Us Not For Us.

The theme aims to discourage people from pitying those with Down's Syndrome, and instead to work together with them to create a more equal society.

One of the ways people mark the day is by wearing colourful socks - so if you see somebody out today in colourful socks, this might be why.

Read on to find out more about the condition...

Down's syndrome is a genetic condition which typically affects someone's learning and physical features.

It is not a disease, an illness or a condition that someone can catch.

How does Down's syndrome affect a person?

People who have Down's syndrome have different personalities and abilities to each other, just like anybody else.

Typically, everybody with the condition will experience some level of difficulty learning, so it might take a person with the condition a little longer to process information, carry out a task or learn new skills.

People may also share common physical characteristics (for example, a smaller mouth and one individual line across the palm of their hand), but they will look like their parents just like anybody else.

Individuals with Down's syndrome may be more likely to have some health problems - for example, with their hearing - so children with the condition might go to the doctor a little more often to keep on eye on their health. It can also cause speech problems, so a person might have speech therapy to help with this.

The majority of people with the condition walk and talk, go to ordinary schools, play sport if they wish and lead a fairly typical life.

The Down's Syndrome Association explains: "The level of support that a person with Down's syndrome needs as they grow older will be different from person to person."

How common is Down's syndrome?

About one in every 1,000 babies is born with the condition. There are currently about 60,000 people in the UK with Down's syndrome.

It is a little more likely for a woman to have a child with Down's syndrome if she has a baby when she is older.

It occurs completely by chance in all races, in all countries across the world.

What causes Down's syndrome?

Down's syndrome is a genetic condition, which means it is caused by something in a person's genes.

Our bodies are made up of billions of tiny cells, and each cells contains genes. Genes are grouped together in structures called chromosomes.

Genes contain important information that determine features like our eye colour and whether we are a boy or a girl.

Usually, cells contain 46 chromosomes. But Down's syndrome happens when all or some of the cells in a person's body has 47 chromosomes due to an extra copy of chromosome 21. This is why you might also hear the condition being called trisomy 21.

Professor Jerome Lejeune proved that this is what causes Down's syndrome in 1959.

There are three types of Down's syndrome:

* Trisomy 21 - All the cells have an extra chromosome 21 (most people with Down's syndrome have this type)

* Translocation - The added genetic material on chromosome 21 is attached to another (around 4% have this type)

* Mosaic - Some cells in the body, not all, have an extra chromosome 21 (this is the least common type)

Why is it called Down's syndrome?

Down's syndrome is named after Doctor John Langdon Down who first published information about the condition in 1866.

Since then, we've learned a lot more about the condition.

Are you doing anything to mark World Down Syndrome Day? Let us know in the comments below!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's World Down Syndrome Day. Down's syndrome is a genetic condition that can affect someone's learning and physical features. Let us know if you're doing anything to raise awareness!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
20-year-old George Webster is the latest presenter to join the CBeebies House.

George's job will be to help introduce CBeebies shows and to have fun with the audience.

Lots of people were excited to hear about George's new role when it was announced on social media on Monday.

This is because George has Down's syndrome, a condition that's not often given representation in the media.

On Monday, the words "Congratulations George" were trending on the social media platform Twitter.

Getty Images

What is Down's syndrome?

Down's syndrome is a genetic condition - this means it is something you are born with.

It affects a person's ability to learn and their physical health - but the level of impact that has on someone's life varies from person to person.

There are 41,700 people in England and Wales who have Down's syndrome and 4,500 in Scotland.

To find out more about Down's syndrome you can read our guide here.

Twitter / Getty Images

What have people being saying about George?

Lots of people have congratulated George on his new job.

Actress Sally Phillips, whose son has Down's syndrome, said: "Oh @CBeebiesHQ I COULD NOT LOVE YOU MORE."

The charity Mencap which represents people with disabilities called George a "brilliant role model".

And dad Greg Kirby said George's appointment as a presenter on CBeebies made him "more optimistic" about his son's future.
Do you have a message for George? Comment below!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CBeebies welcomes new presenter George Webster - CBBC Newsround

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
20-year-old George Webster is the latest presenter to join the CBeebies House. George's job will be to help introduce CBeebies shows and to have fun with the audience. Lots of people were excited to hear about George's new role when it was announced on social media on Monday.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
National Deaf Children's Society | Supporting deaf children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are the National Deaf Children's Society, the leading charity for deaf children and young people. We're here to support every deaf child who needs us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
10-year-old Archie has cerebral palsy and loves to play wheelchair basketball with his friends.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Katie, 11, has cerebral palsy and has always wanted to be a model. She had her dream come true at London Fashion Week (LFW).

The condition affects her leg muscles and makes it difficult to walk.

She has had operations to help her move, but still needs to use a walker sometimes.

It didn't stop her modelling and she walked down the catwalk and had an amazing time.

She has a message for other children with disabilities who want to get into modelling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Katie: 11-year-old with cerebral palsy who walked in fashion week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Katie, 11, has cerebral palsy and has always wanted to be a model. She had her dream come true at London Fashion Week (LFW). The condition affects her leg muscles and makes it difficult to walk. She has had operations to help her move, but still needs to use a walker sometimes.

# data[].attributes.headline
Greta Thunberg  - Asperger's (now known as autism)

# data[].attributes.subject
Greta Thunberg  - Asperger's (now known as autism)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Climate activist Greta Thunberg on why being on the spectrum is her “superpower”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Amanda Morin

Some of the biggest names in movies, music, and sports are people who struggled in school with learning and thinking differences. Here are a number of the celebrities who found their passion and overcame their challenges.

Whoopi Goldberg (dyslexia)

Long ago, before Whoopi Goldberg was diagnosed with dyslexia and before she knew how common this learning difference is, kids in school called her "dumb." But her mother told her not to listen to them. Her mom told her she could be anything she wanted to be. Goldberg believed her and grew up to become a comedian and talk-show host - and one of only about a dozen people to have won a Grammy, an Academy Award, an Emmy, and a Tony Award. She says that thinking differently has been a factor in helping her succeed.

Daniel Radcliffe (dyspraxia)

As the star of the Harry Potter movies, actor Daniel Radcliffe can be seen zipping around on his broomstick and saving the day during Quidditch matches. In real life, he has dyspraxia, or developmental coordination disorder (DCD), which can make it difficult for him to tie his shoes. Handwriting also continues to be a challenge. He was 9 when his mother encouraged him to audition for a play. "I was having a hard time in school," he said. His mom thought acting would boost his confidence. She was right!

Steven Spielberg (dyslexia)

Legendary film director Steven Spielberg wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until he was in his 60s. School administrators thought he was lazy. He was bullied by classmates, and his troubles in school played a part in his career. Not only did making movies give him a place to channel his energies, but feeling like an outsider helped him co-write The Goonies, a hit movie about a quirky group of friends who didn't quite fit in at school. He said finding out as an adult that he has dyslexia was like "the last puzzle piece to a great mystery that I've kept to myself."

Justin Timberlake is many things. He's a singer-songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur. He's also one of the many adults - and musicians - in the U.S. who have ADHD. Early in his career, Timberlake co-starred on Disney's All New Mickey Mouse Club with Ryan Gosling, who as a child was diagnosed with ADHD and was bullied before he became a Mouseketeer and movie star.

Cher is an Academy Award‒winning actress and Grammy-winning singer. But she struggled in school with undiagnosed learning differences. "I couldn't read quickly enough to get all my homework done and for me, math was like trying to understand Sanskrit," she wrote in her autobiography The First Time. "The only way I learned was by listening to the teachers in my classroom." She didn't find out about her dyslexia until years later when she took her child to get evaluated for learning and thinking differences.

Octavia Spencer (dyslexia)

Octavia Spencer has won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her acting. She's also a children's author who knows what a challenge reading can be for some kids. That's because Spencer has dyslexia. She vividly recalls how scared she was as a child when she had to read aloud in class. "I was paralyzed with fear because I kept inverting words and dropping words," she has said. However, she stresses that dyslexia shouldn't prevent kids from pursuing their dreams. "[It] doesn't really mean that you're not intelligent - it just means that your brain functions differently," she has said.

Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow has dyslexia. His father and brother do, too. Learning differences can run in families. He was diagnosed in elementary school and found ways to work around his reading difficulties. Tebow is one of many NFL players who have been open about their learning and thinking differences. "It has to do with finding out how you learn," he said. "I'm not somebody that opens a playbook and just turns and reads and reads. So I just made flashcards. I take each one, and then boom, when I'm traveling, I just flip through it. That really helped me. Writing it down, flipping through and quizzing myself, that was a great way for me to do it."

Henry Winkler (dyslexia and math issues)

Keira Knightley (dyslexia)

After Keira Knightley was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 6, she used her love of acting to help motivate her to read. Knightley struck a deal with her parents that if she worked on her reading every day, they would agree to hire her an agent. The Pirates of the Caribbean star made good on her half of the bargain, using movie scripts to practice reading. She went on to become one of Hollywood's highest-earning actresses.

Anderson Cooper (dyslexia)

CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper hasn't let dyslexia stand in the way of his success. He also won't allow his reading issues to stand in the way of his love for books and literature. His own book, Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival, was on the New York Times best-seller list.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has built an empire with his best-selling cookbooks, prime-time TV shows, restaurants, and cookware. He also has dyslexia and said he didn't finish reading his first book until he was 38. " I get bored easily," he said. But the sci-fi sequel to The Hunger Games managed to keep him engaged. "I read Catching Fire. I loved disappearing into a story."

Award-winning TV journalist Lisa Ling struggled in school from the time she was a child all the way through college. She eventually dropped out of college, went on to become a producer, special correspondent and, eventually, an investigative journalist with her own show. While reporting on ADHD, she discovered that her own struggles are because she, too, has ADHD. It was a relief and allowed her to look at herself in a new way. "In a strange way I do feel like it has helped me. I can hyperfocus on things that I am excited and passionate about," she has said.

About the author

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Celebrities With Dyslexia, ADHD, and Dyscalculia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some of the biggest names in movies, music, and sports are people who struggled in school with learning and thinking differences. Here are a number of the celebrities who found their passion and overcame their challenges. Whoopi Goldberg (dyslexia) Long ago, before Whoopi Goldberg was diagnosed with dyslexia and before she knew how common this learning difference is, kids in school called her "dumb."

# data[].attributes.headline
Ade Adepitan talks about Physical Disability

# data[].attributes.subject
Ade Adepitan talks about Physical Disability

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Disability in Sport ft. Ade Adepitan | Voice Box | Childline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ADHD and What I Would Tell #MyYoungerSelf | Michael Phelps

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At CBeebies we believe passionately that what we do should be enjoyed by all children, including those with additional needs. We believe that it's important for children a disability to see themselves positively represented on the channel, so we make every effort to do so. We also produce shows, activities and parenting resources for children with a range of different needs.
Communication difficulties:
Problems with speech and language are the most common developmental difficulty in the UK where studies indicate that as many as 1 in 10 children may be affected in some way. Children with communication difficulties may have problems understanding language, using spoken language, producing the sounds needed for spoken language or problems with their listening and attention skills.

The impact of these difficulties can be profound, affecting children's ability to follow instructions and understand information, making it difficult for them to develop social skills and form relationships and making them frustrated at not being able to express themselves, sometimes leading to tantrums.

There are lots of strategies parents can use to help children with communication difficulties, you can find out more about these on our communication difficulties page.

Something Special, featuring Mr Tumble, AKA Justin Fletcher, is designed to be enjoyed by all children but is particularly aimed at children with communication difficulties. The show gives children an introduction to using Makaton signing, which can help support communication and language development. You can find out more about using Makaton signing and how it could help your child in this Makaton resource for parents.

The Something Special website also has a range of games designed to be suitable for children with communication difficulties and many Makaton signs to watch and print out.
Health and Medical Needs
Looking after a child with a long term health condition can be incredibly hard. It can mean frequent medical appointments and hospital visits which can be stressful both because you're worrying about the outcome and because it can be very hard to fit it around a 'normal' life, especially if you're trying to hold down a job or have oter children as well.

Our page on dealing with health problems and operations has lots of practical suggestions and strategies for making hospitals and medical conditions less stressful and easier to fit in to your life.
Physical Disabilities
Children with physical disabilities may have problems with gross or fine motor skills, balance and co-ordination, or muscle tone. They may need extra help and support with everyday activities like walking, feeding themselves or holding a pencil.

CBeebies has a range of games which are 'switch' compatible, including Something Special's 'The Looking Game'.

'Switch' is the name of the technology which makes access to computers easier for children who have difficulty using a mouse or keyboard.

'Switch compatible games' are those which have been designed to be controlled by just one or two keys - usually 'Enter' or the spacebar to select, sometimes 'Tab' as well in order to move between options. This makes the games easy to control and suitable for children who don't have a high level of mouse or keyboard skill.

CBeebies' show Tree Fu Tom has been specially designed to encourage children to develop movement skills, especially those with Dyspraxia - a developmental coordination disorder that causes difficulty in acquiring foundation movement skills. You can read more about how the movements in Tree Fu Tom can help children with movement difficulties and Dyspraxia in this article.
Deaf children and children with a hearing impairment
If you or your child uses BSL, check out Magic Hands, a ground-breaking show on CBeebies featuring poetry translated into BSL. Magic Hands features an entirely deaf cast of presenters interpreting a selection of classic poems through BSL and animation.
Children with a visual impairment
Melody is a show designed to introduce preschool children to a variety of classical music through stories and animation. Melody, the title character, is a partially-sighted girl with an incredible imagination. CBeebies worked with the RNIB to make the show as accessible as possible for children with a visual impairment, by working with high contrast colours, having centrally-focused action, bigger movements, longer shots and telling the story as much as possible with voiceover and sound effects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Something Special - Does your child have special needs?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CBeebies has lots of help and resources for children with additional needs incuding Dyspraxia, Autism, visual impairment, learning disabilities, hearing impairment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Children’s language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s communication skills through simple interaction and play.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Early years children can experience a range of difficulties including agression, anxiety, and tantrums. Find out more about some of the common difficulties that arise and how you can help with them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Exploring a range of difficulties children can experience.

# data[].attributes.headline
BBC Parents' Toolkit for starting school

# data[].attributes.subject
BBC Parents' Toolkit for starting school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Starting primary school - BBC Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advice and games to help you and your child prepare for primary school, then thrive during their first year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For kids starting primary school, or returning after the summer holidays, it can be hard to juggle making new friends, homework, phonics – even trying new food! Help them settle in with our collection of learning tips, articles, activities and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Madeline explains what happened when her daughter Eleanor, who has Down’s Syndrome, started primary school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Starting secondary school - BBC Parents’ Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advice for parents who have a child starting secondary school this year, with tips on the emotional and practical sides of the transition.

# data[].attributes.headline
Anna Freud - a guide for parents and carers

# data[].attributes.subject
Anna Freud - a guide for parents and carers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Supporting children's transition to secondary school is an evidence-based guidance for parents and carers, written with input from clinicians at Anna Freud and teachers.

This short guide provides tips about how children preparing for, or going through, the transition to secondary school can best be supported by their parents and carers.

It includes guidance which explains why the transition can be difficult for some children, and practical advice such as talking and connecting with the new school, as well as suggested resources that children and parents and carers may find useful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting children's transition to secondary school: guidance for parents and carers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This short guide provides tips about how parents and carers can best support children through the transition to secondary school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This film was recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Parents share their concerns before their child starts secondary school, including forming new friendships, new routines, and being overprotective. The film offers tips that can help you and your child prepare emotionally for these changes.

Tips:

Get your child to make a list of things they like about themselves, making sure they identify the attributes behind those qualities

Don't let your worries become their worries

Don't let them feel unsafe because you are constantly talking about safety

Prepare them for all of the new and fun opportunities that they'll have by talking to them about clubs and activities and encourage them to explore what's available

Increase the independence that you give them over the summer holidays or even their last months at primary school so that the jump to secondary feels natural

Let them know that should they need you, you are there for them and will help them no matter what

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tips that can help you and your child prepare emotionally.

# data[].attributes.headline
Moving Up! A video to support transition

# data[].attributes.subject
Moving Up! A video to support transition

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Moving Up! The transition to secondary school (SUBTITLED)

# data[].attributes.headline
Newsround - What's it like starting a new school?

# data[].attributes.subject
Newsround - What's it like starting a new school?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What's it like starting a new school? | Newsround | Back to school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top Ten Tips for Starting Secondary School - Twinkl

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your child is starting secondary school this year, we’ve got tips, information and ideas to help them settle those first day nerves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEND tips and advice - BBC Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Special Needs Jungle provides parent-centred information, news, resources and informed opinion about SEN, disability, children’s health and SEN politics

# data[].attributes.headline
Flow Charts explaining processes in school

# data[].attributes.subject
Flow Charts explaining processes in school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SNJ Flow charts 2018 single charts - Special Needs Jungle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Special Needs Jungle provides parent-centred information, news, special needs resources and informed opinion about SEND - Special educational needs and disability, Education, Health and Care Plans, EHCPs, EOTAS, SEND Tribunal, children’s mental health, rare disease, SEND politics

# data[].attributes.headline
Developing your child's emotional literacy

# data[].attributes.subject
Developing your child's emotional literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Support for Parents from Action For Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Emotional literacy - help your child with their emotions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Emotional literacy is the ability to understand, express and cope with emotions. Children develop this over time, but also need support as they grow.

# data[].attributes.headline
Useful Apps for learners with literacy difficulties

# data[].attributes.subject
Useful Apps for learners with literacy difficulties

# data[].attributes.headline
Useful Apps for Learners with numeracy difficulties

# data[].attributes.subject
Useful Apps for Learners with numeracy difficulties

# data[].attributes.body
Lots of ideas to help learn whilst being active!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Super Movers helps children across the UK to get physically active with curriculum linked videos.

# data[].attributes.body
Child's progress checker

# data[].attributes.body
Lots of resources to support speech and language development at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Parent Guide to Speech, Language and Communication in Key Stage One (Ages 5 - 7)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you’re a parent looking for support in your child’s early literacy and speech skills, check out this Parent Guide to KS1 Speech, Language and Communication. This guide has been written for parents to help give you an insight into what speech, language and communication means in key stage 1 and how you can support your child at home. In this guide, you will find information about the expectations from the national curriculum for England and some tips to help you support your child. Getting your hands on these Parent Guide to KS1 Speech, Language and Communication is easy with a Twinkl membership. Just hit the big DOWNLOAD NOW button above. Then you can print off the sheets at home or view them on a digital device.

# data[].attributes.headline
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Speech and Language

# data[].attributes.subject
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Speech and Language

# data[].attributes.body
Lots of resources and ideas to support language development at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources for Children's Speech and Language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children's Speech and Language resources to download

# data[].attributes.body
This approach is often used by Speech and Language Therapists to develop children's sentence construction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Colourful Semantics is an approach that aims to help children to develop their grammar. It's rooted in the meaning of words and the colour scheme relates to the types of words in a sentence. For example, 'who' words are orange, 'what doing' words (verbs) are yellow and 'what' words are green.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how to touch type with the BBC Dance Mat Typing game. It’s a fun introduction to touch typing game for kids and covers levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Confident Counselors - Made for school counselors

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Using fidget tools in the classroom is a great way to calm students and help them focus. When used correctly, they will enhance your behavior management efforts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fine Motor Skills impact function and hand use in small motor tasks. You may have heard the term fine motor skills before. If you are familiar with occupational therapy, then you know that fine motor activities are an integral part of OT interventions. The hands play an important role in most occupations that we perform. From writing, to tying, getting dressed, feeding ones self...most of our day to day tasks involve using our hands. So, when fine motor control and dexterity impacts functional performance, it can be a reason to work on motor control of the hands.

Here, we are covering all aspects of fine motor skills when it comes to children. We're covering fine motor development, each aspect of fine motor skills, and fine motor activities that are rooted in play and learning to develop these essential skills of the hands.

What are Fine Motor Skills?

Fine motor skills are the refined movements and actions of the hands, fingers, and wrists that enable precision and dexterity of movement. Fine motor skills can be broken down into different motor components that impact the ability to use the hands in functional tasks and tool use.

Fine motor skills are necessary for every task that a child completes. From play, self-care, to managing clothing fasteners, and coloring, motor skill development is needed for every aspect. Fine motor skill development is essential to pencil grasp and handwriting. Fine motor skills make up a huge part of learning and the school day (Read about the various fine motor skills needed at school.)

Motor skills like pincer grasp and hand strength are essential for a child's development and ability to use their hands in small motor movements.

what are the fine motor skills

Fine motor skills are made up of several components of motor skills using the fingers and hands. Related, and an important piece of the fine motor puzzle, are the core stability, strength and positioning of proximal positioning, strength, and gross motor skills. Developmentally proximal positioning, strength and stability and motor skills enable distal mobility and coordination.

So, what are the fine motor skills that make up overall fine motor dexterity and skill work?

Fine motor skills are made up of various motor components. These sub-areas impact mobility, tool use, manipulation of objects, strength, and endurance. These examples of fine motor skills are needed for everyday tasks like cutting with scissors, tying shoes, fastening buttons and zippers, coloring, and holding a pencil.

Let's cover all of these fine motor areas in more detail:

Also called bilateral integration, the movements of both hands together in activities requires processing and integration of both hemispheres of the brain to enable both hands working together at the same time, or bilateral movements. Without bilateral coordination, a child might appear to be clumsy or drop items, use primarily one hand in activities, or switch hands during tasks that require a dominant hand and a helper hand. Development of bilateral coordination skills is powerful in functional skills like self-feeding, handwriting, self-dressing, grooming, and more.

Gross grasp- Gross grasp is used when squeezing all of the fingers shut around an object, like when holding the handle of a suitcase. Gross grasp is important in tasks like handwriting and scissor use. To do these activities, you need to squeeze your whole hand shut and maintain endurance to complete the activity. Development of hand arch and thumb web space is important for these functional skills and gross grasp plays a part.

1. Translation is using your fingers to moving a little item from your palm to your finger tips (or your fingertips to squirrel the item into the palm). When you hold a coin in your palm and manipulate it to your finger tips to push it into a piggy bank or vending machine, you are demonstrating palm-to-finger translation.

2. Shift is moving an object using the pads of your fingers...adjusting the pencil grip is demonstrating finger shift. Another example might be manipulating a button or a zipper with the finger tips.

3. Rotation is rolling an object using the fingertips. Examples of rotation are rolling a pencil in your fingertips, turning a pencil over to use the eraser, or opening a bottle top by rotating the lid on your finger tips.

These fine motor skills are needed for functional tasks like managing a pencil or crayon during handwriting, opening containers, managing coins or small items, manipulating a spoon/knife/fork, adjusting the paper when cutting with scissors, and fastening buttons or shoe laces.

Neat pincer grasp- Neat pincer grasp uses the tips of the thumb and pointer finger to stabilize objects. When using a pincer grasp, children use the pads of the thumb and finger to stabilize the object. Neat pincer grasp is used to pick up very small items such as perler beads, a thread from a surface, or a needle. You might see the tip-to-tip grasp to pick up a sequin or fuzz from clothing.

Open thumb web space- The thumb web space is that space between your thumb and pointer finger that makes an "O" when you make the "OK" sign. In order to grasp small items with your thumb and index finger, you need to oppose the tip of your thumb to the tip of your pointer finger. Not only do the tips of the fingers need to touch, but the thumb must rotate at the joint closest to your hand. This opposition is needed to manipulate and grasp small items like shoe laces, buttons, and zippers.

Separation of the sides of the hand- Separation of the sides of the hand refers to the imaginary line drawn from your wrist directly down the middle of your hand and between your ring finger and middle finger, separating the precision side of the hand (thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger) with the power side of your hand (pinkie finger and ring finger). These two sides work together in skilled activities with precision and power grasp in functional activities.

Eye-hand coordination- Eye-hand coordination, or Visual motor skills, refers to the coordination of visual input and the processing of that visual information for coordinated movement of the hands. These skills impact fine motor dexterity and motor movements in functional tasks for so many tasks while manipulating movements and objects. Eye-hand coordination is essential in handwriting, scissor use, threading beads, reading, throwing a ball, placing a cup on a shelf, coloring in lines, feeding, self-care, and much, much more.

Arch development- Arch support in the hand is related closely to the separation of the sides of the hand. Refinement of fine motor skills in the hand (the radial side) happens when the power half (the ulnar side) is stabilized. A functional fine motor grasp and manipulation of objects is more accurate when the ring and pinky fingers are flexed (bent) into the palm. This positioning stabilizes the MCP arch and allows for control of the pointer and middle fingers. Separation of the two sides of the hand allow for more precise use of the thumb. Hand separation starts when a baby bears weight through their arm and ulnar side of the hand while carrying a toy in the radial side. This simple activity developmentally lengthens the muscles of the ulnar side.

Thenar eminence strength (thumb side of the hand)- Separation of the sides of the hand divides the hand into halves. The thumb side has a fleshy mass below the base of the thumb called the thenar eminence. These muscles pull the thumb into a bent, flexed position and opposition. positioning stabilizes the MCP arch and allows for control of the pointer and middle fingers.

Hypo thenar eminence strength (pinkie side of the hand)- That same separation of sides divides the pinkie side of the hand. Along the length of the pinkie side is the power muscles which help with stabilization of the hand during precision tasks such as writing with a pencil or cutting with scissors. A cupped palm requires engagement of the hypothenar eminence in order to hold objects in the hand. Hand separation starts when a baby bears weight through their arm and ulnar side of the hand while carrying a toy in the radial side. This simple activity developmentally lengthens the muscles of the ulnar side.

Cylindrical grasp- A cylindrical grasp is one in which the whole hand is in contact with an object, and curved with thumb opposition. A common term for this grasp is gross grasp. A cylindrical grasp requires use and strength of the extrinsic muscles and intrinsic muscles of the hand in order to flex the fingers around curved objects. The thumb is positioned in flexion and abduction. A cylindrical grasp is needed in order to hold a broom handle, baseball bat, and ice cream cone.

Spherical Grasp- A spherical grasp is one in which the hand curves to hold a round or sphere-shaped object. The intrinsic muscles of the hands play a big part in this grasp. In order for the hand to curve, the metacarpal phalangeal joints need to abduct. Involved in this action are the interossei muscles and the hypothenar eminence. The interossei include the palmer interossei and the dorsal interossei. These allow the fingers to abduct and adduct in order to grasp smaller and larger sphere shaped objects. The hypothenar eminence includes three intrinsic muscles that allows the pinkie side of the hand to flex, rotate to oppose the thumb, and create the bulk of the pinkie side of the palm when curving around shapes like spheres.

Finger isolation- Finger isolation is the ability to isolate and use the fingers one at a time in functional tasks. Finger isolation is using one finger to perform a task. Pointing with the index finger, wiggling all of the fingers individually, and counting out the fingers on your hand are finger isolation. This finger isolation is needed for many functional activities, like dexterity in managing pencils, paintbrushes, and other tools, typing on a keyboard, tying shoes, finger games like "Where is Thumbkin?" and many other skills.

Core strength and stability- A weak core leads to weak fine motor skills distally. The engaged and strong muscles of the abdomen and upper body allow for strength and engagement of the upper arm, and in turn leads to dexterity and motor control of the hands. When the core is weak the hands can not effectively do their job to hold the pencil and manage tasks such as eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, and in-hand manipulation.

Precision- precision refers to the fine movements of the hand. Precision release is needed for stacking blocks without toppling them over, placing cards on a pile, opening scissors just a small amount, or placing small beads into a bowl. Precision is needed for a child to let go of an item in a controlled manner. If they are not exercising precision in release, you might see them rolling or tossing an object as they let go. They will knock over a stack of blocks, or over open the scissors when cutting lines, making their accuracy very choppy. Precision in grasp is related to the picking up of items. A graded lateral grasp is needed to cut with scissors and only squeeze the scissors halfway shut for accurate cutting lines in some situations. Around 3-4 years, a preschool aged child typically develops a greater variety of grasping patterns, including precision. They begin to grade their scissor strokes so that they can cut a line or shape without opening and closing the scissors completely. Precision in this skill occurs when the child is able to pick up very small items like beads with accuracy and graded movements.

Shoulder stability- Proximal stability of the shoulder is needed to support and stabilize distal movements. Activities that challenge the shoulder against gravity such as working on an inclined surface can strengthen and stabilize the shoulder girdle.

These are just a few examples of fine motor skills that are essential for functional development and effective manipulation of tools.

Fine Motor Activities

Almost every activity you see here contains developmental information and explanations of what skills your child will be working on with the activities. I love to discuss the basics of playful activities and why it helps with developmental skills and functional tasks like handwriting, scissor skills, dressing, and shoe tying.

The fine motor skills that we share in the creative activities below are some of our favorite ways to play! Read specifics about building fine motor skills through play.

This page is a huge resource of fun ways to play and learn while working on fine motor skills. Most activities here are easy prep and use recycled materials or items you might find around the home. Occupational Therapists can use these activities in treatment and parents can do these projects at home for quiet time or developmental skill-building.
Add these fine motor activities to your therapy tool box:
One way to work on fine motor skills is to use one material for a variety of skill areas. We've put together some resources to just that! Try these specific tools to work on fine motor skill development in kids:

1. Fine motor development with clothespins

2. Fine Motor Activities with Play Dough

3. Fine Motor Activities with Paper Clips

4. Fine Motor Activities with Craft Pom Poms or Cotton Balls

5. Fine Motor Activities with Playing Cards

6. Fine Motor Activities with Beads

7. Fine Motor Activities with Chalk

Fine Motor Skills Activities for Kids

Click around for fine motor fun and learning. At the bottom of this post you'll find fine motor activities sorted by category.

Pencil Grasp Trick Thumb IP Flexion- This simple strategy builds hand strength, flexion of the thumb IP joint, opposition, and rotation of the thumb CMC joint for functional use and an open thumb web space.

Fine Motor Play Dough Intrinsic Muscle Strength- Work on hand strength of the intrinsic muscles using play dough balls. Work on finger isolation as well and endurance needed for functional tasks such as coloring and handwriting.

Pencil Control Exercises- Work on functional grasp and eye-hand coordination, or visual motor skills with these pencil control exercises that will impact handwriting legibility in big ways.

Benefits of Stickers in Occupational Therapy - Work on precision, strength, and dexterity, as well as other ways to build motor refinement using stickers.

Neat Pincer Grasp Fine Motor Activity- Address fine motor dexterity and precision with neat pincer grasp activity you can do right now.

Buttoning Tips and Tricks- Build the skills needed to fasten and unfasten buttons using this fine motor activity that works on opposition, eye-hand coordination, open thumb web space, separation of the sides of the hand, and more.

Travel Sensory Diet Bag- Use these fine motor activities to add proprioceptive input in the form of heavy work through the hands.

Homemade Pencil Grip - Improve tripod grasp, open thumb web space, thumb IP joint flexion, and eye-hand coordination using this DIY pencil grip.

DIY Pick-Up Sticks- Address precision, graded grasp and release, motor skills, and more.

Gross Grasp with Recycled Containers- Build hand strength, cylindrical grasp, opposition, translation, and even in-hand manipulation using objects you have in the home.

Finger Isolation Fingerprint Activities- Work on finger isolation, separation of the side of the hand, arch strength, and refined motor skills.

Hand Dominance and Fine Motor with Scooping and Pouring- Build eye-hand coordination, precision, grasp and release, laterality, directionality, hand dominance, shoulder stability, crossing midline, and motor planning skills.

Clothes Pin Exercises and Pinch Grasp Types- Improve pinch and grip strength, eye-hand coordination, grasp and release, arch development, separation of the sides of the hand, hand dominance, and bilateral coordination.

Homemade Pegboard Activities- Improve precision, visual motor skills, tripod grasp, open thumb web space, in-hand manipulation skills, and more.

Creative Scissor Skills Practice- Develop scissor skills and the graded grasp and release needed to operate scissors through a variety of paper textures and cutting lines. Also provides resources for the visual motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and wrist stability, proximal stability needed for distal mobility in scissor use.

Precision in Grasp and Release of Fine Motor Skills- Picking up and releasing small objects or objects of differing weights requires precision, proprioception, and grasp dexterity. Work on refinement of these skills with a simple material.

Chain Link Counters Color Sort- Address bilateral coordination, hand strength, eye-hand coordination, and pinch skills.

Handwriting Warm Up Exercises- Use play dough to work on pinch and grip strength, tripod grasp, eye-hand coordination, wrist strength and stability, open thumb web space, flexed thumb IP joint, and opposition.

Homemade Lacing Cards- Address bilateral coordination, wrist extension, open thumb web space, tripod grasp, pincer grasp, eye-hand coordination, and more.

Motor Planning Fine Motor Maze- Improve finger isolation, motor planning, eye-hand coordination, motor control and other skills.

Hand Strengthening Building Activity- This activity develops hand strength, arch development of the intrinsic hand muscles, pinch, and grip strength, endurance, arch development, and opposition, as well as motor planning and problem solving skills. It's a fantastic fine motor STEM activity for children.

Fall Leaves Craft- Work on eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, pinch, grip, pincer grasp, wrist mobility and extension, and motor planning challenges.

Scarecrow Math Craft- Strengthen scissor skill development, eye-hand coordination, visual motor skills, direction following, motor skill development, and more.

Homemade Lacing Cards- Address bilateral coordination, wrist extension, open thumb web space, tripod grasp, pincer grasp, eye-hand coordination, and more.

Alphabet Discovery Bottles- Work on bilateral coordination, eye-hand coordination, pinch, grasp, and release.

Crayon shaving art- Work on finger isolation, hand strength, motor planning, arch development, wrist extension and stability, and more with this creative art activity kids won't forget!

Shape building- All you need are lollipop sticks to make this therapy tool! Work on hand eye coordination, motor planning, precision, grasp and release, problem solving, and more.

Dyed lollipop sticks- This activity helps with visual motor skill development, precision, grasp and release, and much more.

Block sculptures- Use blocks to work on grasp and release, precision, opposition at various grades, eye-hand coordination, motor planning, crossing midline, with an easy fine motor STEM activity.

Robin fine motor busy bag- Address tripod grasp and wrist extension with this fun feed the robin activity. Work on eye-hand coordination, grasp and release, open thumb web space, and more.

Cherry blossom patterns- Use a cherry blossom theme to work on precision, bilateral coordination, pincer grasp, eye hand coordination, open thumb web space, opposition, and hand strengthening skills.

DIY stacking cups - This activity helps with cylindrical grasp, motor planning, crossing midline, bilateral coordination, problem solving, wrist stability, proximal strengthening and stability, grasp and release, and motor planning skills.

Cotton Swab Letters- This coordination activity involves motor planning, eye-hand coordination, precision, grasp and release, and the ability to manipulate items located on a flat table surface.

Learn with Legos- Building with LEGO is such a powerful way to foster hand strength, manipulation skills, eye-hand coordination, and add heavy work through the hands and finger joints. Therapists often recommend using building blocks like LEGO to strengthen the hands, arch development, and adding heavy proprioceptive input through the hands.

Bubble Wrap Maze- Bubble wrap is another fine motor activity that offers heavy work feedback through the hands. It's a great way to fidget or to "wake up" the hands before a handwriting task. This bubble wrap activity also works on visual motor skills, coordination, and bilateral skills.

Foam Workout- This sensory play experience is a workout for the hands. Kids can make this sensory play material and work on upper extremity strength and coordination as well as stability needed for distal mobility. Especially addressed is wrist support and strengthening which enables a supported wrist when writing or cutting (or any fine motor manipulation activity).

Water Bead Sensory Box- This fine motor activity helps with manipulation skills of a slippery material so it can be a challenging eye-hand coordination, pincer grasp, and graded resistance task.

Handwriting With Cookie Cutters- Work on bilateral coordination, crossing midline with precision and a supporting hand, motor planning, and visual scanning across a midline.

Cursive Lines Fizzy Dough- Work on fine motor strength, arch development, opposition with resistance, eye-hand coordination skills, and more.

Empathy Beads- Threading beads is a great way to work on precision, eye-hand coordination, tripod grasp, bilateral coordination. Other skills that are addressed include pincer grasp, tripod grasp, open thumb web space, in-hand manipulation, and holding and manipulating loose objects within the palm of the hand.

Butterfly Craft- This fine motor craft challenges scissor skills with cutting a variety of resistances in papers. Work on placing materials to form the butterflies and picking up small pieces of paper against a flat surface. Glue skills are also challenged with this butterfly craft.

- Snap and connect blocks to work on hand strength, wrist stability against resistance, shoulder and elbow stabilization skills. This is a great way to work on fine motor strength and endurance. You'll find more Snap Block Light Sabers (Star Wars occupational therapy theme)Star Wars themed OT ideas in this post.

Handwriting with Foam Strips- Writing on a resistive surface offers feedback to improve strength and endurance when writing. The activity also builds motor planning skills.

Scissor Skills Flowers- Work on scissor skills with graded stopping and starting without cutting through a cupcake liner. This is a fine motor task that helps with scissor control and motor manipulation skills that carryover to many scissor skill tasks.

Caterpillar Math- Make a cute caterpillar craft with fine motor benefits!

Folded Paper Animals- Did you know that folding paper offers a powerful fine motor advantage? Skills addressed are finger isolation, graded resistance, finger strength, eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination skills, and much more.

Fine Motor And Auditory Fireworks- This fine motor exercise works on bilateral coordination, thumb strengthening, finger isolation, eye-hand coordination, and offers heavy work input with auditory processing benefits.

In Hand Manipulation Ideas for Kids- These fine motor ideas include different ways to build dexterity and in-hand manipulation skills. The activities challenge translation, rotation, and manipulation of small objects from the palm to the fingertips and the fingertips to the palm.

Color Matching with Play Dough- Work on separation of the sides of the hand, in-hand manipulation, and heavy work feedback with resistance to place paper clips into different colored play dough. This is a great hand strengthening activity that improves strength and stability in the wrist as well.

Feather Beading- This fine motor task helps with bilateral coordination, pincer grasp, tripod grasp, and motor planning skills.

Crayon Play Dough - Play dough offers great heavy work feedback through the hands, as well as strengthening and an opportunity for heavy work through the fingers and hands. This crayon play dough recipe adds bold and vividly colored play dough and silk smooth resistance that kids will love to make AND play with!

Fine Motor Play with Tissue Paper- This fine motor activity for toddlers and preschoolers adds an auditory feedback component to developing grasps. Work on eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, motor planning, grasp and release of thin materials, and much more.

Golf Tee Hammering- Work on bilateral coordination, motor planning, hand eye coordination, strengthening of the shoulder and elbow. Hammering golf tees also offers wrist strengthening by holding the hammer in a neutral position against the resistance of hitting the hammer on the golf tee. This is a great fine motor activity that kids love!

Fine Motor Table Top Play with Tape - Working with tape offers a pincer and neat pincer task with resistance. When placing the tape, kids need to manipulate the sticky material and position it on the surface, building coordination skills and motor planning, bilateral coordination skills, and more.

More Fine Motor Activities

Pencil Control Worksheets - Build the motor planning skills needed to manipulate and maneuver a pencil within a writing space.

Manipulating Coins- Work on in-hand manipulation skills to hold and move coins from the palm of the hand to the fingertips and vice versa.

Pipe Cleaners Cardboard Box - Address bilateral coordination skills in a fine motor challenge that kids love. Work on shoulder and wrist stability as well as tripod grasp.

Icicle Scissor Skills- Work on scissor skills with a visual motor activity that helps kids with crossing midline, cutting simple shapes, and graded resistance.

Sunflower Craft- Pick up and manipulate handfuls of seeds with in-hand manipulation skills, arch development, and hand strengthening with this sunflower craft.

Even More Fine Motor Activities:

Need some specifics? Fine motor skills are essential for independence in handwriting and scissor skills.

Fine Motor Skills and Handwriting

Read more about fine motor skills and how they impact handwriting.

Fine motor skills are essential in the classroom, and they can impact learning. For more information, check out this resource on fine motor skills needed in the classroom.

Here is a resource on cursive writing, much of which requires pencil control, in-hand manipulation, and motor planning of fine motor movements in order to form letters. While there is evidence of cursive handwriting being a more efficient and functional form of written work in the child with dysgraphia or other handwriting concerns, there is a component of fine motor dexterity needed for cursive writing.

Fine Motor Skills and Scissor Skills

A s an occupational therapist, working on scissor skills with kids is one of my favorite goal areas. There are so many ways to get creative with modifications to paper, lines, and scissors. The fine motor activities that work on the muscles and dexterity needed for scissor use are fun, too! Stop back soon as we add new activities all the time.

Fine Motor Activities based on Skill Area:

How to Practice Fine Motor Skills

Simple activities that use the small muscles of the hand are ideal for practicing fine motor skills. While child development and age level plays a role in the practicing of fine motor activities, these fine motor practice ideas can be simple ways to develop hand strength, coordination, pinch, and dexterity:

Use tweezers to drop crumbled paper into a cup

Pinch, squeeze, and roll playdough

Manipulating clothing fasteners: zipping zippers, buttoning buttons, snapping snaps, connecting belt buckles, tying shoes

Placing beads into ice cube trays

Squeezing colored water with pipettes into cups

Tracing stencils

Cutting straws into small pieces and threading them onto a pipe cleaner

Cutting yarn and gluing it onto paper

Positioning rubber bands around small toys...and then taking the rubber bands back off again.

Playing board games. These board games are great for developing pencil grasp.

Why is Fine Motor Important?

We've already covered many of these areas, but in the world of occupational therapy, fine motor development is essential for functional participation. SO many daily tasks are impacted by fine motor development. This functional participation allows us to learn, grow, and interact with the world around them.

In children, fine motor skills allow them to experience the world around them.

Fine motor skills enable feeding- Development of fine motor skills through play enables grasp of food, utensils, and the ability to scoop food, hold a cup without spilling, cut with a knife, spread butter or peanut butter, cut food, use a fork. Other considerations include opening food containers, managing a lunch box, opening and closing plastic food baggies, holding a tray of food, and much more.

Fine motor skills enable grooming and hygiene- With the development of fine motor skills, we are able to hold grooming utensils such as combs and toothbrushes, squeeze toothpaste, pick up small objects, use tweezers, open containers, squeeze out a "just right" amount of shampoo, conditioner, or lotion, use and wash with a washcloth, manipulate and hold soap, and much more.

Fine motor skills enable handwriting skills- holding a pencil, using a functional pencil grasp, coloring, writing at the correct pencil pressure, erasing, and much more.

Fine motor skills impact scissor use- This includes holding scissors, cutting shapes, manipulating paper, cutting with correct speed, starting and stopping scissors at the appropriate place, and much more.

Fine Motor Skills and Clothing management- Getting dressed is greatly impacted by fine motor development. Tasks such as managing buttons, zippers, snaps, buckles, shoe tying, hair ties, and other clothing tasks require fine motor strength and dexterity.

This is only the beginning. Relatively every functional task that we do includes aspects of fine motor. Consider your daily tasks. In every way, fine motor skills are included in some manner or another. From seat belt buckles to typing a message on your phone. Fine motor activities are a part of every day, all day long.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The OT's Guide to Fine Motor Skills - The OT Toolbox

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This massive collection of fine motor activities includes everything you need to know about fine motor skills in kids.

# data[].attributes.headline
Twinkl ideas for developing gross motor skills

# data[].attributes.subject
Twinkl ideas for developing gross motor skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gross Motor Skills Activities: Body Awareness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gross motor skills are the large movements that we use to move our bodies around. They are important for everyday activities, such as walking, running, and playing. Body awareness is the ability to know where our bodies are in space. It is important for gross motor skills, as well as for other activities, such as dancing and playing sports. This poster is a fun and engaging way to help children develop their gross motor skills and body awareness. It features a variety of upper and lower body movements, as well as Twinkl illustrations to help children make the correct movements. To use the poster, simply call out the movements and challenge children to carry them out. You can also use the poster to create a game. For example, you could divide the children into two teams and have them race to see who can complete the most movements in a certain amount of time. The poster is a great way to get children moving and active. It is also a great way to help them develop their gross motor skills and body awareness. To get started, simply click ‘Download Now’ and this lovely resource will be saved straight onto your device. Then, you can use it however you like!

# data[].attributes.body
It always helps to 'name' the feeling

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
HappyMaps - Find the best support, advice and information on young people's mental health, all in one place. For Parents, Professionals and Young People.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find the best support, advice and information on young people’s mental health, all in one place. For Parents, Professionals and Young People.