title: Comparisons among tools, surface orientation, and pencil grasp for children 23 months of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether writing tool type and angle of writing surface affect grasp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one children 23 to 24 months of age who were typically developing drew with a primary marker, colored pencil, and small piece of crayon on a table and an easel. The marker and pencil were presented pointing left, right, and toward the child. The order of writing tool presentation was counterbalanced. Grasps were scored with a 5-point rating system and analyzed with dependent t tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children used a more mature grasp when drawing with a piece of crayon than with a pencil. No difference in grasp maturity was found when using a pencil compared with a marker. A more mature grasp when drawing on the easel compared with the table was used with the crayon but not with the marker or pencil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results imply that a short writing tool combined with a vertical surface can influence the grasp of young children.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. janety@canada.com
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yakimishyn
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magill-Evans
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005556:Form Perception; D007839:Functional Laterality; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D011336:Probability; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis