Boost Your Child's Development: The Surprising Benefits of Vertical Surfaces in Therapy
Vertical surfaces have been a cornerstone in pediatric occupational therapy for many years, offering a wide array of benefits that support the development of essential motor, cognitive, and sensory skills in children. As a seasoned occupational therapist with 15 years of experience, I have seen firsthand how integrating vertical surfaces into therapy sessions can significantly enhance a child's ability to learn and grow.
The Science Behind Vertical Surfaces
Vertical surfaces encourage children to engage in activities at an upright angle, such as writing on a whiteboard, painting on an easel, or playing with magnetic letters on a refrigerator. This position naturally promotes better posture and alignment, as children need to stand or sit upright to interact with the surface. This alignment is crucial for developing core strength, balance, and coordination, all of which are foundational skills for more complex tasks.
When children work on vertical surfaces, they also develop the muscles in their shoulders, arms, and hands. These are the same muscles needed for fine motor tasks like writing, buttoning a shirt, or tying shoelaces. The resistance provided by working against gravity on a vertical plane further strengthens these muscles, leading to improved dexterity and control.
Enhancing Motor Skills
One of the most significant benefits of using vertical surfaces in pediatric occupational therapy is the improvement in fine and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands, wrists, and fingers, while gross motor skills involve larger muscle groups used for movements like running, jumping, and climbing.
For fine motor development, vertical surfaces provide a unique opportunity to refine hand-eye coordination. When children draw or write on a vertical surface, they must coordinate their hand movements with what their eyes see in a different plane than they would on a horizontal surface. This type of activity helps to enhance precision and control in hand movements, which is essential for academic tasks like handwriting.
Gross motor skills are also targeted when children work on vertical surfaces. The need to reach up or out to interact with the surface promotes shoulder stability and strength. It also encourages bilateral coordination, where both sides of the body must work together. For example, when a child uses one hand to stabilize a piece of paper and the other to draw, they are engaging both sides of their body in a coordinated effort.
Cognitive and Sensory Benefits
Beyond motor skills, vertical surfaces offer substantial cognitive and sensory benefits. Cognitive development is supported by the problem-solving nature of activities done on vertical surfaces. Whether it's figuring out how to fit a puzzle piece on a vertical board or planning the strokes needed to complete a drawing, children are constantly engaging their brains in these tasks.
Vertical surfaces also help in the development of visual-motor integration, which is the ability to coordinate visual information with body movements. This skill is critical for tasks like reading, where the eyes must track across a page, and for playing sports, where the eyes must coordinate with the body's movements to catch or hit a ball.
From a sensory perspective, vertical surfaces provide a different input than horizontal ones. The change in orientation can help children who are sensory seekers by giving them new stimuli to engage with. Conversely, for children who are sensory avoiders, the novelty of vertical surfaces might help them tolerate and eventually enjoy tactile activities they previously resisted.
Practical Applications in Therapy
Incorporating vertical surfaces into therapy sessions doesn't require expensive or elaborate equipment. Many everyday items can be repurposed as vertical surfaces. For example, a simple whiteboard or chalkboard mounted on a wall can be used for drawing, writing, or playing games. Large pieces of paper taped to a wall can serve as canvases for painting or coloring.
Even more creatively, windows or mirrors can become vertical surfaces for activities using window markers or dry-erase markers. Magnetic boards can be used for activities that involve placing and removing magnetic letters, numbers, or shapes.
The key is to ensure that the surface is at the correct height for the child, allowing them to interact with it comfortably without straining. Adjusting the height as the child grows is also important to maintain the therapeutic benefits.
The use of vertical surfaces in pediatric occupational therapy offers a multitude of benefits, from enhancing motor skills to supporting cognitive development. I have witnessed the positive impact this simple yet effective tool can have on a child's development. Whether in a clinical setting or at home, incorporating vertical surfaces into a child's daily routine can be a game-changer, helping them to achieve their full potential.
