A traumatic birth can cause a child to develop one of several conditions in which fine motor skills are compromised. Such conditions range from cerebral palsy to dysgraphia, and are typically caused by oxygen starvation occurring during a traumatic birth. There is no single way in which a traumatic birth will necessarily and directly affect fine motor skills, but rather may happen indirectly due to one of the conditions which can be caused by a traumatic birth.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term referring to a group of conditions affecting both fine motor skills and gross motor skills. The four main types of cerebral palsy -- spastic, ataxic, athetoid/dyskinetic and hypotonic -- all involve problems with movement and compromised fine motor skills. Birth trauma is a common cause of cerebral palsy, as discussed by a 2008 study of 158 cases of cerebral palsy published in the journal "Pediatric and Developmental Pathology." Oxygen deprivation during birth, also known as hypoxia, was identified in this study as a common cause of cerebral palsy. Almost two-thirds of the children with cerebral palsy who were examined in this study had suffered a traumatic birth in which the umbilical cord was obstructed.
Retinal Hemorrhage
According to a 2002 article published in the "Journal of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics," a traumatic birth often causes bleeding of the retina, also known as retinal hemorrhage, in which the infant's vision is compromised due to the presence of blood on and around the retina. This visual disturbance may in turn affect fine motor skills, as the child cannot see the objects she wishes to manipulate. She may appear to be clumsy or unable to make the fine movements needed to work with toys or drawing materials.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a learning disability which specifically involves difficulty learning to write. A child with dysgraphia typically has impaired fine motor skills that makes it difficult for him to perform the physical movements associated with writing. Muscle coordination and motor memory are also likely to be impaired in this condition. Dysgraphia is distinct from dyslexia, as dyslexia does not typically involve a deficit in fine motor skills. However, dysgraphia and dyslexia may coexist in a child. Brain injury due to a traumatic birth is believed to be a possible cause of dysgraphia, although the condition may also have a hereditary component. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, editor of the journal "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine," birth trauma may cause imbalances in a child's neurotransmitters and neurohormones, an imbalance that is a known cause of dysgraphia.
References
- "Pediatric and Developmental Pathology"; Cerebral Palsy in Term Infants: A Clinicopathologic Analysis of 158 Medicolegal Case Reviews; R.W. Redline; November 2008
- "Journal of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics"; The Infant Patient; D.L. McCulloch; March 1999
- "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine"; Is the Cure for Brain Disorders Outside the Brain?; M. Hyman; 2007
