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CHILDREN cannot hold a pencil because of their excessive use of iPads and smart phones.
Youngsters who overuse touchscreens do not develop finger muscles which can hold a pen properly, experts say.
Some grasp pens like “cavemen”, which can badly affect their learning and development in early school years.
Dr Sally Payne, head paediatric occupational therapist at the Heart of England NHS Trust, said: “Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and dexterity they had 10 years ago.
“To be able to grip a pencil and move it, you need strong control of the fine muscles in your fingers.
“Children need lots of opportunity to develop those skills.
“It’s easier to give a child an iPad than encouraging them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes.” In one example, six-year-old Patrick could not write properly until he had weekly sessions with an occupational therapist for six months.
Mum Laura said: “In retrospect, I see that I gave Patrick technology to play with, to the virtual exclusion of the more traditional toys.
“When he got to school, they contacted me with their concerns.
“He was gripping his pencil like cavemen held sticks.”