3V0094.01 Grasping: not releasing an object (4/26/78)

While Gretchen was in the bath, Peggy played in my lap. After changing her diaper, I placed her on the bed between a set of pillows and arranged around her some toys. A musical lamb (a gift from the DiSessas), a clown doll (a gift from Miriam), and a fuzzy rabbit (a gift from the Clamans). Recalling that Peggy has been grasping objects consistently, I brought her a circular rattle (a gift from the Schoemans) about five inches in diameter with 3 large lady bugs on the perimeter.
I put the rattle in Peggy’s hand, closing her fingers around a part of the perimeter to see what she would do with it. Peggy was absorbed by this thing in her hand: she looked from one lady bug to another (about half a second at each) in a circular pattern, counter clockwise; this was obvious from the gross movements of her head. After bringing her right hand to her mouth, she tried to bring her left hand, but it was encumbered by the rattle. Peggy’s tongue hung out as much as an inch while she brought the rattle under her face, but she couldn’t lift hand and rattle. After disengaging her hand from the rattle, Peggy put it straight away in her mouth. Later, she put her mouth down on the rattle.
It is not possible to judge whether this was accidental (tired neck muscles) or intentional. After doing so, she returned to her own left hand.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email