Motor Behavior

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CHAPTER 6 MOTOR DEVELOPMENT AND POSTURAL CONTROL
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CASE STUDY
INSERT THE CASE STUDY FROM PAGE 69
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I. RANDOM/REFLEX MOVEMENT

• Newborn will move head, arms and legs
  producing some apparently disorganized
  movement.
• Although movements appear spontaneous and
  unorganized, they are actually coordinated and
  represent infants first attempts to produce
  purposeful movement.
• Earliest movements are reflexive. The
  reflexive movements are involuntary, subcortical
  movements that are exhibited as responses to the
  external environment and provide protection,
  information gathering, and nourishment.

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• Insert Figure 6.1 on page 72
• Figure 6.2 and 6.3 on page 73

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• Internally infants respond involuntarily to
  sensory stimulation of touch, pressure, and
  sound.
• Initial involuntary movements serve as the
  foundation for future motor development. With
  development, primitive reflexes are relegated to
  medulla and spinal cord.
• Primitive reflexes are innate and will persist
  for a number of weeks until the brain develops to
  achieve control. Reflexes gradually decrease in
  strength and are inhibited. If reflexes persist
  or are uneven in strength a dysfunction is
  suspected.

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Insert Table 6.1 from pages 71 and 72.
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II. RUDIMENTARY MOVEMENT
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• The first voluntary movements demonstrated by
  infants generally occur from birth-2 years as the
  infant matures and uses sensory information from
  the environment.
• Rudimentary movements are divided into two
  stages
• inhibiting primitive postural reflexes and
  initiation of voluntary control.
• increasing amount of perceptual awareness.
• Rudimentary movements include

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• Control of Head and Posture - occurs at 4 months
  from back lying position.
• Sitting, Crawling, Creeping - holds head upright
  at 5 months 6.5 months sitting with support and
  voluntarily assumes position at 9 months.
  Crawling at 7 months to reach objects and
  creeping from a support position.
• Standing and Walking - standing achieved by 9
  months with walking developing from 8 to 18
  months depending on stability, strength and
  motivation.
• Reaching and Grasping - Manipulative skills at 4
  months, using thumb and forefinger at 13 months,
  release at 18 months.

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III. FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT
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• Continues from rudimentary movement from
  approximately 2-7 years. More control of
  movements is achieved. Movement is more
  predictable, combining patterns and varying
  settings.
• From upright stable position, child can move,
  combine movements according to demands, integrate
  brain function to plan, and execute appropriate
  movements from stable upright positions.
  Locomotor patterns such as running, jumping,
  hopping, galloping, and skipping can be developed.

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• Object control patterns such as throwing,
  catching and kicking proceed from rudimentary
  skills of grasping and releasing.
• Stability movements for static and dynamic
  movements are developed.
• Skills in fundamental movement develop in stages.
• 1. Initial attempts are poorly coordinated, use
  improper sequences, restricted body parts, lack
  of temporal awareness, nonfluid integration of
  movement.
• 2. Stage 2 incorporates more coordination and
  control if proper instruction and practice is
  available.
• 3. Stage 3 has all the elements of a proficient
  pattern and increased control, i.e., throwing has
  proper stride, rotation, release and
  follow-through.

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IV. SPORT/RECREATIONAL MOVEMENT
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• At approximately 7 years of age children will
  need to alter and match movements with skilled
  patterns.
• Movements become more automatic as accurate
  decisions are needed.
• Development occurs from lead-up activities which
  requires more accuracy to perform.
• As the child practices the skill they can rely on
  previous experiences and training.
• To be successful training, practice, and
  instruction are needed.

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• Children will develop and sophisticate movements
  and may be limited by opportunities, genetic
  endowment, fitness and motivation.

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V. FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT
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• Development of skills needed to perform
  functional tasks such as activities of daily
  living, play and self care stages/independence.
• LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Review the components and ages of motor and
  functional skills development.