LIFESP 2-5 years

physical growth changes

rate of growth slows down

average increase in height: 5cm/year

average increase in weight: 2.3kg/year

minimal differences in gender

Bone growth

bones ossify rapidly - bone replaces cartilage

Epiphyseal cartilage (growth plate) continues to grow at the epiphyseal surface, so the bone will increase in length.

Brain development

brain is 75% of adult weight by age 3, 90% by age 6

mid brain almost fully developed at birth

cerebral cortex complete at age 4

myelination continues. myelination of cerebellum enables child to execute increasingly complex movement patterns

Fundamental movement phase stability

Postural control, dynamic, static, axial:

Single foot balance

walking on low beam

axial movements

Fundamental movement phase locomotion

walking

running

jumping

hopping

Fundamental movement phase manipulation

Throwing

catching

kicking

striking

Fundamental movement phase progression and transition

Initial, elementary, mature.

constrained by cephalocaudal and proximodistal principles

Fundamental phase: initial stage

first purposeful attempt at the task

usually crude and uncoordinated

movement grossly exaggerated or inhibited

2-3 year olds usually at this stage

Fundamental phase: elemntary stage

3-5 y/o

gaining greater control over movements

still somewhat awkward

Fundamental phase: Mature stage

Integration of all the component parts of movement pattern into a well-coordinated, mechanically correct, and efficient act

Most have potential to reach mature stage by 7y/o

often age 6-7y/o

Not all reach this stage: can lead to frustration and possible failure

Fundamental phase developlment considerations

Movement skills take a long time to master

240-600 minutes (4-10 hrs) of instruction to perform correctly

Teachers teach for awareness/participation, not mastery

FMS stability key milestones

Static balance: maintaining equilibrium wide while CoG remains stationary

• balance on 1 foot for 3-5 sec: 3-5 yrs

• 3 point inverted position (downward dog with leg up): 4-6 yrs

Dynamic balance: maintaing equilibrium while CoG shifts

• walk along 2.5cm wide straight line: 2-4 yrs

• walk along a 2.5cm wide circular line 3-5 yrs

• Stands on low balance beam: 2-3yrs

• Walk on 10cm wide beam - short distance : 2-4 yrs

• Walk on 10cm wide beam alternating feet: 3-5 yrs

Axial movements

Static postures involving bending, twisting, stretching

Develop in early infancy, progressively refined and incorporated into other activities at 2months -6yrs old.

FMS Locomotion key milestones WALKING

Forwards, backwards, sideways, upstairs with help, by end of age 2.

Walk upstairs and downstairs alone, follow step: 20-25 months old

FMS Locomotion key milestones RUNNING

First proper: 2-3 years

Efficient and refined: 4-5yrs

FMS Locomotion key milestones JUMPING

Jump off floor with both feet: 24-28 months

Jump for distance 1 m: 4-5 yrs

Jump for height 30cm: 4-5 yrs

FMS Locomotion key milestones HOPPING

Hop 3x with preferred foot: 2-3yrs

Hop skillfully, mature pattern: 5-6yrs

FMS Locomotion key milestones GALLOPING

Inital: 3-5yrs

Mature: 5-6yrs

FMS Locomotion key milestones SKIPPING

One-footed: 3-4yrs

Mature: 5-7yrs

Hopping inital stage

• Begin with balancing on one leg

• Non supporting leg flexed 90 degrees or less

• Non-supporting thigh parallel to grounf

• Body upright

• Arms flexed at elbows and held slightly to side

• little height

• balance lost easily

• limited to 1/2 hops

Hopping elementary stage

• Non-supporting leg flexed

• Non-supporting thigh at 45 degrees

• Slight fwd lean, trunk flexed

• Force absorbed by flexing at hip

• non-supporting thigh flex and extend at hip to produce force

• arms move up/down vigorously

• Balance poorly controlled

• limited no. of hops

Hopping mature stage

• Non supporting leg at 90 degrees of less

• non-supporting thigh lifts as supporting foot thrusts

• greater body lean

• rhythmical action of non-supporting leg

• arms move in rhythmical lifting

• arms not needed for balance but used to generate force

Manipulation: gross>fine

Follows gesells principles:

Catching

throwing

handwriting/colouring

play
ADLs: dressing, feeding

Catching: elementary stage

Trap ball against body, scooping of larger ball

Palms of hands face each other

awkward adjustment of body

arms and trunk begin to move in relation to ball flight path

head remains upright (awkward positioning)

Catching: initial stage

turns head away

no ball tracking

no arm hand adjustment (palms face up)

no finger ‘give’

movements out of sync with ball

little trunk involvement

Catching: mature stage

• arms extend to meet ball with hands

• arms and body ‘give’

• ball caught in hands

• palms adjust to ball in flight and ize

• feet, trunk, arms, and fingers adjust to flight of ball and ball size

• Full proficient when catching ball away from body

• 2 handed catching —> then 1 handed

Fine motor skills

Coordinated use of eyes, hands, and mouth

Requires attention to task

Manipulation: skiilful and refined use of the hands

Play and opportunity to use hands are important

Fine motor skills: handedness

3-4y/o: definite hand preference (75% R)

6 years: establised preference 90% R

Increased capacity of one side of the brain to carry out skilled motor action - dominant cerebral hemisphere

Fine motor skills: handwriting

Palmar supinate: 1-1.5yrs

Digital pronate: 2-3yrs
Static tripod: 3.5-4yrs

Dynamic tripod: 4.5-6yrs

Handwriting considerations: Neurodevelopmental and musculoskeletal

• anatomical

• ROM

• strength (grip strength, UL strength for stability)

• Muscle tone (joint stability, writing speed and endurance)

• Posture: Upright, knees & ankles 90degrees

• Hand preference and integration

• prehension

Handwriting considerations: Cognitive

• attention and motivation

• visual perception

• auditory perception

• language, memory, and learning

• Task organisation

Handwriting considerations: sensory-perceptual

• visual acuity

• visual motor integration

• hearing

• tactile processing

• kinaesthesia

Fine motor skills: ADLs

13 months: drink from cup

15 months: use a spoon

3 yrs: put on shoes

4yrs: button clothes, lace shoes, pull on clothes

Motor behaviour and play stage 1-5 yrs

Mobility and postural control

somatosensory play (large motor, fine motor, music)