Functional Movement Development Midterm

Infancy is considered to be birth to 12 months of age

Definitions

1. Righting: The process of bringing the body parts into alignment

2. Postural equilibrium: The process of establishing the COM over the BOS once displaced

3. Postural Control: The ability to maintain the body in a position by keeping the COG over the BOS

4. Balance: postural stability; when the body is maintained in equilibrium at rest (static) or during movement (dynamic)

5. Prehension: the use of hands for grasping, holding and manipulating objects

In newborns, the grasp is reflexive and not for purposeful use.

Infancy transition is considered to be 10-12 months.

An infant has officially transitioned to toddlerhood when the milestone of walking has been attained.

Creeping is defined as reciprocal UE/LE movements in a quadruped position (what we consider crawling is called creeping by developmentalists)

Typical walking pattern of an early walker includes:

1. UE in high/abducted position

2. Lumbar lordosis, protruding belly

3. LE abducted with wide BOS

4. Rapid cadence (appear as if they’re falling)

Ulnar Palmer Grasp: develops at 4-6 months- the most immature grasp we learned.

Early intervention is so important for infants with abnormal development or developmental delay due to neuroplasticity and rapid brain development.

What is congenital torticollis? 

1. Congenital damage to the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the neck.

2. Results in shortening or excessive contraction of the muscle.

3. Infant will have limited ROM in both cervical rotation and cervical side bending

4. Named for the side of the side bending.

   1. Example: Right torticollis is when the cervical spine is side bent R and rotated L.

Transition from infancy to toddlerhood is important developmentally because:

1. Disabilities are often recognized and diagnosed.

2. Development in this stage is critical to long term functional skills

3. Impressionable period in regards to social and emotional development.

   1. Persistent emotional distress, neglect, or other traumas can have lasting impacts on personality development and mental health.

Preschool Brain and Nervous System Development

1. By year 6 the brain has grown to 90% of its adult size

2. As children act on their environment and develop skills, the neuronal pathways that are used most are strengthened.

3. Left Hemisphere of the brain sees more neural activity at this stage (reason for increased language development)

Communication Functions in the Preschooler

1. Expressive and receptive vocabulary increases

   1. Know the difference between the two

2. Child has developed pragmatic language skills

3. By age 3, child typically knows 1,000 words

4. By age 4, child connects sentences, tells experiences/events in a sequence

Perceptual Motor Skills: Controlled, volitional motor acts that respond in a dynamic way to sensory perceptions.

1. Motor Skills that rely heavily on the senses

2. Examples : walking along a line, throwing a ball to a target, climbing play ground equipment, roller skating, jumping from one stone to the next (you get the idea 😊)

Sensory Processing: The complex set of neurobiological functions that enable the brain to understand what is going on both inside the body and in all environmental contexts.

Sensory integration theory : theory describing the senses as contributing to learning and to the development of important functional skills.

1. Stimuli must be integrated and matched with past experiences for accurate information to register, and for the generation of a meaningful response

2. Provides and innate drive to seek out new sensory experiences (PLAY)

   1. Play is the ultimate sensory experience and is so important during this time period.

Sensory Integration Dysfunction : Significant difficulties processing specific sensory modalities.

1. Children with this diagnosis may have difficulty acquiring the skills needed to perform well in both school and social environments

2. Typically is a result of innate developmental differences but may also occur if a child has had an extremely restricted early childhood experience. (immunosuppressed children)

   1. This restriction will keep them from having typical sensorimotor experiences and may result in poor sensory processing.

Know the differences between Sensory Modulation Disorder, Sensory-Based Motor Disorder, Sensory Discrimination Disorder.

Know the basic differences between sensory seekers and sensory avoiders

Prehension in the preschooler (handout from class)

1. Power grasp patterns – used for large or heavy objects (full strength of the hand is used)

   1. Spherical grip, cylindrical grip, hook grip

2. Precision grasp patterns – emerge slightly later but are refined throughout this stage

   1. Chuck position, lateral prehension, pincer grasp 

Middle Childhood – ages 6-12 (or onset of puberty)

1. Growth rate slows, but there is an increase in body strength and physical endurance.

2. Center of gravity drops to S1

3. Calibration of movement is more refined.

Sensory Characteristics in Middle Childhood

1. By middle childhood visual acuity is typically 20/20

2. Low vision may be detected in this age range

   1. Low vision: when the level of vision is 20/70 or worse and cannot be fully corrected with conventional glasses.  

   2. Child will have some useful sight but will have difficulty with many academic tasks and with sports participation.

3. Visually impaired children will rely more on ear-hand coordination which develops 1-2 years later than hand eye coordination.

4. Hearing impairments also detected during this time.

   1. Hearing impairment : broad term used to describe hearing loss ranging from mild to profound.

Mental Functions in Middle Childhood

1. Attention spans extend during middle childhood and child can now attend to tasks that interest them for hours.  Also have the ability to self correct and redirect when attentions is diverted (still a developing skill and will continue to improve into adolescent years)

2. Metamemory: Type of metacognition that involves conscious awareness of one’s memory capabilities and intentional aides to remember. (New cognitive development at this age)

   1. Use of strategies used to remember things such as rehearsal, organization and mneumonics.

Communication in Middle Childhood

1. Recent studies show NO gender difference in communication at this stage (differs from the past)

2. Children will tailor their communication to the audience

   1. Will speak differently to their parents vs teachers vs siblings vs classmates

3. Study showed difference in peer group communication

   1. Suggested that popularity plays a greater role than gender in communication differences