Motor Development

Movement promotes cognitive and perceptual development and the three work together to form the basic for functional development.This means that motor development does not progress in isolation.The early stages of motor development are designed to achieve the upright posture (standing), mobility (walking), and manipulation (hand movements).As these stages progress, children  develop the skills needed for independence in the activities of daily living.For infants and young children, these activities inclide feeding, self-care, and play.The milestones that are achieved start with functional head control and then upright trunk control.In the second half of the first year mobility increases with crawling and creeping, and pulling to standing, leading to independent walking, which usually occurs between 9 and 15 months of age.

                Fine motor activity development involves control of the hand to reach and grasp, and object manipulation and release.The achievement of the stages to improve coordination will be in part dependent upon the tools (toys) and objects that are available.The progression is from holding to rotating objects.When a child shakes a toy such as a rattle, the feedback in the form of noise makes the toy more interesting.The next progression is holding objects in both hands and then transferring objects from hand to hand.At about 7-8 months of age, the infant learns to bend, to squezee, and to tear or pull objects apart.

                The preschool-age child progresses through skipping, running, and hopping, which demonstrate gross motor development.Sports and playground games are an important part of motor development of school-age children.Fine motor activity improvement is shown by learning to feed and to dress oneslf.

                Infants tend to have motor development disorders that may lead to contractures.The management of the disorder is destined to improve strength and to increase range of motion.The preschool child has more complex motor development with coordination.Language is progressing and communication brain injury resulting in psychomotor delay in addition to motor disorders.adolescents are at risk for spinal cord injury.