Postural Control and Motor Development Flashcards
Development of motor control
Primative reflexes
Postural reactions and fixations
Proprioception and vestibular/balance function
Visual function
Higher level skills
Neuromaturation
Sequence and rate of motor development that are consistent across typically developing children
Primative reflexes
Present at or just after birth and typically integrate in 1st year of life
May reemerge after brain trauma or injury
Purpose of Moro’s Reflex
Primitive fight or flight
Integration of Moro’s Reflex
Appears at birth and integrates by 2-4 months
Signs of retention: over-reactive, startles easily, poor development of head control, fearful of movement
Testing for Moro’s Reflex
Position child supine with head at midline
Quickly shift head position backward
Positive if child’s arms extend and hands open; then arms will flex and hands close; Infants usually cry
Purpose of rooting reflex
Automatic response to turn toward food (may not be present if infant is not hungry)
Integration of Rooting reflex
Appears at birth and integrates by 3-4 months
Testing rooting reflex
Position child supine
Lightly touch one side of face near mouth
Positive if infant turns head in direction of touch
Purpose of palmar grasp reflex
Lays foundation for voluntary grasp
Integration of palmar grasp reflex
Appears at birth and integrates by 5-6 months
Signs of retention: difficulty with fine motor skill development and precise release of grasp
Testing of palmar grasp reflex
Position the child supine
Place pressure on ulnar side of palm
Positive if fingers flex
Purpose of asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR)
Assist baby through birth canal and develop cross pattern movements
Integration of Asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR)
Appears at birth and integrates by 6 months
Signs of retention: Poor eye hand coordination, difficulty crossing midline
Testing of Asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR)
Position child supine with head in mid-position
Turn the child’s head to the side
Positive if arm and leg on face side extends and arm and leg on skull side flex
Purpose of spinal galant
Assist baby with birth process
Integration of spinal galant
Appears at birth and integrates by 3-9 months
Signs of retention: poor concentration, toileting difficulties, postural issues, often seen in CP
Testing of spinal galant
Position child in prone
Lightly stroke one side of spine
Positive if hips flex toward that side
Purpose of Tonic labyrinthine reflex
Basis for head management and postural stability
Integration of Tonic labyrinthine reflex
Appears in utero and integrates by 3 1/2 years
Signs of retention: poor muscle tone, toe walking, spatial orientation issues, impede activities that require trunk co-activation
Testing of tonic labyrinthine reflex
Position child in prone so that gravity pulls the child’s head into flexion
Positive if arms and legs flex toward chest
Position child in prone so that gravity pulls head into extension
Positive if arms and legs extend
Purpose of Landau reflex
Assist with posture development
Integration of Landau reflex
Appears at 4-5 months and integrates by 1 year
Signs of retention: poor motor development
Testing of Landau Reflex
Position child in prone
Positive if head extends
Purpose of Symmetrical tonic neck reflex
Preparation for crawling
Integration of Symmetrical tonic neck reflex
Appears at 6-9 months and integrates at 9-11 months
Signs of retention: slump while sitting, poor muscle tone, poor reciprocal movements for crawling/walking
Testing Symmetrical tonic neck reflex
Position child in a quadraped position
Flex child’s head
Positive if arms flex and legs extend
Extend head
Positive if arms extend and legs flex
Righting reactions
Allows infant to detect when body is not erect and causes head to move back into position
Appears at 7 months
Protective extension
Child extends hands to protect from a potential fall
Appears at 5-7 months
Equilibrium reactions
Maintains ability to keep center of gravity over base of support when an external force is applied
Appears at 6 months
Sensory integration
Process of receiving, organizing, and using sensory information
Developmental milestones
Specific markers to help track development
General progression of motor skill development
Control of static position
Vertical movement
Horizontal movement
Diagonal movement
Control of dynamic position
Transition between positions
Developmental patterns
Head to toe
Proximal to distal
Mass movements before specific movement