Psychomotor Development

Question 1

What is it?

In Primary Neuralation, when does the Neural Tube close? What does the failure of this process lead to? Give examples

What 4 processes occur in neurodevelopment?

Answer 1

• Progressive attainment of skills that involve both mental and muscular activity
  o Turning over, sit, crawl, walk, talk, bladder and bowel control, cognition
• By Week 4 - Failure results in NTDs e.g. Anencephaly, Holoprosencephaly, Spina Bifida
• Neural Proliferation, Migration, Organisation, and Myelination

Question 2

DEVELOPMENT:
What are the influences on neural development?

What are the 5 developmental scales?

What are developmental milestones?

How do Gross motor skills develop in the first 12 months?

How does a newborn’s pincer grip develop in the first 12 months?

Answer 2

• • Biological (Genetics, Ante/Perinatal history, Health, Vision, Hearing)
  • Environmental (Stimulating environment, Social and Economic Deprivation, Experience and encouragement)
• Gross motor, Fine motor, Vision, Speech, Hearing, Social
• Age at which major skills of development are achieved
• • Head control, Tripod position, Unsupported sitting (7 months)
  • Sits and crawls well (7-8 months)
  • Stands (9-10 months)
  • Walks (12 months)
• Rake (4 months) → Inferior grip (7 months) → Fine grip (9-12 months)

Question 3

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY:
What is it?

What is Global delay?
→ What effect does this have?

What is Specific delay?
→ What effect does this have?

Diagnosis:
1. When does Screening occur in childhood?

2. How is development evaluated?
3. How do you look for Causes?
4. What do you do after finding the cause?
5. How do you then promote development?

Answer 3

• Failure to acquire a particular developmental skill at an age when 95% of peers have
• 2 or more areas of development
  → Changes in Brain structure - Genetic, Hypoxic, Infection, Trauma
• Specific part of brain
  → Defect in Effector and Affector units/organs

1. Newborn, 6 weeks, 6-9 months, 18 months, 3 yrs
2. Detailed assessment e.g. Griffiths developmental scores
3. Chromosomes, Genetics, Brain MRI, Audiology, Ophthalmology, Thyroid function
4. Treat the cause
5. Avoid delay in one scale affecting others