Perkins Activity and Resource Guide Chapter 3: Motor Development: Gross and Fine Motor Skills: Second Edition: Revised and Updated

By Kathy Heydt and Monica Allon

This chapter will include explanations and helpful activities in the areas that play an important role in motor development. The typical development of motor skills follows a natural, progressive pattern. However, interference with part of the system, be it visual, auditory, motor, etc. will cause delays in motor development. In general, children totally blind since birth exhibit the greatest delays in motor development.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9780988171329

Book preview

Massachusetts

Contents     

CHAPTER 1

Teaching Children with Multiple Disabilities: An Overview

CHAPTER 2

Foundations of Learning: Language, Cognition, and Social Relationships

CHAPTER 3

Motor Development: Gross and Fine Motor Skills

CHAPTER 4

Functional Academics

CHAPTER 5

Vocational Skills for All Ages

CHAPTER 6

Daily Living Skills

CHAPTER 7

Independent Living Skills

CHAPTER 8

Sensory Integration

CHAPTER 9

Developmental Music

CHAPTER 10

Orientation and Mobility

CHAPTER 11

Enhancing the Use of Functional Vision

CHAPTER 12

Adaptive Technology: Handmade Solutions for Unique Problems

CHAPTER 13

Techniques for Lifting Students Safely: Body Mechanics and Transfers

CHAPTER 14

Assistive Devices and Equipment

GLOSSARY

INDEX

CHAPTER 3

Motor Development:

Gross and Fine Motor Skills

by Kathy Heydt, P.T., M.Ed., COMS

and Monica Allon, M.S., OTR/L

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to the following individuals who read this chapter and offered ideas, information, and helpful criticism: Barbara Shea, PT, Sue Shannon, OTR, and Priscilla Chapin.

Chapter Outline

Introduction

Educational Guidelines

Range of Motion

Joint Range of Motion

Muscle Strength

Muscle Testing Grades and Scores

Muscle Tone

Reflex Development

Developmental Reflex Test

Posture

Common Posture Problems in Visually Impaired Students

Posture Screening Checklist

Balance

Gait Pattern

Taking a Single Forward Step

Sensation

Gross Motor Skills

Hula-Hoop® Jumping

Beanbag on My Head

Rolling Along

Tug of War

A Special Trap

Tractor Tread

Wheelbarrow Walking

High Stepping

Kick the Carton

I Can Walk Like That

Catch It If You Can

Squeaky Jumping

Beanbag Toss

Skipping

Balance Beam

Fine Motor Skills

Ping-Pong Flick

The Country Egg

Walk the Ball up the Wall

Rubber Band Stretch

Cutting with Scissors

Oobly Goop

Homemade Playdough

Suggested Activities to Encourage Specific Hand Skills

Resources

Suggested Materials

Annotated Materials

Distributors

Developmental Screening Checklist

Annotated Resources

Annotated Tools for Assessment

Bibliography

Glossary

Introduction

The development of motor skills follows a natural, progressive pattern. We all proceed through these stages at our own pace while remaining within certain identified norms. Motor development is cephalo-caudal, beginning at the head and progressing downward toward the toe. This can be seen in the development of a normal infant—the ability to hold her head up appears before she can sit up, crawl, or walk.

Motor development also occurs from proximal to distal, from the midline of the trunk outward to the fingers and toes. It is important to develop the ability to stabilize in the trunk. Without this development, the refinement of any skills with our arms, legs, hands, or feet will not occur. An infant cannot begin to crawl and bear weight on her arms and legs until she has the ability to stabilize her hips and shoulders. If this proximal stability does not occur, the baby will continue to collapse at every attempt to get on her hands and knees.

Gross and fine motor skills develop along a continuum. Generally, by eight months a baby can sit independently and begin to lift a cup with a handle. Around fifteen months most children can walk across the room and reach smoothly and accurately for an object. Without a good base in gross motor skills, fine motor skills may be lacking or delayed. For related information refer to the Developmental Screening Checklists in this chapter.

As in any area, interference with part of the system, be it visual, auditory, motor, etc., will cause delays in motor development. It has been well documented that visually impaired infants are consistently a few months behind their sighted peers (Fraiberg, 1977). In general, children totally blind since birth exhibit the greatest delays in motor development. If there has been some vision since birth or early intervention services, the involvement is not as great. This depends on the degree of visual impairment and the amount and quality of intervention services.

In addition, when you consider all of the disabilities, such as developmentally delayed, cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, and autism, you realize that visual impairment is only part of the overall picture. Each disability brings along its own set of complications to interfere with motor development.

This chapter will include explanations and helpful activities in the areas that play an important role in motor development. If a student has difficulties in any of these areas (e.g. range of motion or muscle strength), the overall effects may be observed in delayed gross and fine motor skill development.

Educational Guidelines

Gross Motor

• Use a variety of teaching positions when possible

• sitting in a chair

• sitting on the floor (straight-legged, cross-legged, side-sitting)

• kneeling

• half-kneeling (one leg up, one leg down)

• Discourage W sitting. It can promote

• unnecessary pressure on knees.

• heelcord tightness.

• joint laxity in the hips and, in extreme cases, dislocation.

• Encourage physical play during free time.

• Provide a safe enclosed area for physical play (fenced-in yard with no obstacles or drop-offs, barrier-free room with carpet).

• Allow student to use playground equipment, provide assistance as needed.

• Advocate for adaptive or regular physical education as part of the student’s weekly school schedule.

• Encourage the student to develop an interest in some type of routine physical activity, such as swimming, walking, running, hiking, stationary bike, dance, or gymnastics.

• Some students will need minimal physical assistance to come to a standing position. Do not pull a student up by the arms. The following suggested sequence may encourage the student to become independent and put less physical strain on the caregiver.

• Ask student to