Chapter 5: Motor, Sensory and Perceptual Development

Posture

A dynamic process that is linked with sensory information in the skin, joints, and muscles which tell us where we are in space; from vestibular organs in the inner ear that regulate balance and equilibrium; and from vision and hearing Newborns cannot voluntarily control their posture Within a few weeks, infants can hold their heads erect and soon they can lift their heads while prone By 2 months of age, babies can sit while supported on a lap or in an infant seat, but they cannot sit independently until they are 6 or 7 months of age Standing also develops gradually during the first year of life By about 8 months of age, infants usually learn to pull themselves up and hold onto a chair, and many can stand alone by about 10 to 12 months of age

Reflexes

Are built-in reactions to stimuli Govern the newborn's movements, which are automatic and beyond the newborn's control Are genetically carried survival mechanisms Allow infants to respond adaptively to their environment before they have had the opportunity to learn Some reflexes, such as coughing, blinking, and yawning, persist and continue to be important throughout life Other reflexes disappear several months following birth as the brain matures and voluntary control over many behaviors develops

Childhhood Fine Motor Skills

At 3 years of age -Children can build surprisingly high block towers, each block placed with intense concentration but often not in a completely straight line By 4 years of age -Children's fine motor coordination is much more precise. By 5 years of age -Children's fine motor coordination has improved further. Hand, arm, and fingers all move together under better command of the eye

Sitting vs. Physical Exercise in the classroom with young children

At 3 years of age -Children enjoy simple movements, such as hopping, jumping, and running back and forth, just for the sheer delight of performing these activities At 4 years of age -Children have become more adventurous -They scramble over low jungle gyms as they display their athletic prowess At 5 years of age -Children are even more adventuresome than they were at 4 -It is not unusual for self-assured 5-year-olds to perform hair-raising stunts on practically any climbing object -They run hard and enjoy races with each other and their parents During Middle and Late Childhood -Motor development becomes much smoother and more coordinated -Running, climbing, skipping rope, swimming, bicycle riding, and skating are just a few of the many physical skills elementary school children can master -In gross motor skills involving large-muscle activity, boys usually outperform girls -Elementary school children are far from being physically mature, and they need to be active -Elementary school children become more fatigued by long periods of sitting than by running, jumping, or bicycling -Physical action is essential to refine their developing skills -Children benefit from exercise breaks periodically during the school day on the order of 15 minutes every two hours

Infants Fine Motor Skills

Infants have hardly any control over fine motor skills at birth Initially, infants reach by moving their shoulders and elbows crudely swinging toward an object. Later, they move their wrists, rotate their hands, and coordinate their thumb and forefinger Infants refine their ability to grasp objects by developing two types of grasps: -Infants grip with the whole hand (Palmer grasp) -Infants grasp small objects with their thumb and forefinger, which is called the Pincer grip Infants vary their grip on an object depending on its size, shape, and texture, as well as the size of their own hands relative to the object's size Infants grip small objects with their thumb and forefinger. They grip large objects with all of the fingers of one hand or both hands

Gross Motor Skills

Involve large-muscle activities -Such as moving one's arms and walking Locomotion Posture

Fine Motor Skills major points

Involve finely tuned movements -Grasping a toy -Using a spoon -Buttoning a shirt -Doing anything that requires finger dexterity demonstrates fine motor skills

Locomotion

Locomotion and postural control are closely linked, especially in walking upright To walk upright, the baby must be able both to balance on one leg as the other is swung forward and to shift the weight from one leg to the other Most infants do not learn to walk until about the time of their first birthday In learning to locomote, infants learn what kinds of places and surfaces are safe for locomotion

Babinski Reflex

Occurs after the sole of the foot has been firmly stroked The infant's big toe remains extended or extends itself when the sole of the foot is stimulated Normal in children up to 2 years' old

Moro Reflex

Occurs in response to a sudden, intense noise or movement When startled, the newborn arches its back, throws back its head, and flings out its arms and legs. Then the newborn rapidly closes its arms and legs The Moro reflex is believed to be a way of grabbing for support while falling It had survival value for our primate ancestors

Sucking Reflex

Occurs when newborns automatically suck an object placed in their mouths This reflex enables newborns to get nourishment before they have associated a nipple with food

Grasping Reflex

Occurs when something touches the infant's palms The infant responds by grasping tightly By the end of the third month, the grasping reflex diminishes, and the infant shows a more voluntary grasp

Rooting Reflex

Occurs when the infant's cheek is stroked or the side of the mouth is touched The infant turns its head toward the side that was touched in an apparent effort to find something to suck

Middle and Late Childhhood Fine Motor Skills

Six-year-olds can hammer, paste, tie shoes, and fasten clothes By 7 years of age, children's hands have become steadier -At this age, children prefer a pencil to a crayon for printing, and reversal of letters is less common -Printing becomes smaller At 8 to 10 years of age, children can use their hands independently with more ease and precision -Children can now write rather than print words. Letter size becomes smaller and more even At 10 to 12 years of age, children begin to show manipulative skills similar to the abilities of adults. Girls usually outperform boys in fine motor skills