GROSS MOTOR

DEVELOPMENT 6 TO
12YEARS
DEF; gross motor skills; abilities required in
order to control the large muscle of the body
for walking, running, sitting, crawling, other
activities.

COMMON PROBLEMS;
Range of disease and disorders that affect gross

motor skills development among young person

development problems problems such as
GENETICDISORDERS, MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
,CEREBRALPALSY and some neurological conditions
gross motor skills can become impaired in a
variety ways including injury ILLNESS ,STROKE and
congenital deformities. Developmental coordination disorder affects motor skills. Person with
this disorder has a hard time with skills such as
riding a bike holding.

GROSS MOTOR;;
Most children at this age can:
ride a bicycle withouttraining wheels(Fig. 1);
run very well;
stand on one foot for as long as a minute;
hop forward on one foot;
catch small andlarge ballsfrom several feet away;
jump rope (Fig. 2);
combine two or more motor movements (For

example: run and kick a ball at the same time);

perform somersaults (Fig. 3)and cartwheels(Fig. 4).

STAGES OF GROSS MOTOR

DEVELOPMENT
Stages
This topic covers three stages of motor
development, spanning the ages 0 to 12,
beginning with early reflexes, and
developing through the various milestones
that a child reaches as they mature.
Stages of development
There are three stages of motor development in
children.
The first stage is marked by extremely rapid
growth and development, as is the second stage.
By the age of 2 years old, this development has
begun to level out somewhat. The final stage does
not have any marked new developments, rather it
is characterised by the mastering and
development of the skills achieved in the first two
stages.

0 t0 2years 0r
INFANTHOOD
The Newborn Child
It is argued that many of a newborn's

reflexes contribute to motor control as

the child learns new motor skills. For
example the stepping reflex promotes
development areas of the cortex that
govern voluntary walking.

Assessing reflexes in newborns will

determine the health of the nervous

system, as reflexes that are weak or
absent, exaggerated, or overly rigid may
indicate some brain damage. Therefore
stages will need to be modified slightly.
The average ages at which gross motor
skills are achieved during infancy may
vary. This range may be seen in the table
below.

Although the sequence of motor

development is fairly uniform across

children, differences may exist
individually in the rate at which motor
skills develop. A baby who is a late
reacher may not necessarily be a late
crawler/walker. Concern would arise if
the child's development were delayed in
many motor skills.

CHARACTERISTIC
FEATURES;
Motor control of the head comes before control of the legs. This head-to-tail

sequence is called the cephalocaudal trend.

Motor development proceeds from the centre of the body outward; i.e. the
head, trunk and arm control is mastered before the coordination of the hands
and fingers. This is the proximodistical trend.
Physical growth follows these same trends throughout infancy and childhood.
Once the child has grasped these gross motor skills, they are then able to
explore their environment further by grasping things, turning them over, and
seeing what happens when they are released. Infants are then able to learn a
great deal about the sight, sound and feel of objects.
Reaching and grasping development is a classic example of how motor skills
start out as gross, and then graduate to mastering fine motor skills.
At 3 months voluntary reaching gradually improves in accuracy. It does not
require visual guidance of arms and hands, but rather a sense of movement
and location.
By 5 months reaching is reduced as the object can be moved within reach.
At 9 months an infant can redirect reaching to obtain a moving object that
changes direction.
6-12 months the infant can use a pincer grasp, thus increasing their ability to
manipulate objects.

2to6 years OR EARLY CHILDHOOD

The period of the most rapid development of

motor behaviors is the period between 2 and 6

years (also known as the preschool years). Skills
that appear are:
Basic locomotors
Ball-handling
Fine eye-hand coordination
Walking leads to running, jumping, hopping,
galloping, and skipping
Climbing evolves from creeping

POINTS NEED TO BE HIGHIGHTED

By the age of 3 walking is automatic.
By 4 years the child has almost achieved an adult style of walking.
By 3 years the child has attempted to run, albeit awkward in style and lacking

control.
By the age of 4-5 years the child has more control over running and can start, stop
and turn.
By 5-6 skills in running have advanced to the level of an adult manner.
Between the ages of 3 and 6 climbing proficiency using ladders, etc., has
developed.
By 6 years children can hop and gallop skillfully, and jumping distances are longer.
At the age of 3 children begin a shuffle which evolves into skipping by the age of 6.
At the age of 2 children learn to kick, as their balance mechanism has developed. A
full kick with a backswing has developed by the age of 6.
Throwing at the age of 2-3 years is not very proficient although is attempted. This
has improved by the age of 6 when the child will include a step forward.
At the age of 3 a child can catch a large ball with arms straight; at 4 elbows will be
in front when catching; and by the age of 6 years, elbows will be held at the side.

6 t0 12 YEARS OR LATER
CHILDHOOD
After the age of 6 years old, it becomes

increasingly difficult to describe changes

and differences in motor skills
development.

CHARACTERISTICS ARE EVIDENT;

Changes are more subtle, and are often

to fine motor skills only

By 9 years eye-hand coordination has
developed to being very good
Growth is relatively slow
This stage is terminated by the onset of
puberty
Motor skills are perfected and stabilized
Links can be made to physical
development.

ASSESSED DURING THIS STAGE;

Running. This will become faster depending

on the length of stride and tempo.

Jumping. The ability to jump higher will
become greater due to body size, weight,
age and strength.
Throwing. Boys begin to throw further with
a better technique and accuracy.
Balancing and coordination. This increases
as the child becomes older and control is
perfected.

References:
1.HUTCHISONS
PAEDIATRICS
Krishna m. goel
2.ESSENTIALS OF
PAEDIATRICS
O.P Ghai