Physical development in children includes oral, fine and gross motor skills. While there are distinct milestones children should meet, each child develops at his own rate. Children may have strengths in some areas and can experience delays in others. Supporting and monitoring physical development and providing early intervention for delays are critical to a child's success.
Oral Motor
Oral motor skills involve the muscles of the mouth and the tongue. At birth these skills are innate reflexive movements used for protection and survival. This involves swallowing, sucking, gagging, coughing and yawning. Oral motor skills move from sucking and swallowing to chewing and moving food in the mouth with the tongue. Strength in oral motor muscles is essential for feeding and articulation of speech sounds.
Fine Motor
The small muscles of the hands and forearms create the fine motor skills movements. Infants exhibit a reflexive grasping movement and over time a child's grasp becomes stronger and more intentional. Children move from grasping with two hands to taking an object with one hand. Picking up small items with the finger and thumb, the pincer grasp, develops between four and eight months of age. Whole-hand grasping to put items in and take them out of containers follows. A fist grasp for holding crayons and markers develops into a more mature tripod grasp between the ages of 3 and 5. Hand dominance is also acquired during this time. Early skills with large buttons develop around the age of 2 and mastery of snaps, zippers and smaller buttons continues into the early elementary years. Fine motor skills are essential to self-help skills including dressing and feeding and are the foundation of written communication skills.
Gross Motor
The large muscles of the arms, legs and torso are involved in gross motor skills. As with other motor areas, initial gross motor movements are reflexive in nature. Babies develop strength in their necks to hold up their heads, then torso strength for sitting, and arm and leg strength for crawling and walking. Ball-throwing skills grow from early random throws into greater accuracy in the preschool and elementary years. As they begin walking, children develop greater strength in the legs and torso. Balance improves, as does the speed with which they can travel on foot. Running, hopping, skipping, and galloping develop as they move through preschool and kindergarten. Regular physical activity throughout childhood is essential to the development of gross motor skills and overall strength.
Developmental Delays
Children can exhibit delays in physical development at any age. Simple developmental checklists completed at regular checkups with a pediatrician or by parents or caregivers are useful in keeping track of a child's development. If delays are suspected, evaluation by occupational and physical therapists can determine the appropriate interventions. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act defines the services states are required to provide.
Supporting Physical Development
Active and intentional interactions with parents and caregivers are the foundation for physical development. Playing with and exploring developmentally appropriate materials, textures and equipment provide children with the opportunity to develop strength and skill in the three areas of motor development.
References
- "By the Ages: Behavior & Development of Children Pre-Birth through Eight"; Allen and Marotz; 2000
- Child Development Institute: General Development Sequence Toddler through Preschool
- Indiana Protection & Advocacy Services: What is IDEIA?
