People can have problems with gross motor skills at any age and for different reasons. But when difficulties start in early childhood, a common cause is developmental coordination disorder DCD. DCD affects gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and motor planning.
Occupational therapy OT is the main treatment, and kids may be able to get it for free in school. Adults can work with their doctor to find a therapist who works privately.
Learn more about how DCD affects gross motor skills. You can also reach out to the school to request a free evaluation. An evaluation may lead to your child getting free occupational therapy through the school. There are ways to help your child build motor skills at home, too. Activities for younger kids. Activities for older kids. More on: Root causes. Share What are gross motor skills? Podcast Wunder community app. Main menu Our work Blog Surveys and research.
Join our team Privacy policy Terms of use Fundraising disclosure Sitemap. At a Glance Gross motor skills involve movements of the large muscles of the arms, legs, and torso. Gross motor abilities also form the basis for fine motor skills and relate to body awareness, reaction speed, balance and strength. Learn more about all developmental milestones by age. This information is a general guide to help you determine if your child is progressing at the rate expected for his or her age.
Please keep in mind that each child is unique and develops skills at their own rate. By exploring many different types of movement, your child can build the confidence, motivation and physical competence to engage in an active lifestyle.
According to the American Heart Association , a daily dose of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is recommended for children ages six to seventeen years old. Infants and toddlers are recommended to get minutes of activity spread throughout the day based on the American Academy of Pediatrics. Make sure you are encouraging physical movement and development of these skills on a daily basis. All motor milestones are important! You can find all motor milestones or learn more from the Assure the Best brochure.
The achievement of one milestone tends to lead to another. So for example, while babies typically do not crawl until months, they achieve plenty of other milestones before that so they have the strength and confidence to crawl.
Learn more about baby's motor milestones with the Assure the Best brochure. Download the Brochure. Also available in multiple languages. Download the Checklist. Changing head direction can help prevent positional plagiocephaly flat head and positional torticollis, by encouraging baby to move their head and strengthen both sides of their neck.
When baby faces different directions as they lay, they also vary the direction they turn their head in response to a noise such as a parent entering the room. This strengthens neck muscles more evenly on both sides, and changes the places where baby puts pressure on their head as they lay. Learn More. Learn more about some ways to keep them moving every day.
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