MUSCLE ACTION OF THE CHILD

1
MUSCLE ACTION OF THE CHILD

• By Linda Aldridge Ellison
• Capital High School
• Charleston, WV 25311
• March 10, 2000

2
MOTOR DEVELOPMENTOCCURES IN TWO DIRECTIONS
Head to Foot
Center-to-Extremities

• Begins before birth, develops head then arm buds,
  leg buds
• Develops after birth from head, neck, trunk for
  rolling over and sitting, then to leg control,
  crawling, creeping, standing, and walking

• Control begins with the trunk, then arms, hands,
  and fingers
• Control extends from hips, then legs, feet, and
  toes

3
EVALUATION OF MUSCLES AT BIRTH
Muscle tone is measured at birth

• THE APGAR SCALE
• 0 limp
• 1 some movements
  of extremities
• 2 active motion

4
NEWBORNS REFLEXES

• Rooting (sucking) - turning toward touch lips or
  cheeks, begins to suck
  -to 9 mo
• Palmar (grasping) newborns hand and toes close
  tightly over anything that comes in contact with
  palm or ball of foot (grasp is strong enough to
  lifted off the bed) -to 3 mo
• Babinski when sole of foot is stroked from heel
  to the toes, the toes fan out, foot twists in
  -to 9 mo
• Moro (startle) flings arms and legs out and
  pull them back when they are startled
  -to 3 mo
• Stepping (walking) when feet touch a solid
  surface, alternating steps are taken as if
  walking -to 8 mo
• Swimming when put in water on stomach, well
  coordinated swimming movements
  -to 6 mo

5
THE NEWBORN

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Motions are very general because they cant focus
  energy on selected muscles
• Lack motor skills that depend on use and control
  of muscles
• Motor skills develop quickly but unevenly as
  reflexes disappear
• During brief wakeful period waves arms and legs

• NEEDS
• Let them kick freely when diapering
• Splashing or wiggling during a bath
• Favorite toy is human face

6
BY END OF FIRST MONTH

• CHARACTERISTICS
• May lift his head briefly when lying on stomach
• May also be able to turn head from side to side
• Muscle control will start to mature
• Does not control arm and leg movements
• Needs support for head

7
ONE MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• May hold up head for a few moments while lying on
  stomach
• Neck muscles are getting strong, which allows
  baby to hold up head for a short period
• May be able to turn from side to side
• Needs head support in car seat
• Starts to explore their body
• Discovers hands and feet

• NEEDS
• To suck
• Moving objects to track
• A simple rattle
• Mirror

8
TWO MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Grabbing objects more voluntarily now
• Less jerky arm and leg movements, more smooth and
  circular motions
• Can turn head when lying on back
• Improved vision, looks at objects more closely

• NEEDS
• A wider variety of designs, colors, and shapes to
  look at and to touch

9
THREE MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• May be able to lift head while on back and hold
  it for several minutes
• Can sit with support
• When on stomach might lift head and chest as
  though doing mini-pushups
• Can now wave arms and pump legs
• Kicks are stronger
• Can bring both hands together

• NEEDS
• Baby gym to bat at dangling objects
• Hold toys so they may grasp
• Colorful books with bright pictures and textures
• Moving baby through air

10
FOUR MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Sits with less support
• Continues to do mini-pushups
• May amaze you by rolling from his back to front
  or vice versa
• Can bend to touch feet when lying on back
• Reaching out and grabs an object, looks at it
  then puts it in mouth

• NEEDS
• Encourage exploring and playing with a variety of
  objects
• Activity center
• Toys they can discover the cause and effect with
• Enjoys plays with hands and feet for a longer time

11
FIVE MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Sits alone momentarily
• If placed on stomach can extend arms and legs to
  arch back, can twist and roll
• Can lift head and shoulders
• Can balance feet on your thighs to bounce up and
  down
• Can hold own bottle
• Likes to drop objects to watch you pick them up
• Spots small object and tracks them sees pastel
  colors

• NEEDS
• Use pillows to support when sitting
• Encourage playing face-down on floor

12
SIX MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Enjoys rolling over
• Can sit in walker or high chair
• May creep slightly on tummy
• Hand control is developed enough to rake an
  object toward them
• After grabbing a toy can move from one hand to
  the other
• Letting go of objects at will
• Grabs dangling objects
• Can favor one hand over other

• NEEDS
• Loves sound games
• Use all senses to explore and learn world
• Likes bubbles to watch

13
SEVEN MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Loves to bounce
• When sitting unsupported can explore with hands
• Can pivot when sitting
• May be able to get into a sitting position from
  lying on stomach by pushing up on arms
• Could rocking back and forth on hands and knees,
  creep, or roll over to move

• NEEDS
• Encourage fine motor activity by placing toys
  just out of babys reach
• Aid them in explorations of the room
• Engages in hiding games
• Likes peek-a-boo

14
EIGHT MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Sitting well
• Crawling or moving about by bottom shuffling
• Starting to pull up to a stand while holding onto
  furniture, needs help to sit back down after
  standing
• Starts using index finger to point to objects
• May use finger to rake up pieces of food

• NEEDS
• Parents need to baby proof childs home
• Lots of items to bang, poke, twist, squeeze,
  shake, drop, and open
• Can fit smaller items larger ones
• Babbles on phone

15
NINE MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• May cruise and crawl up stairs
• Can vary crawling speed
• Moving around upright while holding onto
  furniture
• Learning to sit after standing
• Waves hands to say bye

• NEEDS
• Toddler wide base push toys
• Buckets of blocks
• Toys with large moving parts
• Rolling balls
• Stacking rings
• Interactive talking to

16
TEN MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Crawling well on hands and knees, trunk parallel
  to floor
• Sits confidently
• May walk holding onto furniture
• May stand momentarily without support
• Crawling up stairs
• Has thumb-and-finger pincer grasp

• NEEDS
• Descriptive adult conversation with child
• Crawling games

17
ELEVEN MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Solo standing
• Stooping
• Squatting
• May walk while gripping your hand
• Holds out arm or leg to help dress
• Hand feeds themselves and drinks from cup
• Can throw items
• Leaf through books

• NEEDS
• More books to leaf through
• Loves to patty-cake

18
TWELVE MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Usually takes first steps alone
• May prefer crawling to walking
• Climbs in and out of playpen
• Exercises larger muscles, pushes, throws and
  knocks down everything
• Mastering his fine motor skills
• First holds spoon

• NEEDS
• Push toys and toys to throw
• Likes pots and pans

19
13 AND 14 MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• ¾ of toddlers are walking on own, feet apart for
  balance
• Top heavy, thus falls
• Cruising or toddling on own
• Stoops and stands back up again
• Grips a spoon well
• Can scribble

• NEEDS
• Push and pull toys
• Balls to roll back an forth well
• Home needs to be safe for exploration
• Likes to have a favorite cabinet to play in

20
15, 16, AND 17 MONTH OLD

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Better control of up right straight forward
  walking
• Climbs steps using same foot
• Enjoys menacing cleaning around house
• Enjoys climbing

• NEEDS
• Continued use of walking toys, pull and push
• Likes matching things
• Cooperates with dressing
• Can point to body parts

21
18 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS

• CHARACTERISTICS
• Physical growth begins to slow down
• Perfection of coordination skills
• At 2 has muscles to control bladder and bowels
• Runs confidently
• Walks up and down stairs
• May stand briefly on 1 foot

• NEEDS
• Tricycle for large muscles
• Brushes and crayons for art work
• Simple puzzles
• Roughhouse activities
• Play dough for creativity
• Dolls and dollhouse
• Cooperative play toys

22
PRESCHOOLERS

• CHARACERISTICS
• Will assert independence
• Climbs steps with alternating feet
• Hops and spins
• Throws ball over head
• Attempts drawing circles and squares
• Walks backward, heel to toe
• Runs on tiptoe
• Imitates adult dance steps
• Prints own name

• NEEDS
• Chalk boards
• Opportunities to try lacing and tying
• Jungle gym and swings
• Pitchers to pour with
• Paper to draw simple pictures

23
Although each child develops at an individual
different rate, the sequence of large and fine
muscle development for children follows a like
pattern.EACH CHILD IS DIFFERENT.

• ..The end