Lab 3

Observation of Infant and Toddler Motor Development

Purpose: Observe and study the common developmental mileposts involving a child from 1 month to 12 months of age.

Equipment/preparation: You will need alabtop computer, Issac & Payne textbook, and have access to the server. When connected to the internet, the clips are found is Inside the online student learning center, find chapter 10 Voluntary Movements of Infancy. In this chapter, find the lab under this chapter. Inside the lab, video clips of child at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of age demonstrate postural and manipulative behaviors. You can work independently or with another student while viewing the video clip, answering the questions for each age, and/or the summary of responses for each age period.

Written Report: One can easy cut and paste the questions within a word document and then answer the questions related to part I, II, and III. Each student is to submit their own written report even though you were aided by a partner.

Part I: Background information about the baby is to be completed below:

  1. Name of baby: Samantha
  2. Baby’s birthdate: July 15, 1989
  3. Baby’s gender: Female
  4. Baby’s weight at 1mo:______3 mos:______6 mos:______12 mos:______
  5. Baby’s height at 1mo:______3 mos:______6 mos:______12 mos:______
  6. Siblings (sex and age): None

Part II: Motor Development Profile

You will describe the baby’s postural and manipulative development. Carefully watch the baby move and describe these movements within the framework of the given questions. Try to imagine how the baby is controlling and coordinating her movements.

At 1 month:

A.Supine

1.What are the baby’s motor responses in the supine position?

2.What reflexes are evident in the supine position?

B.Prone

1.What are the baby’s motor responses in the supine position?

2.Does the baby kick in the prone or supine position?

3.Can the baby lift her head in the prone position?

4.What does the baby’s head do when she is pulled to sitting from a supine posiion?

C.Sitting

1.Can the baby sit independently?

2.Does the baby demonstrate head control while sitting?

3.Does the baby show any righting responses?

At 3 months of Motor Development:

A. Supine

  1. What are the baby’s motor responses?
  2. What reflexes do you see in the supine position

3.What does the baby’s head do when she is pulled to sitting?

B.Prone

1.What are the baby’s reponses?

2.Does the baby kick more in the prone or supine position?

3.Can baby lift her head in the prone position?

4.Can the baby prop herself up on her hands?

5.Can the baby free up on hand to reach for objects?

C.Sitting

1.Can the baby sit independently?

2.Does the baby demonstrate head control while sitting?

3.Does the baby show any righting responses?

At 6 months of Motor Development:

A.Supine

1.What are the baby’s motor responses?

2.Can the baby lift her head off the floor?

3.Where is the baby’s center of gravity?

4.Can the baby prop herself up on her hands?

5.Can the baby free up on hand to reach for objects?

6.Can the baby pivot around on her tummy?

7.Can the baby crawl forward on her tummy?

8.Can the baby balance on hands and knees?

9.Can the baby creep forward on hands and knees?

10.Can the baby roll over?

B.Sitting

1.Can the baby sit independently?

2.Does the baby demonstrate head control while sitting?

3.Does baby show any righting responses?

C.Standing

1.Can the baby stand independently?

2.Can the baby support her weight while standing?

3.Does the baby demonstrate the walking reflex? Why not?

At 1 year of Motor Development:

A.Locomotor skills

1.What is the baby’s walking pattern?

2.What new locomotor skills does the baby have?

3.What righting responses do you see in the baby?

Part III: You are to summarize the baby’s responses at each period (1,3,6, and 12 mos) and examine why new patterns emerged?

For each age, describe the general characteristics you observed for each age. Also, for each age identify 2 factors (other than CNS maturation) that contribute to or act as “rate limiters” to the achievement of various motor patterns during the first year of development (i.e., why do we see independent sitting at 6 months but not at 3 months? Why do we see creeping on hands and knees at 1 year but not 6 months?)

A.Summary at 1 monthC.Summary at 6 months

B.Summary at 3 monthsD.Summary at 12 months