How Old Am I?
A typically developing infant demonstrates increasingly steady head control in supported sitting and can maintain the head near midline with decreasing head lag. At approximately what age should good head control be established?
What is approximately 3–4 months?
A 3-month-old in prone begins lifting the head and upper chest while bearing weight through the forearms. Name one important motor benefit of this activity.
What is development of cervical/thoracic extension and upper-extremity weight bearing?
What major component allows an infant to progress from log rolling to segmental rolling?
What is trunk rotation/dissociation between the shoulder and pelvic girdles?
A 6-month-old begins losing forward balance while sitting and places both hands on the floor. What type of response is this?
What is a forward protective extension reaction?
A beginning walker typically uses a relatively wide stance. What biomechanical advantage does this provide?
What is an increased base of support and greater stability?
An infant can sit independently when placed, using the hands intermittently for support, but cannot yet easily move into and out of sitting. Approximately what age is most consistent with this presentation?
What is approximately 6–7 months?
A sitting infant reaches laterally for a toy without falling. What important postural skill allows the infant to accomplish this?
What is controlled weight shifting with trunk activation?
A sitting infant wants a toy positioned on the floor to the right. Describe the important movement strategy for transitioning toward prone.
What is lateral weight shift, trunk rotation, and controlled lowering through the upper extremities?
As independent sitting matures, protective extension develops in what general sequence?
What is forward, then lateral, then backward?
Why does reaching farther outside the base of support make sitting more challenging?
What is that the center of mass moves closer to or beyond the limits of the base of support?
Reciprocal creeping on hands and knees commonly emerges during this period of infancy.
What is approximately 8–10 months?
An infant pivots in prone toward a toy. What must occur between the two sides of the body to make this movement possible?
What is asymmetrical weight shifting with dissociation/rotation?
An infant moves from quadruped into sitting. What mobility of the pelvis and trunk is particularly important?
What is rotation with lateral weight shifting?
A seated infant reaches outside the base of support and returns upright without using a hand for support. What does this demonstrate?
hat is dynamic postural control?
During cruising, why must the child shift the center of mass over one leg before advancing the opposite leg?
What is to unload the advancing limb while maintaining balance over the stance limb?
An infant begins pulling to stand at furniture and initially relies heavily on the upper extremities.
What is approximately 9–10 months?
A child cruises to the right along a couch. What must happen before the left foot can be moved sideways?
What is a lateral weight shift onto the right lower extremity?
Why is half-kneeling an important developmental transition when learning to pull to stand?
What is that it requires asymmetrical lower-extremity loading, balance, hip control, and dissociation of the legs?
Why might an infant who can sit perfectly well when placed still have difficulty reaching for toys outside the base of support?
What is insufficient dynamic postural control/weight-shifting ability despite adequate static sitting?
Name two characteristics commonly seen in a new independent walker that differ from mature gait.
What are a wider base, shorter steps, higher cadence, reduced single-limb stance, limited arm swing, and a high-guard arm position?
Accept any two appropriate characteristics.
A toddler can run with improving control, squat during play, walk up stairs with assistance, and begin to jump with two feet. What general developmental period best fits these skills?
What is approximately 18–24 months?
You observe an infant consistently initiating transitions using only the right side of the body. The infant is otherwise achieving milestones on time. What is more clinically important than the milestone age alone?
What are the quality, symmetry, and variability of the infant's movement strategies?
A 13-month-old gets from the floor to standing only by pulling up with both arms on furniture. The child cannot rise from the floor without external support. What transition would you specifically examine?
What is floor-to-stand through squat or half-kneeling without upper-extremity support?
Before reaching for a large toy while standing, a toddler activates postural musculature to stabilize the body before the arm moves. What type of postural control is being demonstrated?
What is anticipatory postural control?
s gait matures, the child's base narrows, step length increases, arms move from high guard toward reciprocal arm swing, and single-limb support improves. What underlying developmental change ties these observations together?
What is increasing dynamic postural stability and more efficient control of the center of mass over a changing base of support?