Motor Development over a Lifespan - Essay Example

Motor development is a process that goes on in the entire life span of an individual and has several stages. The first stage is the acquisition of motor skills that occurs between birth and1 year, a period of childhood that occurs between 1 and 10 years, followed by the period of stability from adolescence that is between 10to 19 years though the early and middle adult hood that occurs between 20 to 59 years (Umphred & carlson, 2006). Motor impairment may result from disuse changes. These changes may affect the cardiovascular, neurological and musculoskeletal systems (Sigelman & Rider, 2011).

A child that is leaning to walk has no balance as these systems are not fully developed. Prolonged sitting or bed rest can bring about these changes to both adults and young people, and they result to muscle strength reduction affecting the balance of the individual. Other balance impairments may rise from brain lesions, resulting to muscle disuse and developed weaknesses (Sigelman & Rider, 2011). These affect directly the postural adjustments and the ability to balance. Haibach, Reid & Collier (2011) further elaborate that abnormal motor control with a decrease in the frequency and rate of mot or neuron activation affect the balancing of an individual.

The frequency of motor activation dictates the timing and coordination of the muscle contractions, which involve muscle strength and coordination. The problem of force and timing as Haibach, Reid & Collier (2011) elaborate lead to inability of controlling the dynamic interactions between the segments of the body that helps in maintaining a relatively stable postures against the gravity, to respond to external stimulation, to prepare for the upcoming perturbation and these affect control of balancing during task performance (Umphred & Carlson, 2006).

Balance is also affected by delayed timing of muscular contractions and insufficient generation of force that results to inability to move without swaying or staggering. Poor timing of muscular contractions and poor grading of the force output all result to difficulties in postural adjustments. Below are the stages involved in motor development as elaborated by Umphred & Carlson (2006). Stages of development Birth to 12 months. Motor behavior emergence in this stage is more rapid than any other time in the life of an individual.

After 3 months, the infant has acquisition of head control in all planes of movement. This period has the development of axial posture and trunk and mobility control, but intentional motor activities still not accomplished. Early childhood (1 to 5 years). Independent t ambulation emerges by the 2nd year, and the child struggles to achieve balance ion upright bipedal position. The child portrays wide based patterns with the rotation of the pelvis decreasing. The child can independently move sideways and backwards and foreword.

The child can maintain the center of gravity within a given base of support or a BIOS and the hip is controlled laterally. In this period the child can run, climb, jump and playing around with hands and legs. Fine motor skills such as eating with a spoon emerge during this period and the child portrays a mature gait pattern. Adolescence (11 to 19 years). This period has the fine motor skills well refined and most individuals are considered mature at this stage. The balance skills, coordination and