1. Voluntary Movements of Infancy
Chapter 10
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

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Voluntary Movement
Gradual disappearance of infant reflexes
Now voluntary movements are the dominant form of movement
Rudimentary
Sequences of development are not always orderly, but…
Certain sequences of development do appear predictably and sequentially
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

3. Categorizing Voluntary Movements of Infancy
Stability
Locomotion
Manipulation
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

4. Stability—Head Control
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5. Stability—Body Control and Upright Posture
Rolling: 5 months of age
Sitting
Lumbar control
Without much support: 5 months
Without assistance: 7 or 8 months
Standing
9 months to 1 year
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

6. Voluntary Control of the Body
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Locomotion Movements
One of the greatest accomplishments of infancy
Prone locomotion:
Crawling
Creeping
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

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Locomotion—Upright
Walking
7–12 months old
Influential in other developmental processes (e.g., language development)
Little evidence that early walking accelerates or refines later skill performance
Stair climbing
Most infants ascend stairs a few months after learning to crawl and a few weeks before they can descend
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

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Upright Locomotion
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Manipulation
In motor development, reaching and grasping are just as important as learning to walk.
Important for exploration, discovery, and achieving goals.
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

11. Manipulation—Reaching, Grasping, and Releasing
Phase I:
4 months old
Visually initiated but not visually controlled
Phase II:
6–7 months old
Wrist, hand, finger/thumb control
Pincerlike movements for grasping
Visually guided reaching
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

12. Approximate Ages of Reaching, Grasping, and Releasing
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13. Manipulation—Bimanual Control
Two-handed reaching
Emerges when infants can sit and walk without support
As infants get older, they are able to hold more than one toy at a time
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14. Relationship of Reaching and Postural Control
Improved postural control assists in reaching and in general exploration and learning.
A vital element and facilitator of significant changes in human development;
Enhances exploration, learning in general, and social interaction as infants develop additional ways to engage with objects and people in their environment.
(see next slide)
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by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

15. Reflecting on the Importance of Reaching
Have you given much thought to the significance of being able to reach something as needed or desired?
Are the authors on target with their statements on the previous slide about the importance of reaching, or are they overstating its importance?
Why?
Copyright © 2016
by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers

16. Video— Baby Milestones
This 7.5 minute video shows the motor milestones expected in typically developing babies, from head control to walking.
Also available on YouTube are videos showing the various milestones in segments.
Watch, for example, this video showing the stages of walking—from walking with support to doing so unassisted.
Copyright © 2016
by Holcomb Hathaway Publishers