1. Behavioural Research Unit Alberta Children’s Hospital 2888 Shaganappi Trail N.W. Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8 Correspondence: mcantell@ucalgary.ca mcgehee@ucalgary.ca This study was supported by Grant # 17661 from the Robertson Foundation for Cerebral Palsy Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada Cantell, M., & McGehee, D. (2006). Movement quality in children with developmental delay: midline and weight sensing as markers of adaptive movement development. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy, 1(2), 129-141. Purpose To investigate if qualitative motor assessment techniques from Dance Movement Therapy and Developmental Movement (D/DM) complement standardized motor assessments in identifying motor delays in children < 5 years Why? 1.Motor test standardization is based on age typical development, which assumes that previous foundational movements are integrated 2. Assessing how children move can provide important insights into atypical motor functions in pediatric populations 3. The long-term aim of the project is to assist in developing a multidisciplinary assessment tool for pediatric populations at risk for developmental delays 4. Early movement patterns continue to support movement choices throughout our lives Methodology Participants Twenty children (10 girls and 10 boys) who were going through motor assessments at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Mean age 3.5 years (9 months – 6 years) Five age typical children from a community play group Procedure An unstructured, non-participatory, overt and videotaped field study Saturation of repeated movement qualities/themes guided us to create a movement observation tool Artistic inquiry as a way of understanding data See graph below Results: Four Movement Themes 1. Does the child express dynamic midline organization at various levels in space? Observing the midline organization is important because… The midline is the child’s place of comfort The midlines relates to child’s sense of self, knowing oneself in movement and as a mover, being comfortable in taking risks and exploring Midline organization is linked via sensory awareness to social contact A lack of experience of all sides of the body interrupts the subsequent development of limb co-ordination 2. Can the child give in to support? Observing the ability to sense weight is important because… The child’s ability to relax actively into a supporting surface is a precursor for balance and locomotion Ability to balance facilitates adaptations and transitions Ability to balance is linked to sensory development 3. Can the child initiate movement in the direction of gravity? Observing the ability to yield actively is important because… Yielding is fundamental to stopping and starting, decision making, planning 4. Can the child shift weight from the centre of gravity? Observing the weight shift is important because… Supported understanding of weight shift and movement through space gives comfort and independence Motor development is an ongoing dialogue with self and environment Discussion With an attuned and developmentally sensitive approach, latent variables can be observed in everyday movement An ability to transition in time, space and quality often lack in movement patterns of children with developmental delays Ideally, observation and intervention overlap and encourage the movement choices and the experience of midline and weight sensing in a supportive environment by activities such as rolling in flexion, hugging, gathering in, holding and releasing objects, supported weight shift, direction, level change Many of the movement themes observed in children with developmental delays continue to be meaningful in adulthood, especially in moments of stress The basic concepts of midline and weight sensing are essential for movement based education, supervision and for our personal growth as movers Movement Observation in Children with Developmental Delays Marja Cantell & Darcy McGehee Faculty of Medicine & Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Calgary Department of Pediatrics and Program of Dance

2. Measuring Modulation Flexibility and Choice Ability to make transitions In time, space and quality Towards a dynamic model of development Relationship Resilience