Motor RoomMotor RoomAmanda Curd, MPT

Motor

Back Ground of Ready Bodies Learning Minds

• Brain Child of a rural Texas PT, Athena Oden, whose school district covers over 600 square miles.

• Designed to address the motor issues that impact learning but are not “special ed” issue.

“The incomplete development of reflexivepatterns, tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular,

visual and/or auditory systems have left them struggling with what we consider a simple

job: sitting in a chair.” Athena Oden

Reflexes• “Reflexes” are God-given movement

patterns that are stored in each of us. They are normal, innate, involuntary patterns that teach our children to roll and crawl. These “prefabricated” movement patterns appear in the child’s infancy and disappear as the child is in motion and learns new skills” A. Oden (2006)

Reflexes• Most of the reflexes are building

blocks to scaffold more mature movement patterns, however if the reflexes are not integrated (become non-obligatory) they become weak foundations to build more mature movement patterns such as sitting in a chair or hand writing.

Asymmetrical Tonic NecK Reflex (ATNR)

• Emerges in infancy the, but should be integrate by 12 months

• Promotes beginning of eye hand coordination.

What if ATNR incompletely integrates• Difficulty with eye hand coordination

particularly hand writing• Ability to cross midline vertically• Discrepancy between written and oral

performance• Development of lateral and vertical eye

movement• Control of balance• Bilateral integration• Delayed lateralization of body ( hand

dominance)

Video of ATNR

Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

• Promotes the building blocks for crawling.

• Neck extends and arms stiffen and extend

• Neck flexes the bottom goes up.

Incomplete Integration of STNR

• Difficulty with integrating the upper and lower body as with swimming

• Riding a bike/trike• Slumped sitting posture• Poorly developed muscle tone• Poor eye hand coordination• Poor ability to sit and concentrate

Video of STNR

This is what this looks like at about age 10

Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex

• It is one of our postural reflexes

• When neck is flexed all four limbs tend to extend

• Maturation occurs over extended period of time (3.5+ years)

Incomplete Integration of TLR

• Postural problems either high or low tone

• Tendency to walk on the toes• Poor balance• Motion sickness• Difficulty with oculo-motor and visual

perceptual impacting reading and writing

• Dislike of Physical Education

Learning Minds Ready Bodies

• Clumsy Child• Shirt Chewer

– Constantly seeking oral input• Noodle

– Uses furniture to support self• Bouncer

– Moves continuously may be label hyperactive

Tactile• “Shirt Chewer”• Very primary and basic method of

learning (fetus responds to touch at 6 weeks in utero).

• There are 2 systems:– Protective– Discriminatory

Vestibular• “Bouncer”• Functions and is fully developed at 15-17

weeks in utero• Functions to maintain balance and provides

core muscle control• Foundational piece of eye movement control

(Reading)• It is essential in creating a calm and alert

state of being. It also orients us to the world.

Proprioceptive• “Noodles”• Provides the brain information

about our stability and position of our body.

• Allows our body to be on auto-pilot so that we can concentrate.

Visual System• Related to the vestibular system• Related to the proprioceptive

system• Ocular motor control• Visual perception

Auditory System• Shares cranial nerve with the

vestibular system so they affect each other.

• Middle ear infections are highly correlated to learning disabilities.

Components of the Motor Lab

• Teach the rules • Warm-up• Reflexes• Stations• Cool Down

Stations• Four stations and everybody gets a turn

at each station. • Each station last 2-3 minutes.• Each station focuses on a sensory-

motor system.• You can add academic related theme

into the stations, but our focus is on motor.

Stations• Reflex• Vestibular• Boardwork• Balance/locomotor/motor

planning/proprioceptive exercises will alternate

Cool Down• Purpose is to calm down kids prior

to returning to class• Can be deep breathing, yoga,

tactile activities.

Motor Room Routine• Sit on the Mat• Warm-up• Stations• Cool Down

Rules for Motor Lab• Two requests

– The motor lab is a time for structured play focusing on specific skills and systems. It is not a time for free play.

– Make sure each station is put back together for the next group

Questions??????Questions??????

Closing Thought“Consider: In nearly every respect,

what it means to be a young child has changed dramatically in the

past 40 years. Alter the meaning of childhood, and you alter brain development… and behavior.”

John Rosemond, family psychologist

LETS GO TO THE MOTOR LAB!!!!