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!!!!