Adapted Physical Activity in Promoting Infant Motor Development

The acquisition of motor skills involves the infant’s exploration of many possible body segment configurations in its environment and, then, the selection of those that are the most useful. This view of development implies that sensory information, the result of an action performed, is used to achieve or maintain the subsequent performance. When this flow of sensory information is changed, motor skill acquisition is limited, and the course of motor development is disrupted. Given that infants and children with disabilities show delays in motor milestone acquisition, it could be suggested that such delays are related to perception-action changes. Therefore, adapted physical activity would be important in minimizing such deficits by presenting special opportunities in which perception-action cycles are promoted and reinforced.

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