An infant makes different involuntary reflex behaviors that are observed in response to stimuli. An example of one kind of reflex that is a walking reflex, which can be seen when a baby at about 1 month old is held under a person's arms and feet are touching a floor or surface making motions that are to be perceived as well coordinated walking. These reflexes that infants make can fade after several months. These reflexes are important though because they are a sign of what is to come of the child and encourage the early development of the central nervous system and the use of the child's muscles. It is believed Reflex behaviors are the start of motor development. .
As an infant ages and continues to grow he or she interacts with the environment in which they are in to develop gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are physical movements that involve large muscles such as walking. Fine motor skills are skills that are physical movements that involve small muscles and eye-hand coordination such as grasping keys to unlock a lock. Children reach "milestones" that are achievements of motor development. A skilled achieved such as rolling over can lead to crawling which can eventually lead to walking in motor development.
Testing can be given to a child to measure gross and fine motor skills to see if the child is developing normally and neurologically correct. One example of a test given is the Denver-Developmental Screening Test Such tests can not only analyze a child's physical development but as well as language, personality, and social development.
If a child isn't developing correctly it could be due to a disease or illness that has intervened with their neurological development. There are many different neurological illnesses such as cerebral pausey and mental retardation, can affect and impair a persons cognition and motor development that can eventually make a person unable to function independently as he or she is growing.
