Measuring Changes in Movement Skills with Infants and Young Children with Handicaps

Abstract

Posture and movement abilities are typically measured by assessments of achievements of motor milestone skills. Performance of a skill within appropriate chronological age limits is one dimension of posture and movement. Qualitative dimensions, including postural tone and the pattern of coordinated movement used in performance, are equally important with young children. This article describes a programmatic approach for measuring qualitative dimensions and performance of functional movement. Features of the approach include: (a) selection of intervention targets, (b) baseline assessment, (c) intervention sequences, (d) measurement, and (e) interpretation and decision making. Data that were collected, using this approach, with infants and young children enrolled in an early intervention program are presented to illustrate measurement and interpretation.