UPANAYAN A COMPUTER-AIDED PROGRAMME OF  DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR CHILDREN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION (0 TO 2 YEARS) FROM THE MADURAM NARAYANAN CENTRE FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, CHENNAI MOTOR SKILLS   INTRODUCTION       A  new born baby's first movement, kicking of  limbs,  marks  the  beginning  of his active life.  In due  course,  as  he grows,  his field of activities gets enlarged and the  child  performs many more movements.  For some of his movements  he involves his entire body as in walking or running. These are called gross motor activities. For some others he uses  only  his  limbs, as in writing, where he uses his fingers.  These movements are called fine motor activities.
 
    A developmentally delayed child will however face difficulty in  the performance of these activities depending  upon  the  level and extent of his disabilities.  What is important  to  remember  is  that  no matter how much  retarded  a  child's development may be, the child has to be put through a proper  instructional  programme, so that he is helped  to  overcome  his handicap/handicaps and function optimally in society.
 
    The  following  points are important to any  training  programme.
 
 1. Early participation in the training programme.
 
 2. Training in the normal activities of daily living such as bathing, feeding and toileting.
 
 3. Regular practise of skills, to maintain the stability in any  motor  activity. Opportunities  for  practice should be afforded in daily life, not just at exercise  periods.
 
4. Exposure to normal play experiences for child.
 
    Later  as  the  child  develops,  he  can  be  motivated  to  participate  in all physical activities, for developing  his proficiency  in them and also for maintaining  a  reasonable  level of physical fitness throughout adult life.
 
    In   early  days of  infancy, the  main  activities  of  the  child, that is, of his being fed, or being bathed, should be  fully  utilized  in the training  of  skills.  Developmental sequence  should  however be maintained  where  appropriate.  Sometimes  this is not helpful when the child is  very  much flexed,  in which case he is to be helped to get on  to  his  feet first, before he crawls!
    LIST OF MOTOR SKILLS SELECT BY CLICKING ON UNDERLINED SKILL NO. BELOW FOR VIEWING DETAILED ACTIVITY CARDS (SKILL Nos NOT UNDERLINED WILL BE LINKED SHORTLY)    

SKILL NO
MSK-1	MOVES HEAD TO SIDE WHILE ON BACK.
MSK-2	MOVES HEAD BACK WHILE ON BACK
MSK-3	THRUSTS  ARMS  AND  LEGS IN RESPONSE TO  SOUNDS  AND  MOVING  OBJECTS (All four limbs involved)
MSK-4	ATTEMPTS TO HOLD HEAD UP WHEN PULLED TO SITTING.
MSK-5	SWIPES AT OBJECTS.
MSK-6	HOLDS HEAD UP AND STEADY WHEN, HELD AGAINST  SHOULDER/ROCKED  ON THIGH.
MSK-7	ATTEMPTS TO ROLL OVER USING SHOULDERS.
MSK-8	KICKS VIGOROUSLY WHILE ON BACK.
MSK-9	CONTROLS HEAD AND SHOULDERS, WHEN SUPPORT IS WITHDRAWN.
MSK-10	TURNS FROM STOMACH DOWN TO SIDE.
MSK-11	ROLLS FROM BACK TO SIDE.
MSK-12	REACHES FOR OBJECTS IN FRONT.
MSK-13	REACHES AND GRASPS OBJECTS IN FRONT.
MSK-14	ROLLS FROM STOMACH TO BACK; BACK TO STOMACH.
MSK-15	REACHES FOR PREFERRED OBJECTS.
MSK-16	TURNS HEAD WHEN BODY IS SUPPORTED
MSK-17	HOLDS HEAD AND CHEST SUPPORTED ON ARMS WHILE ON STOMACH.
MSK-18	HOLDS HEAD AND CHEST SUPPORTED ON ARM.
MSK-19	MOVES FORWARD ONE BODY LENGTH, CREEPS.
MSK-20	SITS WITH SUPPORT
MSK-21	ROCKS ON HANDS AND KNEES
MSK-22	CRAWLS ONE BODY LENGTH TO OBTAIN OBJECT
MSK-23	CHILD  BOUNCES UP AND DOWN IN STANDING POSITION WHILE  BEING  SUPPORTED
MSK-24	PULLS TO SITTING POSITION GRASPING ADULT FINGERS.
MSK-26	RELEASES SMALL OBJECTS AND PLAY THINGS.
MSK-26	FLINGS OBJECT HAPHAZARDLY
MSK-27	MOVED FROM STOMACH DOWN TO SITTING POSITION
MSK-28	MAINTAINS SITTING POSITION FOR TWO MINUTES
MSK-29	SITS WITHOUT SUPPORT
MSK-30	PULLS SELF TO STANDING POSITION
MSK-31	STANDS WITH MAXIMUM SUPPORT
MSK-32	PICKS UP AND DROPS OBJECT ON PURPOSE
MSK-33	LOWERS SELF FROM STANDING TO SITTING POSITION.
MSK-34	USES PINCER GRASP TO PICK UP OBJECTS.
MSK-35	CRUISES AROUND FURNITURE.
MSK-36	STANDS WITH MINIMUM SUPPORT.
MSK-37	STANDS ALONE FOR ONE MINUTE
MSK-38	TAKES A FEW STEPS WITHOUT AID
MSK-39	BENDS AT WAIST TO PICK UP OBJECTS, WITHOUT FALLING
MSK-40	WALKS INDEPENDENTLY
MSK-41	SQUATS AND RETURNS TO STANDING POSITION
MSK-42	RETAINS TWO ONE-INCH CUBES IN ONE HAND
MSK-43	CREEPS DOWNSTAIRS, FEET FIRST.
MSK-44	CREEPS UPSTAIRS
MSK-45	WALKS UPSTAIRS WITH AID
MSK-46	SQUEEZES, BY CURLING FINGERS AROUND AN OBJECT.
MSK-47	THUMB FINGER APPOSITION.
MSK-48	MOVES THUMB IN APPOSITION TO FOUR FINGERS
MSK-49	PUSHES AND PULLS TOYS WHILE WALKING
MSK-50	IMITATES CIRCULAR MOTION.

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