What is Neuromotor Development?

The baby’s learning to walk is a process that starts with raising her head and carrying her neck, and it develops by going through stages such as crawling and getting up with help. The baby is only two months old when she watches her hands and starts making fists. In this way, it strengthens the hand and finger muscles and begins to hold objects. First the baby makes meaningless sounds, then she builds her own language and meaning world at the end of a development story that includes monosyllable sounds and sentence formation.

Neuromotor development is this developmental process arising from the communication between the nervous system and the muscles and continues from infancy to childhood.

What is Neuromotor Developmental Retardation?

The neuromotor development process, which starts with gross motor skills in the second month of infancy, progresses in a certain period. According to this system, which we call neuromotor developmental stages, there are specific motor skills that are expected to be acquired in certain months of infancy.

Neuromotor developmental delay is the situation in which the baby either does not develop these skills that should be developed in the months she is in, or develops poorly. Delayed walking and delayed speech in children are often interpreted as signs of neuromotor developmental delay.

When to Suspect Neuromotor Developmental Retardation?

Apart from exceptions and minor deviations, there are some standards such as the baby carrying her neck from the fourth month and starting to walk until 18 months old.

In case of retardation in more than one motor skill according to neuromotor developmental stages, a pediatric neurologist should be consulted.

What are Neuromotor Developmental Retardations?

• Inability to carry the neck, to sit without support, to crawl in infants
• Lack of eye tracking
• Lack of development of using hands, holding objects and fine motor skills
• Delayed walking, gait disorders, balance problems, lack of development of skills such as running and jumping
• Speech retardation
• Retardation in the ability to communicate with the social environment

How Is Neuromotor Developmental Retardation Treated?

First of all, it is necessary to determine what causes neuromotor developmental delay. After evaluating the findings collected in the neurological examination, genetic inheritance, pregnancy and birth history, the problem arising from the nervous system is detected with imaging devices.

After the diagnosis of developmental delay, the treatment is planned and followed up for each child by a team of physiotherapists, pediatricians, nutritionists and special educators under the supervision of a neurologist.