AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT  

Gross motor skills

 Include the use of large muscle groups for independently reaching  milestones such as sitting. walking, running, hopping, managing stairs, transitioning from a location to another,  safely navigating one's environment, manipulating  large objects, toys ( wagon, bike, backpack, balls) and everyday items.  Control, strength and stability of the trunk muscles, eye/limbs coordination, and  appropriate integration of  perception for  spatial awareness are major components of balance and movement. 

Problem solving/play

Assessment of problem solving skills looks at how a child is able to receive,  process, analyze and understand information from his environment  Play is an important social milestone, allowing the child to gain awareness, understanding and control over his environment. Playing is a constant social practice , integrating navigation in the environment with appropriate use of objects, in  relation to others with any form of communication. Play is at first solely  representational ( use of toys in a very concrete and restrictive but appropriate manner) ,  after 15 months of age  it increasingly  becomes  symbolic..

Fine motor development

Refers to  ability to  use fine muscle groups  such as manipulating both hands together or independently ,  coordinating the motions of the eyes, the  hands,  and facial  muscles.  Control over these groups of muscles allows to plan action, control movements and  visually organize movements. It also allows the development of play skills,  pre writing skills and speech. Combined with gross motor skills,  fine motor skills  participate in acquiring adaptive skills and autonomy in self care.  (dressing, undressing, feeding, washing)

It  also includes the ability to  :

- Bring hands to  and across the midline of the body while manipulating objects

- Use a palmar grasp (four fingers in flexion with the thumb opposing index finger)

- Use of pincer grasp to manipulate small objects. 

Sensory profile

Assessment in this  area includes the evaluation of tolerance and proper processing  for different sensory inputs. : auditory ( ears) ,  visual ( eyes) , tactile( skin) , vestibular ( inner ear-balance) ,  proprioceptive ( position of body in space/joints position),   and oral  ( mouth) and smell ( nose)   

Communication

Addresses a child’s capacity to  verbally and non verbally communicate with others  and comprehend  others.

 The receptive language/repertoire  refers to the ability to identify, and label pictures, objects, actions,  understand basic concepts,  follow directions,  sequence time and organize  play activities, acquire the capacity to predict sequence of events through the processing of  external and internal  information

The expressive language/repertoire  is the ability to express thoughts, answer questions, relate  and share experiences and feelings, wants and needs through  body gestures, words,  signs, pictures exchange,  and with computerized devices.

Social emotional

Addresses how a child interacts with and relates to adults, peers and toys in his environment and how a child  processes,  regulates  sensory information ( external and internal) to organize his social  emotional responses to them.. 

Adaptive self care

Addresses a child‘s independence in feeding, dressing, hygiene and  toileting skills.