Early Years Movement Skills

This is an evidence-based manual of diagnosis and interventions for helping children between three and six years old who lack a complete range of fundamental movement skills.

The book outlines the difficulties young children have with movement, especially developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) and explains their assessment, using especially the early years motor skills checklist (EYMSC), a unique instrument aimed especially at children three to six years old. The management of the condition is then discussed, giving particular attention to the Special Education Needs Code of Practice. Finally the book explores the notion of a developmental coach, suggesting that parents and carers are the most appropriate individuals to fill this role.

• Contains photocopiable Early Years Movement Skills (EYMSC) checklist
• Based on the authors’ extensive experience in this field

Preface.

Acknowledgements.

Chapter 1. Motor development and change.

Chapter 2. More development in young children.

Chapter 3. Movement skill difficulties.

Chapter 4. Assessing young children with movement difficulties.

Chapter 5. Intervention in the early years.

Appendix 1: Technical Information.

Appendix 2: Early years movement skill check list.

References.

Index.

Edited by David Sugden and Mary Chambers, both of the University of Leeds, UK Early Years Movement Skills
Description, Diagnosis and Intervention

Mary Chambers and David Sugden, University of Leeds

This book, a helpful resource for professionals in the educational and health fields, describes and analyses motor coordination difficulties in young children up to the age of seven.

The early years are a crucial time in the development of young children. Any problems that children experience at this age need to be accurately and consistently identified and assessed, which can then lead to appropriate intervention.

The first two chapters of the book describe and explain typical expectancies in themotor development of young children. These expectancies are then put into contrast with a description of the difficulties some children exhibit.

A chapter on assessment shows how children’s specific difficulties can be identified. For this purpose, the book offers a reliable and valid checklist that can be photocopied for use.

Finally, a chapter on intervention stresses the guiding principles for intervening at the appropriate level, making the process fit into the daily family life. The approach that this book takes is that the difficulties should be addressed in a practical way while at the same time avoiding problems of labelling.