Occupational Therapy: Upper Body Neuromuscular Assessment
Although newborn infants can move their hands and arms, these motions are reflexes that a baby cannot consciously start or stop. The development of fine motor skills is crucial to an infant's ability to experience and learn about the world and thus plays a central role in the development of intelligence.
Occupational therapists use standardized instruments commonly used to evaluate neuromuscular and motor components of performance. They include:
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Peabody Developmental Motor Scale -2
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School Function Assessment (also includes cognitive components)
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Test of Handwriting Skills
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Toddler Infant Motor Evaluation