gross motor skills

gross motor skills

Etymology: Fr, gros, big; L, movere, Old Norse, skilja, to cut apart

the ability to use large muscle groups that coordinate body movements involved in activities such as walking, running, jumping, throwing, and maintaining balance.

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developmental 'red flag'

Pediatrics An objective finding that indicates a delay in achieving developmental milestones; DRFs in assessing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers fall into 5 major areas:

Developmental red flag

Gross motor skills, eg does not roll over–5 months, can't hop–4 years

Fine motor skills, eg doesn't hold rattle–4-5 months, can't copy a circle–4 years

Language skills, eg not babbling–5-6 months, doesn't understand prepositions–4 years

Cognitive skills, eg does not search for dropped object–6-7 months, doesn't know colors or any letters–5 years

Psychosocial development, eg does not smile socially–5 months, in constant motion, resists discipline, does not play with other children–3-5 years NEJM 1994; 330:478cc. See Developmental milestone

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