Gross and Fine Motor Performance in Healthy Swedish Children Aged Fifteen and Eighteen Months

Abstract

Gross and fine motor performance have been assessed in thirtynine 15-month-old and thirtynine 18-month-old children selected through systematic sampling from a population of healthy newborns. The performance was estimated with corresponding subscales of Denver Developmental Screening Test and Motor age test. In addition fine motor performance was assessed by the “Drawing test” for which the expected performance at 15 and 18 months is given. Of the 78 children, 83% had crawled on hand and knees, 9% crept on their tummy and 8% shuffled on their bottom before walking. Median age for walking was 11.8 months, the 97th percentile 16.0 months. Of the 15-month-old children, 90% walked with ability to stop and start, and 90% of the 18-month-old were in addition able to walk backwards, run stiffly, climb up and down a standard staircase and seat themselves in an armchair of suitable size. Of the 15-month-old, 90% were able to build a tower of two cubes or more, and 90% of the 18-month-old were able to build a tower of three cubes or more (size 1œ inch). Almost 90% of the 15-month-old and all of the 18-month-old had the cognitive ability to coordinate a crayon and paper. In drawing attempts of the 15 month-old, the weak unstable combination with a top-tong/tong grasp and œ pronated forearm was the dominating hand-grasp fore-arm position. In the 18 month-old a more mature grasp and forearm combination, mainly palmar grasp with or without stabilizing index finger + overpronated forearm, was found.

Keyword

Gross motor performance - fine motor performance - “Drawing test”