A practical nurse is reinforcing teaching with a group of new parents about expected fine motor development during the first year of life. Arrange the following fine motor milestones in the chronological order in which they typically develop, from earliest to latest. All options must be used.
- 1Bringing both hands to the midline
- 2Grasping an object using the entire hand (palmar grasp)
- 3Transferring an object from one hand to the other
- 4Picking up a small object using the thumb and index finger (pincer grasp)
Answer
The correct chronological order of fine motor development is: bringing hands to the midline, developing a palmar grasp, transferring objects between hands, and finally using a pincer grasp.
Fine motor development in infants progresses in a proximodistal pattern (from the center of the body outward to the extremities). Control of the arms develops before precise control of the fingers. Therefore, infants first learn to bring their hands to the midline (2 to 3 months). Next, they develop a voluntary palmar grasp using the whole hand (5 months). As bilateral coordination improves, they learn to transfer objects from one hand to the other (7 months). Finally, they develop the fine, precise pincer grasp using the thumb and index finger (9 to 10 months).
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Fine Motor Development in Infancy
Estimated Time:1m 0s