The Missing Rotation: How Movement Development Influences Participation Across Childhood

Movement development is not simply the acquisition of motor milestones. Children develop postural control, bilateral coordination, weight shifting, trunk mobility, and movement efficiency through opportunities to move, explore, and interact with their environments. While movement occurs across multiple planes, transverse-plane and rotational experiences are often overlooked despite their role in developing coordinated movement patterns. Reduced opportunities for varied movement experiences may contribute to challenges with crossing midline, bilateral coordination, motor planning, postural control, and participation in everyday activities. This intermediate-level course examines movement development from birth through childhood through the lens of movement variability, postural development, and functional participation. Participants will explore how movement experiences contribute to the development of foundational movement skills and how limitations in movement across planes may influence participation in learning, play, self-care, and other daily activities. Strategies for interdisciplinary observation, communication, and support planning will also be discussed. This course was designed for an interprofessional audience.