Which term describes the centre-to-outward pattern of motor development?

Concept

Motor development follows recognizable directional trends. A trend is named according to the body axis along which control and coordination progress.

In a proximodistal trend, development proceeds from parts nearer the body's centre toward parts farther away, such as from the trunk and shoulders toward the hands and fingers.

Application

The stem specifies movement from the centre outward. That is the near-to-far axis described by the proximodistal trend.

Contrast

• Sequential process describes ordered progression, not a particular bodily direction.

• Universal pattern describes broad commonality across children, not the centre-to-extremity axis.

• Cephalocaudal describes development from the head downward toward the feet.

• Proximodistal describes development from the body's centre toward the extremities.

Cross-check

A child typically gains control of the trunk and shoulder before refined control of the hand and fingers, which follows the same centre-to-outward direction.

Result

Therefore, the centre-to-outward motor-development pattern is proximodistal.