Gross motor delay

Gross motor skills encompass a broad array of large muscle movements, from rudimentary skills like rolling and sitting to highly specialized skills such as the serve and forehand in tennis. This entry focuses on a subset of gross motor skills called fundamental motor skills (FMS), which are considered the building blocks to later physical activity and sports performance. FMS include locomotor skills like running and jumping and object control skills such as throwing and catching, along with nonlocomotor skills such as balance. The identification of gross motor delay with regard to FMS occurs when a child fails to achieve important developmental milestones, often lagging 2 years or more behind the typical age- based norm for that skill. The purpose of this entry is to provide a brief overview of FMS and describe gross motor delay in a variety of populations. The entry concludes by examining common interventions.