Relevance and Evidence-Based Rationale for Using Movements from the Brain and Sensory Foundations Courses

By Sonia Story 

Note: This refers to occupational therapy practice, but applies to parents and many professionals: physical therapists, speech therapists, vision therapists, trauma specialists, pain specialists, healthcare practitioners, mental health counselors, caregivers, and educators.

BONUS research slides. Go to this link for current supporting research for this program:
https://www.moveplaythrive.com/images/pdf/Bonus_Research_Slides.pdf

Occupational therapists (OTs and OTAs) help individuals participate in activities, or occupations, that are important to the specific individual’s daily life, goals and interests. Using a holistic approach and a variety of therapeutic tools, occupational therapists help individuals develop skills for success in meaningful activities (AOTA, 2017).

In the Brain and Sensory Foundations courses, we teach neurodevelopmental movements. Neurodevelopmental movements are the innate developmental, rhythmic, primitive reflex, and postural reflex movements of early infancy and childhood. Occupational therapists utilize these neurodevelopmental movements to improve balance, posture, motor skills, muscle strength, stamina, coordination, sensory processing skills and overall functioning for individuals of all ages.

Primitive and Postural Reflexes

The Brain and Sensory Foundations courses give theoretical and experiential learning of primitive and postural reflex patterns useful to occupational therapists for both assessment and intervention.