Dynamic Movement Intervention is a type of therapy used to treat children with motor delay, regardless of what their condition is. The goal is to help the child improve their gross motor skills, and promotes progress towards the relevant milestones. DMI stimulates neuroplasticity in the brain.
Children with any type of delay including: Down Syndrome, CP, Global developmental delay, chromosomal/genetic disorders, hypotonia, spinal cord lesions or acquired brain injury can benefit from this type of therapy.
The therapy aims at improving automatic postural responses, thereby assisting the child to gain better alignment and postural control which is needed in all gross motor skills. Specific exercises are prescribed by the therapist and a specific response is expected form the child, regardless of what their underlying condition is.
Although DMI focuses on gross motor skills, it has been seen that other skills improve as well. Speech, eating and cognitive alertness have been shown to improve with DMI. The intervention is intensive and the children work very hard. Due to the strong sensory input that is used in DMI, children with visual issues benefit greatly. The strong sensory input that is used (vestibular and proprioceptive) replaces the lack of visual information and helps the child to understand their body in space.
DMI therapy is intense. An hour session helps the child to develop endurance, strength and attention. DMI can start early, even as young as one month old. The earlier the better, before voluntary pathways are laid down.
DMI is best applied as a strong or intensive intervention. A daily home program needs to be carried out to help gain an optimal outcome. The more you practice, the better you will get. Neuroplasticity requires repetition!
