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The Key Skill Elements of Early Movement

One way for early interventionists to measure progress toward proficiency in early movement in infants and toddlers, birth to 3 years of age, is the Early Movement Indicator (EMI). The EMI is a play-based observational measure of a child’s movement occurring during a 6-minute play period with specific toys and a familiar adult.

The five movement skills that make up the EMI are based on a conceptual review of the literature followed by validation with other criterion measures of movement and motor ability for children this age (see Technical Soundness). The five key skill elements are: Transition in Position, Grounded Locomotion, Vertical Locomotion, Throw/Roll, and Catch/Trap. These skills were selected to represent the postural movement domain (Transition in Position), the locomotion domain (Grounded and Vertical), and the object control domain (Throll/Roll, Catch/Trap), three skill classes that are important for children who are just acquiring movement skills.

The rates of occurrence of these key skills were brought together to form a single indicator of Total Movement. We now provide a brief overview of the definitions of these key skills. The complete definitions are described in the document EMI Scoring Definitions.

Key Skill Definitions

Transition in Position
Transitional movements are motions used by a child to achieve a new position within a posture or to achieve a new posture. This can include movement within a stable posture (changing the primary weight bearing surface), or moving from one distinct  posture (lying in supine or prone, sitting, kneeling, stooping, standing) to another. An episode begins when a child begins moving from a stable position to a new position. The episode ends when the child has regained a stable position or begins locomotion. Examples include rolling to back from stomach, moving in and out of sitting position, standing up, and kneeling down resting on knees.        

Grounded Locomotion
Locomotion involves movements that transport the body forward, backward, sideways or upward from one point to another. Grounded locomotion is movement horizontal to the ground, and does not use upright postures.  Examples include: crawling on hands and knees, moving on belly from one location to the next, either forward, backward or sideways (pivot in prone) and thrusting arms forward and then subsequently flexing them in a movement that results in a slight forward or backward movement.

Vertical Locomotion
Vertical locomotion is movement in an upright position that moves the child forward, backward, or sideways.  Examples include: walking while holding on to furniture for support (cruising) or walking without support, which involves alternating feet with one foot always on the floor.

Throw/Roll
Throwing is propelling an object through the air.  Rolling is pushing a circular object so that it rolls away from the child’s body. Examples are: throwing an object using an over arm, underarm, or sidearm throw or rolling an object toward another person.               

Catch/Trap
Catching is bringing an airborne object under control using hands and arms. Trapping is stopping a moving object (moving through the air or rolling on the ground) with hands, arms, legs, or body. Examples are catching an object with one's hands or arms; or trapping (holding) it against the body.

Total Movement
Total Movement is the combination of each child’s Transition in Position, Grounded Locomotion, Vertical Locomotion, Throw/Roll, and Catch/Trap. It is used as the primary EMI indicator. When measured repeatedly (e.g., monthly or quarterly), it provides a practical measure of progress toward learning to move. The total movement indicator is designed to inform you whether a child, or group of children is on-track overall, when a change in intervention is needed, and when you have made changes, seeing what have been the results.

Examination of growth in the individual key elements (Vertical Locomotion, Throw/Roll, and Catch/Trap) permits a look at progress in each critical skill and informs the assessor about which skills the child is using.