Developmental movement includes primitive reflexes, righting reactions, equilibrium responses and the Basic Neurological Patterns. These are the automatic movement responses that underlie our volitional movement. The Basic Neurological Patterns are sixteen primary movement patterns developed by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, based upon phylogenetic (animal) and ontogenetic (human) movement development.
When we are born, we have relatively little control over our movement. Through experience, we develop strength, coordination and the ability to voluntarily control our movement. At first, our movement is reflexive. It occurs as a response to outside stimuli such as sight, touch and sound. All reflexes have a counter reflex which balance muscle activity. Reflexes are motor loops in which there is a sensory stimulus that travels to the central nervous system. The system responds by sending a motor impulse which makes the muscles contract moving the bones through space. In other words, this is a neuro- (nerve) muscular (to muscle) event. Reflexes support and underlie the Basic Neurological Patterns (BNP).
The Basic Neurological Patterns include pre-vertebrate and vertebrate movement patterns. Pre-vertebrate Patterns are: vibration, cellular breathing, sponging, pulsation, navel radiation, mouthing and pre-spinal. The pre-vertebrate patterns mirror the development of primitive water creatures. Vertebrate patterns are: spinal movement. homologous movement, homolateral movement and contralateral movement. The vertebrate patterns mirror the development of land creatures. Each vertebrate pattern has a yield and push, and a reach and pull component. Push precedes reach and pull.
The establishment of these patterns is based on a series of stages that the infant moves through, the developmental stages. There is a parallel development in the perceptual awareness and the brain of the infant that goes hand in hand with the movement patterns. The theory is that movement patterns represent perceptual and intellectual patterns. One effects the other. These patterns exist on a continuum from efficient to inefficient. Patterns established in the first year underlie all other movement. These patterns underlie posture, walking , sitting and skill development.
First identifying the problem, then finding the cause, then re-patterning the inefficient pattern leads to illumination of the problem. Each pattern underlies the next pattern. Each pattern affects all other patterns. When one pattern is changed they all change.