Is DMI right for my child?

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If you’ve been exploring therapeutic ways to help your child achieve gross motor skills, you might have come across something called Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI). Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) is a specialised therapeutic approach aimed at improving motor skills and developmental milestones in children with motor delays or neurological conditions.

What is DMI?

Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) is a therapy that focuses on enhancing automatic postural responses and advancing developmental milestones through targeted exercises. These exercises are designed to provoke specific motor responses from children, facilitating neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganise and form new neural connections. By stimulating neuroplasticity, DMI helps an individual develop motor skills like sitting, standing and walking and improving overall function.

Who Benefits from DMI?

DMI is incredibly versatile and can benefit children with a range of conditions, including:

Developmental Delays
Neurological Conditions
Chromosomal abnormalities/genetic disorders
Motor Challenges

It’s designed to help kids of all levels of cognitive ability, so no matter where your child is on their development journey, DMI could be a great fit.

What Happens During a DMI Session?

Assessment: Before jumping into exercises, the therapist assesses your child’s strengths and areas where they need a bit of extra help. This helps in tailoring a therapy plan that’s just right for them.
Exercise Selection: Based on the assessment, the therapist chooses a series of exercises designed to challenge your child’s motor skills. These exercises often involve using props like wooden boxes and beams.
Exercise Execution: Exercises involve movement against gravity, varying levels of support, and challenges related to postural control and strength. Each exercise is typically repeated about five times per session.
Progression: Exercises may be repeated across sessions until the movements become more automatic, leading to improved balance and function.
Integration: DMI is often combined with other therapeutic techniques like vibration and e-stim to optimise alignment and outcomes.
Where Sessions Happen: Whether at a clinic, your home, or even at school, DMI can be adapted to different settings. This flexibility makes it easier to fit therapy into your family’s routine.

Focus Areas of DMI

Gross Motor Skills: Enhances gross motor development from birth by promoting automatic motor responses.
Gradual Progression: Continuously increases the challenge to encourage greater independence and skill.
Alignment and Postural Control: Exercises aim for optimal anatomical alignment and improved postural control.
Range of Motion: Achieved through dynamic and functional stretching.
Balance: Focuses on improving balance through various exercises.
Functional Movements: Supports the development of skills necessary for milestones such as rolling, sitting, standing, and walking.
Somatosensory Development: Provides sensory input that helps fine-tune balance, muscle control, and movement.
Modifying Tone and Reflexes: Aims to normalise movement patterns and integrate primitive reflexes.
Global Development: While the primary focus is on gross motor skills, other developmental areas often improve as a result of the intervention.

Why We Love DMI

Here’s why DMI is so exciting:

Tailored Therapy: Each session is customised to fit your child’s unique needs, ensuring they get the most out of their therapy.
Comprehensive Approach: DMI doesn’t just focus on one aspect of motor development. It combines different techniques to cover all bases; balance, strength, posture, and more.
Proven Results: DMI is backed by current research, so you can trust that it’s based on the latest and most effective therapeutic practices.

DMI is a powerful tool that helps kids make amazing gains in their motor development. By using dynamic exercises, it boosts neuroplasticity and improves their abilities.

If you’re curious whether DMI could be the right fit for your child, contact our team at Strong and Courageous. We’d love to chat, provide more details, and explore how DMI might help your child reach their developmental goals.