03/11/2024
What is DMI?
DMI (Dynamic Movement Intervention) is a therapeutic technique used to treat children with gross motor impairments. The techniques and exercises used in DMI promote improvement of automatic postural responses and promote progress towards developmental milestones. The goal of DMI is to provoke a specific active motor response from the child, in response to a defined dynamic exercise prescribed by a certified therapist.
Regardless of a child’s level of cognition or extent of neurological deficit, there is benefit to using DMI techniques and exercises for motor intervention, as they stimulate changes in the developing brain.
Children diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or GDD (global developmental delay,) as well as hypotonia, chromosomal abnormalities/genetic disorders, spinal cord lesions, and acquired brain injury can benefit from this therapy.
DMI is based on the following three theoretical foundations:
Neuron Group Selection Theory (NGST)— According to NGST, the brain, or more specifically, the ensemble of cortical (outer brain) and subcortical (inner brain) systems, are organized into variable networks.
Neuroplasticity— Neuroplasticity is defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic (internal) or extrinsic (external) stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections.
Maturational theory— Maturational theory states that while the child's social and cultural environments also play a role in their development, these socializing forces are most effective when they are harmonious with the inner maturational timetable.
DMI focuses on gross motor skills, gradual progression of challenges, alignment and range of motion, balance, functional movements, somatosensory development, modifying tone, modifying abnormal movement patterns, and global development. DMI has an impact on functional movements as it improves the actions and skills that lead to attaining milestones such as rolling, sitting, standing, walking. DMI also focuses on primitive reflex integration and movement dissociation.
What happens during DMI?
The therapist will be able to identify areas of potential growth after a brief assessment. This will help create a treatment plan, select appropriate exercises and guide subsequent sessions. The therapist will guide the child in specific ways to encourage novel movements in a more typical pattern. Exercises are repeated until the movements become automatic. This results in improvements in balance and function. The exercises used involve movements against gravity with progressively more challenging support (less and less from the therapist) to provoke the desired movement and postural changes.
What about Bobath and NDT?
DMI is based off of many of the same principles as Bobath and Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT). All three techniques and styles of treatment are founded on creating proper postural alignment for activities. NDT is an American developed technique based on the Bobath principles which originate from Great Britain. While all have developed independently resulting in slight differences, they are based on the premise that normal postural reflex mechanisms are fundamental to performance and development of motor skills. Lastly, all three techniques incorporate the combination of an external sensory input to produce an internal motor output.
If you are interested in knowing more about how we can help to get your child moving and progressing towards their motor milestones, please reach out to us!
