The complex nature of the postural control system makes it vulnerable to adverse conditions during early life, such as prenatally or perinatally acquired lesions of the brain or preterm birth. Children with disorders of the developing brain nearly always have dysfunctions in postural control. The postural control system of children with other neurodevelopmental disabilities such as myelomeningocele or muscle disease is also challenged: it has to find age-specific solutions for the postural problems posed by the disorder. These postural problems have serious consequences for the activities of daily life, as adequate postural control is a prerequisite for adequate motility. Until now, knowledge about the nature of postural problems in children has been scattered, and this has hampered the development of appropriate therapeutic management strategies. This book is a breakthrough in that it introduces the reader to the complexity of typical and atypical postural development and provides suggestions for the day-to-day management of postural problems in children with developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder, muscle disorder and myelomeningocoele. 'This should be a "must read" for anyone whose occupation or interests are in the areas of motor development or rehabilitation?.' Diane Damiano

Contents (contributors where applicable).FOREWORD Diane Damiano.1. INTRODUCTION: WHY BOTHER ABOUT POSTURAL CONTROL? Mijna Hadders-Algra and Eva Brogren Carlberg.2. WHAT IS POSTURE AND HOW IS IT CONTROLLED? Mark Latash AND Mijna Hadders-Algra.3. DEVELOPMENT OF POSTURAL CONTROL Mijna Hadders-Algra.4. POSTURAL CONTROL IN SITTING CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY Eva Brogren Carlberg and Mijna Hadders-Algra.5. POSTURAL CONTROL IN STANDING AND WALKING IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY Marjorie Hines Woollacott and Paolo Crenna.6. POSTURAL CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME Naznin Virji-Babul and Mark L. Latash.7. POSTURAL CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH ANGELMAN SYNDROME AND RETT SYNDROME Bernard Dan and Guy Cheron* POSTURAL CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH MYELOMENINGOCELE Birgit Rösblad.9. POSTURAL CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH MUSCLE DISEASE Eugenio Mercuri, Maria Kinali and Marion Main.10. POSTURAL CONTROL AND CHILDREN BORN PRETERM Bjørg Fallang and Doreen Bartlett.11. POSTURAL CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENAL COORDINATION DISORDER (DCD) Reint H. Geuze and Peter H. Wilson.12. POSTURAL CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER Christina Schmitz and Christine Assaiante.13. MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF POSTURAL DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY Eva Brogren Carlberg and Eva Bower.14. CONCLUDING REMARKS Mijna Hadders-Algra and Eva Brogren Carlberg