Please see the NDTA web site for full explanation.
NDT was created by Carl Bobath MD and Berta Bobath PT in the 1950’s. It is currently called the Neurodevelopmental Treatment Approach here in the US and the Bobath approach all over the world. Its greatest contribution to the therapy world has been its emphasis on the interaction between the sensory and motor systems and looking at the quality of movement performed. The knowledge base of NDT greatly enhances one’s ability to look at how the child is moving and figure out why they are moving that way, and if the impaired movement performed by the child will cause further deficits later on. That being said, quality of movement is critical. Also, learning of movement, particularly using the Motor Theory incorporated with NDT, requires concentration on the part of the child to learn movement.
Putting NDT and CME together would be bringing the best of both worlds; provoking skills that are not yet present while being sure that the child is using the skills in the most optimal way possible; using proper alignment and muscle coordination. Also, motivation and play can be used together with automatic responses to ensure the child will be incorporating the motor skills in daily routines.
