Could Motor Development Be an Emergent Property of Vestibular Stimulation and Primary Reflex Inhibition? A Tentative Approach to Sensorimotor Therapy

It was through the concern to meet the needs of the intelligent but under achieving child that the ‘modern’ field of learning disabilities was born. That said, we must keep in mind that it also started with a deep concern for the mentally retarded and a hopeful vision and conviction that fulfillment of the human potential was possible. The aim of this chapter is to provide tentative arguments in favor of a complementary view of the learning disabled child’s ability to mature and to learn. My approach is based upon the necessity and importance of the body as a fundamental tool in the learning process but I will start with a historical overview of learning disabilities in general. To enable the reader to get a better understanding of the coherence between the different concepts which I wish to unite, I will give brief historical backgrounds as I proceed. These historical backgrounds also serve the purpose of showing that whilst my conclusion might be new, its different parts have long been in front of our eyes awaiting discovery. Through knowledge of history we are also better prepared for the future. However, the history of science has shown so many times before that a synthesis between different disciplines is needed in order for further progress to occur.