Behavioural Optometry
Body Spatial Schemes
In order to make competent spatial judgement a person must first establish a solid reference point for their understanding of the space surrounding them. This is usually themselves at the centre of their visual world. A sense of centre requires an internalised knowledge of body parts and how they interweave, where they end and where external space begins.
A child must learn all that he knows. He must even learn how to learn. He is born with an innate response system in the form of reflex actions. Examples are the suck, blink and startle reflexes. Reflex actions are the springboard for the development from undifferentiated to controlled body movement. They precipitate early movement patterns.
Through rolling, crawling, creeping, and walking a child gains control over his body and limbs. He develops an understanding of his body parts, of his orientation relative to gravity, of his two sides and how they interweave. He gains an understanding of top and bottom and left and right, of the importance of orientation and directionality. Using movement, steered by his eyes, he moves towards, away from, under, over, and around.
If you close your eyes and move your hand you will know where you have placed it, how far it is from your centre and in which direction, even though you cannot see it, and if someone else taps you on the arm you will know which arm they tapped and where. This internal "body map" is developed through early movement and termed a body spatial scheme.