# What is the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd ed. (PDMS-2)?

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-peabody-developmental-motor-scales-2nd-ed-pdms-2-and-what-does-it-assess
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd edition (PDMS-2) is a standardised, clinician-administered assessment of motor development for children from birth to about 5 years. It assesses two broad areas — gross motor (sitting, walking, balance, ball skills) and fine motor (grasping and visual-motor integration) — across six subtests. It gives a structured profile of a child's motor strengths and progress over time, and is used to understand where a child is starting from and to measure change after therapy, but it is not a diagnosis on its own.

*A widely used, play-based way to map a young child's motor strengths — from grasping a toy to running across a room — and turn that picture into support.*

## In short
The **Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd edition (PDMS-2)** is a standardised, clinician-administered assessment of early motor development for children from birth to about 5 years (roughly 0–71 months). It looks at how a child moves and uses their body across two broad areas — **gross motor** (large movements like sitting, walking, jumping and balance) and **fine motor** (small precise movements like grasping, stacking and using the hands and fingers). It gives a clear, structured profile of a child's motor strengths and the areas that may benefit from support — it is not a diagnosis on its own.

## What the PDMS-2 assesses
The PDMS-2 is made up of six subtests grouped under those two areas. On the **gross-motor** side it observes *reflexes* (in the youngest infants), *stationary* control (balance and holding a posture), *locomotion* (rolling, crawling, walking, running, hopping) and *object manipulation* (catching, throwing and kicking a ball, usually from around 12 months). On the **fine-motor** side it looks at *grasping* (how the hand holds objects) and *visual-motor integration* (using the eyes and hands together to reach, build, draw and manipulate small items).

A trained professional guides the child through age-appropriate, mostly playful activities and records what the child can do. The results combine into composite scores — including a gross-motor and fine-motor profile and an overall picture — that help a therapist compare a child's motor development with typical expectations for their age and, importantly, track progress over time. Because it is detailed and standardised, it is often used both to understand where a child is starting from and to measure how far they have come after a period of therapy.

## When this kind of assessment helps
A motor assessment like the PDMS-2 is helpful when a parent or professional notices a child reaching motor milestones more slowly than peers — late sitting, walking or difficulty with hand skills like holding a spoon or crayon — or when a paediatrician recommends a closer look. It is one tool among several; a skilled clinician chooses and interprets it as part of a fuller understanding of the whole child.

## The Pinnacle way
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care, never from an app or form. Our therapists may draw on validated tools such as the [PDMS-2](/pdms-2) alongside careful observation, then build an individualised plan that can include [occupational therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/best-occupational-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) to strengthen fine and gross-motor skills through play.

## Trusted sources
The American Academy of Pediatrics and HealthyChildren on motor milestones and developmental monitoring; CDC developmental milestone guidance; WHO resources on early childhood motor development.

**Next step —** If you have questions about how your child is moving, grasping or balancing, book a developmental review so a qualified clinician can choose the right assessment and map your child's motor strengths.

## Sources
- AAP HealthyChildren: developmental milestones and motor development: https://www.healthychildren.org
- CDC: developmental milestone monitoring: https://www.cdc.gov
- WHO: early childhood development resources: https://www.who.int

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Assessments: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/assessments
- Parent: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Definition: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/definition
- Measure: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/measure
- Screen: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/screen
- Early Clarity: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/early_clarity

## Related question paths

### Understand the subject
- At what age is the PDMS-2 developmental assessment used for a child?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/at-what-age-is-the-pdms-2-developmental-assessment-used-for-a-child

### Understand assessment
- Should My Child Have a PDMS-2 Assessment, and What Does It Involve?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/should-my-child-have-a-pdms-2-assessment-and-what-does-it-involve
- PDMS-2 Indications, Strengths and Limits in Early Childhood: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-is-the-pdms-2-indicated-and-what-are-its-strengths-and-limits-in-early-childhood
- How does the PDMS-2 compare with the AbilityScore developmental assessment?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-does-the-pdms-2-compare-with-the-abilityscore-developmental-assessment
- Standardised Tools for Assessing Fine Motor Delay: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/which-standardised-tools-are-used-to-assess-fine-motor-delay-in-early-childhood
- How is Motor Development assessed?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-is-motor-development-assessed