Final answer:
The difficulty with motor planning and sequencing gross motor tasks is known as dyspraxia, a neurological disorder that affects the ability to execute motor tasks and which often indicates a developmental delay in motor skills development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difficulty in motor planning and sequencing gross motor tasks is defined as dyspraxia. Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that affects a person's ability to plan and execute coordinated motor tasks. Individuals with dyspraxia can have difficulty with balance, posture, and motor tasks such as jumping, running, or even basic tasks like brushing teeth or combing hair. Unlike apraxia, which is an inability to perform certain motor functions, despite understanding the command and having the desire to perform the task, dyspraxia involves the process of motor planning and execution, and often reflects a developmental delay in motor skills.
Motor development occurs in a sequence from reflexive actions to more complex motor skills. Gross motor skills, which involve larger movements made by larger muscle groups, and fine motor skills, which focus on smaller actions, are both affected by disorders such as dyspraxia. In examining motor skills, professionals look at the patient's ability to comprehend verbal instructions and translate them into movements, a process known as praxis.