Babies’ physical, cognitive, emotional and social development is intrinsically linked to something as simple as crawling. Do you know all the benefits?
Image provided by Colexio de Podiatrists of Galicia
Did you know that suppressing crawling can have serious psychomotor and psychological consequences to the little ones? To guarantee your correct development experts insist on the importance of crawling before walking. Of course, going through this phase will depend on each one.
This is what they indicate from College of Podiatrists of Galicia (COPOGA) which point out the benefits of this activity and its influence on learning basic skills for growth. Because passing or trying to encourage bipedalism has dangers.
Benefits of crawling
Crawling usually starts between 8 and 11 months of age.
Experts distinguish the main benefits:
- autonomy. The most important benefit is the autonomy they gain in the process. Moving freely and safely in space gives the little ones confidence.
- Physical and cognitive skills. Moving on all fours also encourages the improvement of numerous physical and cognitive skills.
- The autonomous discovery of new spaces encourages the sense of sight and touch.
- The alternation of hands and legs in coordination develops the neurological function and stable, balanced and organized movement.
- These movements allow the child to:
- Toning the muscles
- Improve the visual coordination with motor of the upper and lower limbs
- Develop your spine, helping him stay upright.
Accessories not recommended
At the time of birth, the spine of the baby presents “C” shape. It is precisely because of crawling that the baby develops the lower curve of its back, as well as the muscles that will allow it to stand up straight and walk upright.
In this sense it is vitally important to pay attention to the use of certain accessories that, although they may seem to enhance the development and growth of the baby, can weaken the spine and joints.
Paths for the little ones?
It is the case of walkers. The COPOGA insists on the danger they can end up behaving:
- High probability of suffering accidents. The likelihood of suffering from accidents that lead to fractures, such as falling down the stairs, is very high.
- Slowing down the start of the march. Because it is an aid, it strips children of that autonomy and freedom that crawling gives them.
- It does not report any profit. As if that were not enough, using this accessory does not bring any benefit, so experts advise to avoid it.
Crawl with total freedom
Crawling is a fundamental stage in the development of the baby. This is how podiatrists determine it, which affects the freedom which must be provided to the child in this regard.
“It is important to allow the drinker to crawl, sit or walk when he feels ready. The role of the parents is to stimulate the child without pressuring him, since the forced acceleration of these processes could negatively interfere with development”, say the podiatrists.
And if the little one doesn’t crawl?
However, if the baby does not crawl and begins to take its first steps upright, it is not worrying, since not all babies have to go through this stage. Although the benefits of crawling are multiple, the absence of this phase does not imply the existence of problems in the development of the children
If you are really worried about him not crawling, there are some techniques to encourage the child to crawl, which can start, for example by place it upside down while playing.
NO to “pre-walking” footwear
Putting on shoes is another day-to-day routine, a habit that has spread to the little ones in the house, even if that doesn’t mean it’s the right way to proceed. And the fact is that putting the little ones in shoes at a very early age, before crawling or walking, prevents babies from receiving a multitude of sensations through their feet and, as if that weren’t enough, it adds excessive weight to them. Thus, the known as walking shoes it is not an option.
From COPOGA they strongly recommend leave babies barefootavoiding even socks or the like.
What’s more, until 18 months of life, the child has not yet started to walk and his foot is used for explore the environment. For this reason, the footwear must only be intended for protect the foot from the cold and blows. Thus, the shoe will have to be very soft, practically socks. And, if the weather permits, leaving it barefoot will always be the best option.
Beyond the recommendations, professionals indicate that children’s podiatry is not limited solely to the correction of deformities or alterations in children’s feet. For this reason, they strongly recommend the periodic reviews to prevent and treat in time possible conditions that may develop during growth.