Why baby crawling is so important?
Baby crawling is a fundamental milestone that sets the foundation for later motor and cognitive skills such as walking, running, climbing, reading and writing. Normal crawling, which is called reciprocal pattern crawling, should involve a reciprocal movement of the limbs: moving the right arm at the same time as the left leg, and the left arm at the same time as the right leg.
The reasons why reciprocal pattern crawling is so important are:
It stimulates muscle strength and coordination on both sides of the body.
It strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs, back and abdomen and helps develop the hip and shoulder girdle, improving the stabilisation at these joints. Moving the opposite arm and leg forward involves dissociation of the extremities, thereby enhancing coordination.It improves eye-hand coordination.
This position also assists in developing fundamental future skills such as reading and writing. Moreover, it helps build the arches of the hands (which will help develop advanced skills like handwriting).It facilitates cognitive development, motor planning and body awareness.
Playing and moving around helps children develop their spatial awareness and learn where their body is in relation to the surrounding space, so they become conscious about different objects and when an object is moved or changed. This will help them in the future to navigate obstacles successfully without bumping into them.It helps to practice visual perception.
Crawling is usually the first time a child can explore their environment independently. Therefore, it enables them to learn essential skills of independence and develops their understanding of the world, stimulating the development of depth perception and vision.
Missing this milestone, crawling incorrectly or for a too short period can affect the baby's development.
Despite unusual crawling patterns being common and harmless when the baby starts learning the new movement, if they persist they may lead to muscle unbalance and postural problems later on.
It is, therefore, essential to notice and address any crawling asymmetry as soon as possible.
What does asymmetrical crawling look like and how to fix it?
Some characteristics of asymmetrical crawling involve:
Baby crawls using one foot and one knee, instead of two knees.
Baby’s pelvis and spine shift to one side.
Baby will use one hand and one knee to move forward, “dragging” the other leg (which might be related to tightness in the hip)
When reaching for toys, the baby might always prefer to use the same hand.
Despite there are different crawling styles, a common crawling variation is “bottom shuffling”, when the baby scoots on their bottom, sometimes using their arms to help propel themselves forward. While it is not thought to impede the transition to walking, it can be problematic for a few reasons. Most and foremost it can reduce the possibility of building arms and abdominal muscles’ strength, which will be extremely important for future skills like throwing and catching a ball, using scissors and writing.
There are some recommendations and exercises that will prevent asymmetrical crawling and help correct any wrong crawling patterns. These include:
Make sure your baby spends enough time on their tummy since birth.
Regular tummy time from birth is crucial to provide a basis for crawling skills. When on their tummy, babies work hard to develop the neck and shoulder strength required for crawling. A baby will need to be able to push up with straight arms with their bottom still down on the floor and then lift one arm to reach for a toy before they will be able to manage the hands and knees position needed for crawling.Ensure your baby has enough safe space to explore and encourage them to reach for the toys they are interested in.
Place a toy away from your baby to be seen but also far enough to stimulate them to reach it. If you notice your child always reach the toy with one hand, put it on their less favoured side to encourage the use of that side of the body.Crawling over pillows or obstacles.
Babies will find it challenging to crawl asymmetrically if they have to crawl over pillows or soft objects. Doing it will also strengthen their muscles and make it easier to properly crawl. Having different textures and varying heights will help their cognitive skills develop as well.Correct your child’s position.
Gently swoop the leg which is not in the correct position back to a knee-crawling position.Place the palms of your hands behind your child's feet when he is on all fours.
This will help them to push the soles of their feet against you and promote crawling.Kneeling at a support surface.
It will help strengthen your child’s hips and core and it might be particularly beneficial for fixing asymmetrical crawling.
Overall, if you are concerned about your baby’s crawling technique and don't know what to do, book an appointment with a paediatric osteopath. They will address the cause of your baby’s incorrect crawling patterns and give you specific advice and exercises to perform at home.