Having a baby is the greatest gift of all. It is also the greatest worry. Is my baby eating well, sleeping well, alert, following, grabbing, moving and simply ok? Is he meeting his milestones and showing promise for his future?
If there is a doubt in your mind, you must check it out; ask the pediatrician if you have any concerns. Today I will share with you what I believe is the gold standard for evaluating and treating a baby, toddler or child with any type of motor delay.
What is a motor delay? Let’s break it down to two different types, a fine motor delay and a gross motor delay. The former is an inability to either use the hands/arms for tasks such as reaching, holding objects, or self-feeding. A gross motor delay entails the larger movements of the body. These include rolling, lifting one’s head on the belly, combat crawling like a soldier close to the ground, and getting up on the hands and knees to creep on the floor. Sitting by oneself, and coming to sitting. are also considered gross motor tasks. Today I will speak mostly about gross motor delays.
If your baby is quite still and is already 5 or 6 months old, meaning he is not rolling, or comfortable on his belly there may be an issue. Likewise, if by the age of 7-9 months he isn’t starting to try to come to sit, he may simply be unable. Sometimes the problem is a simple one, and, it is actually your fault! You are not giving the infant enough floor time on either the back or the belly. You may simply be constantly holding the child in your arms, or propping him up in a swing, boppy seat, excersaucer, or jumper. These contraptions only serve to prolong the child’s ability to move himself. A baby needs to move to create the proper neural connections needed to move oneself through space, for the rest of his life.
If you or your pediatrician suspect there is a gap or delay in your baby’s motor learning there are different ways to approach and look for help. Most people seek the easiest way that is to contact The Early Intervention System, a federal program that is legislated by each state according to their own laws and regulations. In the state of NJ services are not free unless the family is below the poverty line. In addition, one cannot choose the P.T., O.T. or speech therapist that they want. One is given to them by the agency that is used for that area.
It is vital that the professional that you choose has a lot of experience working specifically with infants and toddlers, and is not willing to skip vital stages of motor development to “quickly” achieve the final goal of learning to walk. Remember, no one has ever asked you how old you were when you learning to walk. However, if you have poor balance, and cannot manage to walk without falling on your face, your chances at a full and active life are challenged.
Babies should learn to roll, prone prop, (learn to push up on their bellies,) combat crawl, get onto all 4’s and rock, Creep on the hands and knees, come to sit by themselves, go to the couch and stand, cruise back and forth, and then, start, by themselves, when they are ready, to take their first steps.
A very skilled, patient and knowledgeable pediatric physical therapist can aid the child and their caregivers on achieving these gross motor milestones.