When do Babies start Crawling?
[mme_highlight] Crawling starts at 8, 5 months. Differently from what happens with other milestones in motor development, like sitting and walking, crawling is not absolutely crucial for this progression. Most infants crawl and cruise concurrently for extended periods prior to walking. [mme_highlight]
If you have a baby, you must have thought many times “where do new skills come from?” Well, that is the same question researchers have been answering and asking too. Those who defend a developmental theory, claim that new skills come from the seeds of prior achievements.
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Main infant’s motor development milestones
- Sitting, at approximately 6 months.
- Hands and Knees Crawling, at 8,5 months.
- Walking, at 12 months.
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What is the importance of crawling for my baby’s development?
Bear in mind that, differently from what happens with other milestones in motor development, like sitting and walking, crawling is not absolutely crucial for this progression.
Although scientific evidence favors that crawling experience serves as a mediator of cognitive skills and also that crawling experience is important for the development of spatial memory, it is ultimately the way the child discovers and positions in relation to the space that stimulates motor development. And this discovery can occur without crawling as we classically define it (hands and knees crawling) but in several forms, some of them very funny: for instance, with the forearms pulling the rest of the body or even backwards.
Every way is a good way to move and, at last, start walking. To sum up, it is the transition that matters, not so much the way it occurs.
Another form of crawling is belly crawling, which does not always occur, but when it does it occurs prior to crawling on hands and knees. Most infants crawl and cruise concurrently for extended periods prior to walking. After weeks of crawling, children’s judgments become increasingly accurate.
How can I help my baby crawling?
The goal is not to directly encourage your child crawling, but help him/her discovering and feeling increasingly safe moving in the space around – and this can happen through crawling. Walking is what comes next. You can help by putting objects/toys that your child wants easy to see but out of reach – it is simple, but will encourage movement towards the desired object. ?
How can I provide a safe environment for my infant to crawl?
Another important aspect is, indeed, to provide a safe environment for your child to crawl freely. Obviously, do not leave infants without supervision: at this stage they move around quickly and do not stay in the same place as before. Stairs can be harmful: you should always use protections to avoid potentially dangerous falls.
Note that falls are one of the leading causes for accidental injury and death in children under five. Another important point is to protect electric outlets as they are positioned right at the level of the eyes of a child who crawls.
When should I be worried?
As stated above, there is no reason for concerns if your child crawls differently from the classic manner (knees and hands) or even if an infant does not pass though a crawling stage. The evaluation and surveillance of the motor development is part of the routine when you take your child to a general practice doctor or pediatrician. However do not hesitate to search for medical assistance if any concerns arise.
Bear in mind that sudden alterations in coordination and balance or if your children looses any already acquired motor skill – like holding the head, for instance – you should seek medical advice.
Summary and Recommendations
- Crawling is not a compulsory phase of motor development of children.
- Crawling can be a transition to the next stage: walking.
- Babies crawl in different ways, all of them are perfectly ok: either the typical hands-knees or the belly crawling.
- Ensure the environment is safe for your child, because crawling gives her/him more movement freedom.
- Take your child to a doctor if she/he looses a skill which had already been acquired or if you notice any sudden change in coordination.
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References
- Karen EA, Sarah EB, Andrew JL. Developmental Continuity? Crawling, Cruising, and Walking. Dev Sci. 2011 March ; 14(2): 306–318.
- Frankenburg, WK.; Dodds, J.; Archer, P.; Bresnick, B.; Maschka, P.; Edelman, N., et al. Denver II Sceening Manual. Denver Developmental Materials, Inc.; Denver, CO: 1992.
- http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=crawling-may-be-unnecessary (Access: 10.04.2013).
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, C. D. C. (2003). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS).
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