By Dr Orly Zuker, Chiropractor
works at Restore Health in Frankston, Melbourne
(B.App Sci: Comp Med, Masters: Clin Chiro, B.Nursing, Webster
Certif)
Our complexly designed
nervous system was designed with movement in mind. In fact even bone density is
maintained with movement. This is why young children love to move and why you
can't keep a 1-year-old still for even a quick photo. With very little scientific
knowledge in those days, in 1895 D.D Palmer, the founder of Chiropractic also
stated that; “movement is life, and life is movement”. We can learn a lot from
observing children. They innately know that is it important to interact with
others and develop a social network and they know that activities that
involve movement will promote and encourage their motor development.
Sometimes babies and children need
a helping hand to development their gross and fine motor skills and we as
parents and health practitioners can assist. The following activities/games may
be used to promote and encourage motor development, neurological integration
and brain development in young children.
1. Chasing Bubbles
Who doesn’t
remember enjoying this!! Take your child outside and invite them to catch the
bubbles you blow (when they are a little older they can try to do it
themselves). When they appear tired or bored the game is over. This
activity is not only good for their gross motor development, but also fine
motor skills, eye sight, patience, perseverance and fitness.
2. Jumping
Place
your infant/ or have your child stand on the bottom of a step / edge of a low
sandpit/ or a curb, and stand facing them. Assure them that they won't fall and
that you are there for them and then encourage them to jump. Repeat the process
as long as they remain interested. When they are ready for something more
exciting, use a sturdy plastic crate or something similar. This activity
encourages motor development as well as neurological development (accuracy/aim,
courage, reaction time & judgment).
3. Ring-around-the-Rosy
This is a fun good old fashion game. You may like to change the
lyrics of the song to be more positive too! If there are at least
three people available (two children and an adult), you can play this game for
the practice of sitting & standing movements (proprioception/ spatial
awareness).
4. Follow the Leader
This
game offers a great opportunity for practice of various motor skills. 1+ people
are required (it can just be parent & child too). Take this opportunity to
go outside and enjoy some fresh air and vitamin D. Make sure you perform as
many different locomotor skills/ actions as you know your child can replicate.
Don’t’ forget to vary your movements with the elements of movement, including
changing direction, and also including; twisting, stretching, bending. jumping
and shaking the body.
5. Supine (on
back) bicycle
This is a great activity for
facilitating/ moulding the neuroplasticity of a child’s brain. It requires
co-ordination, exercise of the spinal and core muscles for stabilization.
This activity can be made into a game where you (the adult) plays and stops
music, directing your child to ‘stop’ and ‘go’ with the music. They will enjoy
this and if your child is a boy, more than likely they will end up being quite
competitive!
6. Crawling like an animal
This is a lovely game as it utilizes the imagination, gets you (the
adult) out of your comfort zone and allows both you and your child to express
yourself. For all the hours that we (including children) sit today, crawling
around on the ground using your voice to animate different farm, zoo or jungle animals
will facilitate neuroplasticity, promote gross motor skills and build
self-esteem. Perhaps after this activity pay a visit to a farm or zoo, your
child will love visiting the animals!
7. Piggy back rides
If you have 'grown out' of loving a good-old piggy back ride, then
you’re not telling the truth! This is a fun activity for all ages and
requires balance, co-ordination and spinal muscle activation. You can't help
but belly laugh when trailing on someone's back.
Other
activities which are helpful in promoting fine and gross motor
development:
-
Climbing and balancing (with
trees, stairs, and anything really)
-
Kick-to-kick/ throw-to-throw
-
Reading laying on your tummy (to
activate spinal muscles and proprioceptors/ equilibrium receptors which are
found in the neck)
-
Dancing
-
Jumping on a small trampoline
-
Skipping (when older)
- Cross
crawling activities (when older)
Healthy Tips to Remember:
1. Meet
your baby, toddler or young child where they are at in terms of milestones: If we encourage and push them to
perform any activity that they are not ready to do we are essentially
interrupting & possibly hindering their physical development and
neurological evolution. This means no ‘Jolly-Jumpers’ or ‘baby-walker’ devices.
Encouraging your baby to sit, stand and walk prematurely (whether they love and
enjoy it or not) can have devastating effects on their musculoskeletal system
and posture in the future. The overuse of ‘jolly-jumper’ devices has in fact
lead to achilles tendon contracture, requiring surgical correction. Just
remember that a baby will roll, sit, crawl, stand and walk when they
are neurologically ready, they don’t need force, only love, nurture and
encouragement.
2. Limit
Screen time: This
includes TV, computer and video game devices of all kind. With today’s
technologically driven society our children are being exposed at too early an
age to a complex array of radiation emitting devices and sitting far too long
with terrible anterior head and slouched posture. The good-old-days of climbing
trees, digging holes and outside play are now being dominated by inside
activities. For their health and development, we as parents have to encourage
our children to get outside!
3. Ensure
optimal nervous system, spine, pelvis and cranial function: Birth and the early years of
development (with all of the bumps and falls) can cause great stress to a
baby’s delicate spine and may lead to dysfunction of the nervous system.
Chiropractic doctors are highly trained in assessing the spine & nervous
system and correcting dysfunction (vertebral subluxation) from birth to old
age, to allow full health potential.
4. Love,
touch and nurture are essential. Research suggests that when baby
mammals are not touched frequently or nurtured that they fail to thrive and
develop poorly. Loving touch is like oxygen to a baby, toddler and child. This
may include fun wrestling and tickles for an older child, cuddles with an
infant or toddler and baby wearing within the first year.
These activities can be practiced daily or twice daily, however a
minimum 3 times a week is highly recommended. A child up to the age of 6 or 7
has a brain like a sponge… They can learn, unlearn, form habits, change habits,
have preferences, change preferences and adapt. As a child’s caregiver, it is
you that has to be committed and dedicated to these activities, because a child
needs no excuse to play and interact.
For further information or support, feel free to discuss the topic of milestones and motor development with your chiropractor or chosen healthcare provider.
Dr Orly Zuker practices within
Restore Health in Frankston, Melbourne.
Restorehealth.net.au
