Move It, Baby!

Motor Learning in the Young Child

By Linda Vick, M.S., P.T.

As new parents, we delight in every movement our baby makes. From Baby's first attempt to reach for Mommy's face to that miraculous first step, we're watching for motions that indicate our child is developing satisfactorily.

Babies' nervous systems grow rapidly, but it takes maturation and practice for movements to become smooth and precise (much like hearing and repeating words fosters fluent speech). The major motor skills children attain generally occur in the same order, although the age at which the skill is achieved will vary.

In April 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that infants be placed side-lying or on their backs for sleep, to decrease the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). However, during Baby's waking hours, it is important to position him on his tummy, so he has to lift his head up in order to observe what's going on around him. This helps him develop head and shoulder control.

Try positioning Baby in a variety of different ways: on your chest in an infant carrier, propped up on plilows with you in bed, or on his side as you stroke his back. Every new position allows him to experience the world in a unique way! Dangling toy keys in front of him, then shaking them slowly from side to side, encourages visual tracking and head turning, important for rolling.

Dane and Janell Freeman, parents of 4-month-old Tyler from Jacksonville, Fla., woke up one morning recently to the sound of their son's accomplishment. "I remember being lulled out of sleep by a gentle song, instead of the usual blaring alarm clock," recalls Freeman. "I woke Janell and we tiptoed to Tyler's crib. The little guy had flipped himself over from his back to his stomach, and was batting at the buttons on the melody-maker at the head of his crib. We were amazed by his strength!"

Although not all infants demonstrate simliar feats of athleticism, most will be able to roll from their sides or backs to their tummies or vice versa by 3 to 6 months of age. The more often Baby rolls to her side, the more stimulus she receives for head-righting against gravity, which leads to improved head, shoulder and trunk control. All of these are necessary for Baby to be able to sit up by herself. "And rolling helps babies practice rotating their trunks and hips in preparation for crawling," says Dr. Letha Archer, a pediatrician in private practice near Grand Junction, Colo.

Want to see more?

• Momentous Milestones: The First of Many Markers in Your Baby's Physical and Emotional Development
• The First Year: Birth to Three Months
• Baby's First Emotions: Learning to Identify and Nurture Little Feelings
• Talk about it!