“CRAWLING”

Crawling is a slow creeping mode of locomotion, consisting of forward motion

with weight supported by the infant's hands (or forearms) and knees. It is the primary
means of mobility in infants.
Crawling is your baby's first method of getting
around efficiently on his own. In the traditional crawl,
he'll start by learning to balance on his hands and
knees. Then he'll figure out how to move forward and
backward by pushing off with his knees. At the same
time, he'll be strengthening the muscles that will soon
enable him to walk.
Why is crawling important?
Traditional hands and knees crawling is crucial
for developing bi-lateral coordination, which helps
support neurological development important for later
reading and writing. In addition, the feeling of hands
and knees pushing against the ground provides essential "body in space" awareness.
And it strengthens the shoulders which supports other fine motor skills such as self-
feeding, dressing, and holding a crayon or pencil. Crawling also changes the
position of the head in relation to gravity, which helps develop balance and coordination,
visual development of depth perception, and hand-eye coordination.
Infancy
For most babies, creeping, wriggling, or slithering forward on the stomach comes
before crawling, typically by the age of seven months. Infants also find that they can
cover a distance simply by rolling from place to place. Especially on smooth floors, it is
easy for them to move forward using only their arms or elbows and pulling their legs
along, which are held out straight behind them. Infants can also get around while
remaining in a seated position and pulling themselves
with one or both arms, a form of mobility sometimes
called hitching or bottom shuffling. From the infant's
perspective, it has several advantages over crawling: it
can leave one arm free, it allows better visibility, and the
baby is already in a sitting position when she reaches
her destination.
Two main types of crawling
Experts have observed 25 unique combinations of body
parts used by babies to move across the ground,
however the two main types are belly crawling and criss-cross crawling on hands and
knees.
Belly crawling. About half of babies begin crawling by keeping their belly against
the floor. These children typically start crawling earlier than those who start out on
hands and knees because belly crawling takes less strength
and balance.
On occasion, babies use this method of crawling right up until
the moment they walk. Others move to criss-cross crawling
before walking.
Criss-cross crawling or hands and knees crawling
requires limbs from opposite sides to coordinate with each
other. A baby alternates arms and legs, getting the arm on
one side to meet the floor at the same time the opposite leg
does.
Also called contra-lateral, or cross-lateral crawling, this
diagonal style of movement is vital in the development of an
important pathway in the brain that belly crawling does not
impact — the corpus callosum.

Crawling styles
Each crawling baby is different, and your baby's crawl style is likely as unique as she is
herself. Typical crawling styles include:
 The Classic: Moving one arm and opposite leg together.
 The Scoot: Dragging her bottom across the floor.
 Crab Crawl: Propelling forward with one knee bent and the other extended.
 The Backward Crawl: remember, any motion is good.
 The Commando: lying on her tummy but using her arms to move forwards.

Criss-cross crawling is vitally important to brain development

The corpus callosum is a band of nerve fibers between the hemispheres of the
brain. Criss-cross crawling stimulates the corpus callosum to develop in a balanced
way, facilitating the hemispheres of the brain to communicate. A baby’s cross lateral
movements work both sides of the body evenly and involve coordinated movements of
the eyes, ears, hands, feet, and core muscles. This helps support cognitive function,
problem solving, and ease of learning.
How babies learn to crawl
 Your baby will likely start crawling soon after he's able to sit well without support
(probably by the time he's 8 months old). After this point, he can hold his head up to
look around, and his arm, leg, and back muscles are strong enough to keep him from
falling on the floor when he gets up on his hands and knees.
Over a couple of months, your baby will gradually learn to move confidently from a
sitting position to being on all fours, and he'll soon realize he can rock back and forth
when his limbs are straight and his trunk is parallel to the floor. Somewhere around 9 or
10 months, he'll figure out that pushing off with his knees gives him just the boost he
needs to go mobile. As he gains proficiency, he'll learn to go from a crawling position
back into a sitting position.
Crossing the midline of the body
In criss-cross crawling a baby can also move a limb to the opposite side of the
body, such as touching the right hand to the left shoulder. This type of movement is key
for developing vision, hearing, learning, and integration of reflexes.
Other ways crossing the midline helps babies:
 Increases lower back strength in preparation for upright positioning.
 Prepares the ankles for the flexion used in walking.
 Exercises spinal rotation.
 Strengthens hand-eye coordination.
What about other crawling methods?
You may notice your baby using other
combinations of limbs and movements to move across
the floor. Scooting on the bottom, using one foot or knee
to push or pull, crab crawling, leapfrogging, or even
repetitive rolling may indicate difficulty coordinating the
cross-body movement necessary for hands and knees
crawling.
How can I help my baby learn to crawl?
The following suggestions can help encourage crawling:
 Give your baby as much floor time as possible.
Exploration helps babies try new movements.
 Allow your baby to discover sitting and standing completely on her own. This way
she will build strength and coordination necessary for crawling on hands and
knees.
 Minimize holding or propping your baby upright to prevent her from developing
excess muscle tension that makes crawling difficult.
 Avoid popular trends that tell you crawling is not important.
 If your baby arches her back a lot, does
not want to curl up and snuggle, does not use
both arms and legs, uses rolling more often
than crawling, or does not seem interested in
moving, seek assistance from a functional
neurology doctor. Science has known for
years that children who miss the vitally
important crawling stage may exhibit learning
difficulties later in life.
Crawling is important for proper brain
development as well as for increasing bone and muscle strength. The average age for
walking isn’t until about 12 months; this means that half of children walk after this age.
Concerns of late walking shouldn’t start until 15 to 18 months. Also, crawling on hands
and knees is vitally important for proper development of the brain and body. Allow your
baby to crawl for as long as she wants, and when she walks on her own she will take
the benefits forward with her throughout life.

REFERENCES:
“Crawling is important for childhood brain development.” The functional neurology
center. Available at https://thefnc.com/research/crawling-is-important-for-childhood-
brain-development/. Dr. Jeremy Schmoe, DC DACNB FACFN FABBIR
“Stages and styles of crawling.” At
https://www.pampers.co.uk/baby/crawling/article/different-styles-of-crawling (May, 2020)
“Why Crawl?” Michigan State University. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/why_crawl
(March, 2013). Kittie Butcher, Ashley VandenBerg and Terra Dodds, MPT
"Developmental Milestones: Crawling." Baby Center. Available online at
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/6501.html. (December, 2004) Aliene S. Linwood, RN,
DPA, FACHE