Crawling: Why It Still Matters

In recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made headlines when it updated its developmental milestone guidelines, including the suggestion that crawling may not be a critical milestone in early childhood development. While this change was made in response to recognizing the individual variations in child development, many pediatric professionals and parents are still questioning whether crawling should actually be given less emphasis.

At the Boston Ability Center, we continue to believe that crawling plays an essential role in a child’s development. Let's explore why crawling still matters:

1. Crawling Supports Physical Development

Crawling is a complex movement pattern that engages multiple muscle groups. As babies transition from rolling and scooting to crawling, they develop important gross motor skills that form the foundation for walking, running, and jumping.

• Core Strength: Crawling strengthens a baby’s core muscles, which directly impacts their ability to sit up, stand, and eventually walk.

• Upper Body Strength: Crawling also helps develop the muscles in the arms, shoulders, and hands. This is vital for other gross motor tasks (like climbing and throwing), as well as future fine motor skills (like writing and cutting with scissors).

• Coordination: Crawling is one of the first cross-lateral movements that humans perform. Cross-lateral movements involve limbs on one side of the body doing something different than the limbs on the other side of the body. While crawling, a baby's leg moves forward while the opposite arm moves forward. This type of movement trains the brain to communicate more efficiently between the two sides of the body, improving coordination and motor control.

  
  

2. Crawling Enhances Cognitive Development

Crawling is not just about physical strength; it also plays a significant role in a child’s cognitive development.

• Spatial Awareness: As babies crawl, they start to understand distances, dimensions, and how their body fits within space. This ability to navigate around objects and obstacles is a key developmental step in learning how to move confidently in their environment.

• Brain-Body Connection: Crawling strengthens the neural pathways between the brain and the body. This neurological development supports essential cognitive functions such as focus, attention, and the ability to follow directions.

• Exploration and Learning: When babies crawl, they are often exploring the world around them for the first time. This exposure to new textures, surfaces, and objects helps stimulate the senses and supports learning through movement. Crawling encourages curiosity, which is the foundation for future problem-solving skills.

  
  

3. Crawling Builds Confidence and Independence

For many babies, crawling represents a key milestone in their journey toward independence. It is often the first method of mobility that allows a baby to explore their environment with more control and confidence.

• Autonomy: When babies crawl, they gain a sense of independence, as they can move from one place to another, reach for toys, and engage with their surroundings. This newfound mobility contributes to the development of self-confidence and autonomy.

• Social Interaction: As babies learn to crawl, they also begin to engage with caregivers, siblings, and peers in a new way. Crawling allows them to move toward others, enhancing social interactions and emotional connections.

  
  
  
  

What If My Baby Skips Crawling?

While crawling is important, it's essential to recognize that not all babies follow the same developmental trajectory. Many babies reach developmental milestones at their own pace. Some children may skip crawling altogether and go straight to walking, or they may skip the classic crawling stage in favor of scooting, rolling, or other forms of mobility. These variations are not necessarily a cause for concern.

That being said, if a child misses the crawling stage or seems to be struggling with motor skills or coordination, it may be worth consulting your pediatrician and a pediatric physical therapist and/or occupational therapist.

Supporting Crawling at Home

Parents can encourage crawling by creating an environment that promotes safe and supervised exploration. Some ways to support this milestone include:

• Tummy Time: Giving babies plenty of tummy time from an early age helps build the muscles needed for crawling. The more time babies spend on their stomachs, the stronger their neck, back, and arm muscles will become, setting the stage for crawling.

• Creating Crawling Spaces: Make sure your baby has ample room to move around safely. You can use soft rugs or playmats to create a safe crawling area, free from sharp objects or hard surfaces.

• Motivation: Use toys or objects of interest to encourage your baby to reach and move. Babies are often motivated to crawl towards a favorite toy or family member (including pets!)

  
  

Crawling Still Matters

Despite recent changes in developmental guidelines, crawling remains a valuable building block of development that supports whole-body wellness. Parents and caregivers should continue to encourage and celebrate crawling as an important part of their child’s growth, while also respecting that each child’s developmental path may look a little different.

If you have concerns about your child's motor skills or would like more information on how to support their development, the Boston Ability Center is here to help. Call 781-239-0100 or email frontdesk@bostonabilitycenter.com to get connected with one of our pediatric physical therapists and/or pediatric occupational therapists.