Chapter 7

BY HYACINTH, SARAH, KENNEDY, CHRIS & BEN

Walking and Leg Control HYACINTH

Sitting

Learning to sit takes several months Babies need strength in their neck and back

first

Leg Control

Leg control is the last phase of head-to-toe development

With leg control locomotion is the ability to move from place to place

Stages to walking

Crawling Creeping Standing Cruising Walking

Crawling

Babies tend to start playing with their own feet and toes at around 7 months, at the same time they begin to crawl by pulling with their arms.

They do not lift their abdomen off of the floor during this stage.

Creeping

Creeping is the same as crawling but at this stage they can lift their abdomen off of the floor. They also begin to get on their hands and knees and during this part of the stage the infant becomes very mobile.

Standing and walking

Around six months of age babies and enjoy standing, with support under their arms.

Within a few months, the infant is able to pull themselves up and stand on their own.

When standing alone they enjoy cruising (holding onto objects and slowly walking)

Slowly, babies will stop holding onto objects, and start slowly walking without support. This normally happens between 12-14 months.

Motor Development

Motor DevelopmentCHRIS

The use and control of muscles that direct body movements

1. Babies move slowly because they think as they move

2. Babies’ reactions develop from general to specific

3. Motor development occurs in two directions

Head To Foot Development Head to foot development begins before birth Suck, but not step Milestones

Neck control Head control Trunk control

Motor Development-Trunk Control

Rolling Over2 to 5 monthsFront to back

Sitting Takes several monthsCan sit with pillows at 3 monthsSeven moths- sit no supportLean forward for balance

Spinal DevelopmentSARAH & KENNEDY

Spinal Development

Spinal development starts in the womb, but continues

after birth

As a baby grows and develops, he will slowly develop

the characteristic S-shaped spine that adults have

Diet in the womb and positioning of the baby after

birth can affect spinal development.

Prenatal Development

In the womb, spinal development begins with an embryonic structure called the neural tube. This tube eventually becomes the brain and spinal cord.

In the first weeks of pregnancy, the tube elongates and folds inward.

After about eight weeks of development, most organs are finished forming, but the brain and spinal cord continue to change and become more specialized up through birth and beyond as the bones of the spine form around the developing spinal cord.

After Birth

After a baby is born, the spinal cord and vertebrae of the spine are all present, but still have some development to do. 

The spine after birth has only one curve instead of the three present in adults.  When the baby begins lifting his head, the first secondary

curve forms in the cervical vertebrae, and the spinal bones of the neck.

The second secondary curve forms as an arch in the lower back when the infant begins to crawl.

Problems that May Occur (cont)

During fetal development, if the neural tube fails to close at the bottom near the lower back, a birth defect called spina bifida develops. In spina bifida, the spinal cord may poke through the bones of the spine.

According to the March of Dimes, about 1,500 babies are born with spina bifida every year.

Keeping a baby in an unnatural curved position for long periods of time might prevent or delay the proper development of the spine

 Devices such as car seats, infant carriers and baby swings should only be used for short periods of time. Keeping a baby lying on his back most of the time or using upright

carriers that do not support the legs and spine might also be damaging to spinal development.

Center to Extremities DevelopmentBen

Center to extremities development

● The baby first begins its bodily movments starting with the trunk then arms hands and fingers.

● Later they begin to use their legs and feet aswell.

Center to extremities development

● The babys ability to control movments begins with the centre of the body and moves outwards as the newborn grows.

● The baby learns these movements stage by stage, once at a time.

Center to extremities development

● The baby is born with its palms grasped, this is called the palmar reflex.

● This ability allows the baby to be able to grasp what is put in their hands automatically

Center to extremities development

● At two months the baby will develop a swiping reflex to use in attempts to move things.

● When the baby reaches 4 months, the palmar relfex is replaced with voluntary grasping.

● Between the ages of 5-7 months the baby will begin using its fingers when grasping objects.