Importance of Crawling

[Sunchimes]

With my last 3 babies, all special needs, the therapists have stressed the importance of a lengthy crawling time before they walk. They said that failure to crawl could cause problems with reading and writing later. It's related to developing the proprioceptive sense.

I mentioned that during a conversation on fb. My friends bombarded me with stories of never crawling but being a good reader. Then, someone googled and found articles saying it wasn't true, or at least it hadn't been well researched. I'm going to talk to the therapists next visit, but in the meantime, what have you heard on the topic?

[mamamanda]

I've heard that it messes with your rhythm and balance if you walk first. My aunt swears that she's off a beat when she claps, plays music, etc & she's convinced that is why.::My dad walked before crawling & he is very intelligent. Doesn't read a lot, but can read well and is a whiz at Math. I've never known him to struggle with balance, rhythm, or anything academic. So, I have no idea if its true or not, but I try to encourage crawling first just to be on the safe side

[Unregistered]

That used to be considered common knowledge, but from what I have heard it is no longer considered to be absolutely necessary.
BUT it is possible that is considered necessary for babies with special needs. My special needs baby is encouraged to go through each normal developmental step.

My baby who skipped crawling did plenty of other movements with her limbs crossing her median.

[jenboo]

I heard it's not relevant anymore but don't have facts to back it up

[Shell]

I've never heard that before. Perhaps it's for special needs, as pp said.
I find that my longest crawlers get accustomed to crawling, and don't push themselves. For example, I've had two boys that crawled up until they were 15 months old- it was like, they got around just fine without walking, so they just continued crawling :: Whereas, my other dck's crawled for maybe a few weeks and were up cruising the furniture, holding on to the walls, and up in no time walking.
I'm not sure about long term and reading though- interesting!

[finsup]

I'd have to see a lot of facts to back that up . Of course I encourage and support babies crawling but I'm also not one to get too freaked out if they skip it.

[KiddieCahoots]

I think that it would be a red flag if accompanied with other milestones not being met.

My daughter 28yrs skipped crawling. She did a bum shuffle along the floor in a sitting position, and went from that to walking.

I first heard this when my CDA instructor mentioned the same thing, but my daughter was always a great student and reader. Went on to be a bio major in college, and now works in a prominent company creating medication components for cancer.

[Unregistered]

Mine skipped crawling, and I read it was important too, but not much I could do about it. She walked at 9 months and kept on going. She started reading early and is still a few grade levels ahead in reading. While she does not really enjoy writing, she can just fine. She is a touch on the clumsy side, but I figure she comes by that naturally from me.

[JoseyJo]

I skipped crawling too ( did an army crawl instead, but not sure if that counts). I did not walk early- 13 months I believe. I am a voracious reader though, just like my mama

[spinnymarie]

I think the importance is actually in using the two sides of the body in coordination and crossing the midline with limbs. Both of these things are found to have an impact on reading and writing skills, I think through improving communication between sides of the brain.
This is all off the top of my head from my educational psychology course years ago, but I'm pretty sure that's what they are talking about. There were definitely studies done, but it's not super specific to crawling, just the crossing midline movements and two sides of the body.

[Alwaysgreener]

ISD told me that crawling teaches your left and right brain to work together, cause when you crawl you move L hand and R knee at the same time and so forth. She encouraged me to work with dd until she crawled. She crawled for a short time at 11 months but she did it. My nephew did not do it until he was much older and has trouble with working both sides at the same time. He is a great student just clumsy.

[daycare]

My son never crawled and walked at 8.5 months. He's not super excelled in his class, but he's def one of the better readers in his class and the best in math.

He's extremely coordinated, pitches baseball, plays basketball really well and is already Qb Of his tackle football team.

He never even rolled over. He went straight to sitting up then kind of rolled around. He was an odd baby. Lol.

He's 7 now. Oh and his dance moves are already worth paying for. Lol. Jk.

[Laura5287]

My son walked at 9 months and had a hard time reading. He is a great reader now and becoming a chef!

[DaveA]

I don't know how it would apply to SN, but this sounds like one of those times where studies can reach different conclusions and be completely right. I think it is specific to each child.