Does a Baby Need to Crawl? What Happens when a Baby Never Crawls?
Is This Dangerous?
Crawling is usually viewed as a major milestone. However some babies are failing to crawl at all. Instead of crawling, they may just scoot to their favorite object or even pull up on furniture and use it to inch their way toward what they want. What many parents want to know is if their child skips crawling, could it be cause for concern?
In retrospect, it seems to make sense that a child who doesn't crawl may lack intelligence or muscle development. However, there isn't any research that proves this theory and not enough evidence to show effects later in life.
Many babies who don't crawl will still walk by the age of one, or even sooner, which is still in line with babies who do crawl. This fact alone could act as a small point of proof that development isn't affected, although there could be other effects not so noticeable.
Many experts agree that failing to crawl, alone, is not enough evidence to show that a baby is behind in development, either physically or mentally.
A concerned parent should look for more than one missed milestone. Missing just one milestone is not enough to prove that a problem exists, especially if a child hits a milestone that uses the same muscle or brain coordination and that milestone is above the missed one, such as replacing crawling with walking.
However, missing more than one major milestone could be a valid reason for concern. This could signify either physical or mental problems and should be looked into as soon as possible, before any potential problem further escalates itself.
If you are concerned about your baby, the best thing you can do is consult your child's pediatrician for the most accurate advice and diagnosis. A pediatrician can appropriately assess your child for proper physical development.
This assessment is normally done at each routine physical, but if you are concerned at a time when a physical is not near, do not hesitate to contact your child's pediatrician. The sooner a potential problem is found, the sooner you, your child, and the pediatrician can work together at the appropriate solution.
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Published by Lyn Lomasi - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Lyn's the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network. Contact her with community issues & ideas. She's been contributing since 2007 and previously acted as a Community Guide. Read her tips for success... View profile
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29 Comments
Post a CommentMy mom told me that i never crawled, that one day i just got up and started walking. She says that when babies crawl they learn to develop an instinct when falling, they learn to put their hands first before hitting the ground. Since i never learned this skill, whenever i fall i hit my face first.
My mother tells me that I never crawled. Of course, I was born 2 months prematurely and I did not walk until I was about 18 months old. It turns out that I don't have proper binocular vision; my eyes do not focus together and I see the world in 2 dimensions. I was a clumsy child, but by the time I was a teenager, I had learned to use visual cues to help me determine how far away things are. Now, I'm completely fine; I drive, I work, etc. If I ever have a child who does not crawl, I will keep an eye on him/her and look for other problems.
My children all crawled and then walked and from memory all between 12-14 months they were up and running. I am a little worried about my neighbours girl who has never crawled and has just started pulling herself up but not yet walking and is 19months. She is a happy baby and sits upright and gets around that way. Should I mention anything to my beautiful neighbour as she has not mentioned any fears to me and I find it hard to mention.
My daughter didn't crawl, but she appears to have a mild case of ADHD and is slightly autistic. She has difficulty sitting up in her desk at school, drops her pencil a lot, won't stay in her desk, and writes sloppily for her age. I recently read that her condition may be related to the missed developmental step, crawling. She also knew how to read books at the age of 3. She has skipped a few developmental steps and lacks fine motor skills and attention span. I do wonder if these things are related.
My daughter is 7 years old and just finished 1st grade. She is an amazing student and also loves sports. Sabrina never crawled,just creeped. By 7 months she was pulling herself on anything she could get a hold of and cruising around the house. Her first unassisted steps were a day or so before she turned 1. Even with all that being said, I can't shake the fear of something missing developmentaly.
Dont worry. all babies are different. Some just take their time. as long as she is smiling and doesnt show any signs of disconfort. However try to keep her on her tummy, and put toys she likes infront of her so she can reach for them. not too near to have no job done, but not to far to frustrate her.The further she can move her self, the further you put the toy. Also spend time with her - u could lie on the floor with her and reasure her when she tries.
I forget to say well done on a great article! :D
My baby is ten months old and is only just starting to crawl, although she looks more like a zombie in the movies. She pulls her self with her arms rather than using her legs haha! It's really funny to watch. She has also started to pull herself up on the furniture (well trying to anyway!). The dogs used to love coming in the living room with her now they prefer to hide in the kitchen so she can't get to them!
Thanks Kelly! Of course I don't mind. :-)
Momie, I wanted to let you know that I included a link to this article in my new squidoo lens: http://www.squidoo.com/parenting_advice Hope you don't mind! Great article!