Patient's question:
My son is already fifteen months old, but he still can't walk. Even when I ask him to take a few steps, he wobbles all over the place. I'm really worried that there might be something wrong. Please experts, give me some guidance, guidance. Thank you in advance for your help here!Doctor's answer:
Hello! Crawling is the earliest comprehensive coordination of various body organs in a person's life. When crawling, the baby must use its limbs to support its body weight, which exercises the muscles in the hands, feet, chest, abdomen, and back, gradually strengthening them and laying the foundation for standing and walking. It is recommended that you practice crawling with your baby more often.Crawling practice. Crawling enables the baby to actively move its body and explore its surroundings, greatly expanding its cognitive range. Crawling movements are completed the strength and coordination of the neck, back, and limb muscles. At 7 months of age, the child has already developed a series of abilities such as rolling over and sitting, indicating that the muscles in its neck, back, and limbs are relatively strong and possess a certain level of coordination. At this time, crawling training can be started.
(1) Preparatory actions for crawling. The parent uses one hand to hold the baby's knees and the other to hug its chest, allowing the baby to place its hands on the table or the ground to support its body. Then, the parent can gradually release the hand holding the baby's chest, encouraging the baby to stand up and support itself. Practice 1–2 times daily, adjusting the duration based on the baby's tolerance, generally 3–5 minutes per session.
(2) Learning to crawl. Method: ① Have the baby lie face down with legs straight and elbows bent to support the upper body. The parent uses the right hand to hold the baby's soles of the feet. ② The parent holds the baby's feet and draws a semi-circle forward, bending the knees as much as possible and touching the heels to the buttocks. Repeat this arc-drawing and flexion-extension movement 3–5 times. ③ After the last extension movement, the parent uses both hands to hold the back of the baby's thighs, alternately bending the legs toward the armpits and performing flexion-extension movements 3–5 times.