Motor development in children proceeds at an individual pace for everyone. Nevertheless, a child may have difficulty moving, learning new skills or coordinating movements. When a child lags behind in development or clearly has difficulty with certain motor skills, we speak of problems in motor development. This may raise questions or concerns among parents. Osteopathy can play a complementary and supportive role in such situations.
What do we mean by motor development in children?
Motor development in children consists of all the movements a child learns during the course of growth. This begins shortly after birth with lifting the head and develops through rolling, sitting, crawling and walking. Later more refined skills are added, such as writing, cutting, cycling and sports. Both gross motor skills (large movements) and fine motor skills (small, precise movements) are part of this.
With problems in children’s motor development, there may be difficulty reaching these milestones, or they may be performed in a different way than expected. These may include delayed development, as well as asymmetrical movement, difficulty with balance or awkward movement patterns.
Signs that may indicate problems with motor development child
Parents are often the first to notice that their child moves differently from peers. Signs that may fit with problems in motor development include:
- lets roll over, crawl or walk
- preference for one side of the body
- difficulty with balance or coordination
- tiring quickly with exercise
- Lumbering, stiff or just very limp movements
- difficulty with fine motor skills such as drawing or writing
Not every signal immediately points to a problem. However, it can be valuable to have a further look when several signals occur together or when development is stagnant.
Possible causes of motor development problems in children
The cause of problems in motor development is not always readily apparent. Factors surrounding pregnancy and childbirth can play a role, such as a prolonged delivery, a breech presentation, a vacuum or cesarean section. Tension in muscles, connective tissue or joints can also affect how a child moves.
In addition, the nervous system can play a role in motor development. When the cooperation between muscles, joints and nerves is not optimal, it can make learning movements difficult. A child may then start to compensate, which may seem functional in the short term, but can actually cause problems in the longer term.
What can osteopathy do?
Osteopathy approaches the body as a whole. With problems in motor development, the osteopath looks not only at the movement itself, but also at possible underlying causes. It examines how the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, circulation and breathing work together.
Gentle, manual techniques are used to try to reduce tension and movement restrictions in the body. When structures can move more freely again, the body has room to develop. This can contribute to smoother motor skills and better coordination.
For which children can osteopathy be appropriate?
Osteopathy can be used for children with a variety of motor complaints, such as:
- delayed gross or fine motor development
- asymmetrical movement
- problems with balance or coordination
- motor restlessness or just little movement initiative
- complaints after a fall, illness or surgery
Osteopathy is not a substitute for medical care or pediatric physical therapy, but can work well in addition to it.
How does an osteopathic consultation proceed?
During the initial consultation, your child’s development is discussed in detail. We ask about pregnancy, delivery and the course of the motor development so far. Then the osteopath examines how your child moves and where any tensions or movement limitations are present.
Treatment is tailored to the child’s age and developmental level. The techniques are gentle and safe. Many parents find that over time their child moves more freely and picks up new motor skills more easily.
When is it wise to seek help?
Do you have doubts about the motor development of your child or do you feel that your child gets stuck in his movements? Then it may be nice to have this looked at in an accessible way. Contact us if you have any questions, or make an appointment immediately in the online agenda of your osteopath in Amsterdam West.
Early support for motor development problems in children can help provide a stable foundation for continued growth and development.
