Your Baby’s Movement Tells a Story: Understanding Early Movement Patterns
Have you noticed your baby has a preference to look to one side? Maybe they have a favorite direction during tummy time, like looking over one shoulder, or they might even become fussy when they look the other way. While we develop movement patterns and preferences, a constant head preference could indicate that there is a muscular imbalance or limited neck range of motion. Movement is one of the primary ways babies learn about and interact with the world. As they turn their heads, reach for toys, roll, crawl, and explore their surroundings, they are developing important motor skills while their nervous system coordinates growth, adaptation, function, and movement. Because of this, movement patterns can provide valuable insight into how a baby is functioning both physically and neurologically.
When there is interference and the brain and body cannot communicate clearly, the body may begin to adapt by creating protective patterns, such as favoring one position or limiting certain movements. A baby's movement tells a story. While pediatric chiropractic care certainly may help improve mobility and range of motion, our true focus extends beyond the neck itself. We look at how the nervous system is helping the body coordinate movement, respond to its environment, and adapt as a baby grows. Every stage of development, from lifting the head and rolling over to reaching and crawling, depends on the body's ability to move and adapt efficiently. By supporting healthy function, our goal is not simply to improve movement, but to help create an environment where babies can interact with the world around them with greater ease and confidence.
Several weeks ago, a 2-month-old child came to us with colic/reflux and latching/nursing challenges, red flags already that something isn’t working right. When we observed the baby head down (tummy time), the child could not lift its head up off the examining bench, keeping her head down and turned to the right. After the mom flipped her gently over on her back, she continued to keep her head turned to the right. We just completed her re-exam after 6 adjustments and now her neck range of motion is almost completely normal. Look what gentle pediatric, brain-based chiropractic adjustments plus some gentle neurological exercises can do!
References:
Congenital Muscular Torticollis: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Clinical Practice. Pediatrics. 2019 Aug;144(2):e20190582. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-0582.
The effectiveness and safety of conservative interventions for positional plagiocephaly and congenital muscular torticollis: a synthesis of systematic reviews and guidance. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 28(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-020-00321-w
