Crawling skills can affect reading skills (?)

amother

Beige

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 9:20 pm

Besides for left right integration there’s also retained reflexes with skipped crawling.

amother

Vanilla

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 9:38 pm

My oldest didn’t crawl at all. Eventually she scooted on her bottom. She was in general quite delayed in her gross motor skills.

She is ka’h a very bright 10 year old and a voracious reader. Excellent reading and spelling skills. No correlation here.

mushkamothers

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 9:48 pm

Yes, there's a lot of research on this. For those who say their kids are just fine, it could be those skills were made up over the years in other ways such as sports, dance, swimming, or just being active.

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 10:56 pm

amother Floralwhite wrote:

I’m an OT. According to proponents of reflex integration theories, crawling helps integrate the ATNR reflex. If this reflex persists then it can interfere with vision and coordination which can in turn affect reading and writing.

I want to add that my 11 month old son isn’t crawling. He is commando crawling and he does alternate hand movements. I am putting him on all fours a lot just so he weight bears and I am hoping he crawls eventually. He was a colicky baby and screamed during tummy time.

amother

Denim

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 11:36 pm

Interesting I wonder if this is related to the back to sleep campaign. I put my babies to sleep on their tummies and my kids are all excellent readers. My son who walked at 20 months (but did crawl) picked up the alphabet and reading at a very young age with minimal guidance and teaching by me and zero exposure at cheder.

amother

Hosta

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 11:43 pm

One of my kids scooted around on his bottom instead of crawling. Was very advanced, riding a two wheeler at three, and had/has no reading issues whatsoever.

We decided it was his personality - he's creative and needed an original way of getting around....

amother

Brown

Wed, Nov 16 2022, 11:55 pm

So interesting!
My oldest, got shoes at almost 12 mths, hardly remember her crawl, does not like real reading, but a smart kid in school and other areas

amother

Wallflower

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 12:00 am

amother OP wrote:

Thanks for your response. Makes sense. I can also understand how lack of proper right left body coordination can affect proper right and left brain coordination later on which is vital for reading.
I'm wondering if more people noticed this irl

What kind of reading specialist are you? I’m surprised you are not aware that there is growing evidence about the importance on crawling on brain development.

amother

Heather

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 12:13 am

My son didn’t crawl, would pull himself in a plank position only using arms and doesn’t have reading issues but we did have to practice a lot and he has learning delays. He is making progress with various therapies and he still progressing.

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 12:15 am

It depends WHY they're not crawling and WHY they're not reading. It's not that not crawling causes reading difficulties. It's that the same reason they aren't crawling (right-left issues) will cause reading issues. If a child is not crawling for other reasons - reflux so not liking to be on all fours, weak neck muscles, one of mine had a weak shoulder joint etc so there won't be reading issues. If a child is not reading for other issues (vision problems, dyslexia etc) then it will have nothing to do with crawling.

amother

Hawthorn

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 12:25 am

I was told that even if a kid doesn’t crawl properly before they learn to walk it’s important to teach them how do they do the crossing the midline movement. That’s important for handwriting.
My daughter who crawled on her bottom with one foot behind and one foot in front like half crawl half sit is reading beautifully . I did teach her to crawl properly once she walked.

amother

Skyblue

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 12:33 am

I work for a developmental eye doctor who specializes in prisms and he is always asking parents if their kids crawled when babies.
It is very important for the eye muscles to strengthen when they are crawling which happens when they look up and down for later on in life when they start reading/

honeymoon

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 1:09 am

I crawled in an unusual way and I am a very strong reader and writer. In fact, I make money off my written work. I also taught reading and writing for several years.

I have read the research that points to a correlation but it's definitely not a rule across the board.

amother

Salmon

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 4:33 am

I have four kids and only one of them crawled. The rest 'bottom shuffled'. They all read beautifully now.
I never crawled as a baby, and used to teach high school English and literature...

I always tried hard to give tummy time, but it was difficult-- my babies hated it.

amother

Wheat

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 6:11 am

Yes…and no. Crawling is critical for eye and perceptual development but some who don’t Carl can still do well. I’m a therapist currently. The Guttmann sisters mentor me and go into detail about how to determine when to worry and when not. They have a membership for parents and professionals where they share the science behind how to figure it out and also treat.

Definitely look at their resources - blogs, podcast and Instagram account. This one touched a bit on the topic: https://handsonotrehab.com/rea.....enge/

amother

Babypink

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 6:30 am

amother OP wrote:

I'm a reading specialist and as I ask parents about child development during my evaluations, I'm noticing that many children who are struggling with reading didn't crawl properly (right hand, left foot coordination) as a baby.
Wondering if anyone else noticed this...

(Obviously, I'm not saying that all reading disabilities come from not crawling... I'm experienced with many reading disabilities. I'm wondering about the correlation between non-crawlers and non-readers)

This is something I ask too, as a teacher. Many things can be affected

amother

Latte

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 7:08 am

2 of my kids didn't crawl well, as in, I'm not sure if what they were doing even was considered really crawling. Both are advanced readers now, 2+ grade levels ahead for their ages. And no, they didn't "make it up" in other ways, they both still have some motor issues and still receive OT. One of them specifically had struggles with crossing the midline for awhile. Their physical difficulties are physical, no connection to what they're able to do cognitively.

amother

cornflower

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 8:13 am

Let's say there is a correlation between the 2, now what?
Can crawling be taught to babies if it's not their inborn nature?
Most babies crawl without being taught how.
And even if it is taught, doesn't mean that teaching it to them will help for "reading issues" later on?
Beside for worrying all mothers of babies that don't crawl I'm not sure there's really a point in knowing that there is a correlation between the 2 ( if there is because a l it is mothers on this thread seem to think there isn't according to what their babies did!)

amother

Apricot

Thu, Nov 17 2022, 8:19 am

There are OT activities that help kids practice crossing the midline. There are activities you can do at home. And there are activities that help kids develop the vision skills to look up and down. Its not like no crawling equals doom and failure forever. There's a correlation. Thats all. Knowing it can sometimes help professionals zero in on a deficit. Don't worry!