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From: kim@analog.UUCP (Kim Helliwell          )
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Walking before they crawl?
Message-ID: <174@analog.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Apr-85 19:21:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: analog.174
Posted: Mon Apr 29 19:21:57 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 3-May-85 05:29:04 EDT
References: <1026@ihuxn.UUCP>
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Organization: Analog Design Tools, Menlo Park, CA.
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> The question I have is what importance does the crawling stages
> have for the development of a child.  The reason why I ask is
> my son, just turned 6 months, seems to be rather strong for his
> age (Proud Daddy, huh!).  At the age of 5 months, he was able to
> sit by himself once we propped him up.  Now, he is starting to
> pull himself up on nearby furniture, not quite making it however.
> He doesn't have the coordination down to crawl but usually
> turns complete circles and inches forward while on the floor.
> Even the pediatrician believes he will walk very early, if
> not before he crawls.
> 
> Anyone have any comments or know of any good myths about this?
> 
> 
> 					Thanx in advance,
> 					Doug

There is a school of thought (among child development specialists) that says
that crawling is a required stage in the development of a child.  Any attempt
to shorten or eliminate the crawling stage would impair the brain's ability
to process information (and hence the child's ability to read, for example).

The impairment is not necessarily permanent; just harder to fix after the
fact than letting the child crawl naturally.

The "impairment" has to do with the coordination of the information processing
of the right and left halves of the brain; if you  are right handed, the left
half of your brain is the primary information processor.  If you are 
right-handed, but left-eyed, for example, there is a certain amount of confusion
which results from the stronger input to the right half of the brain from the
left eye, which reduces the effiency of the information processing during
reading.

I am not qualified to comment on the correctness of this--it is a theory, and
I think there are competing theories of child development.  But in any case,
there is little evidence to suggest that early walking (with a short or
nonexistent crawling stage) is more beneficial--I think any C.D. expert
would tell you that.  I wouldn't "push" junior into walking before he is
ready--he (or she?) will do so when he is ready, which (in my experience)
will turn out to be too soon in terms of the increased mobility and the
consequent increased ability to get into things!  Relax and let nature
take its course!  It's more fun that way, anyway!

Kim Helliwell
hplabs!analog!kim