According to a new report, the sedentary lifestyles and parents being over protective of their babies is hampering the physical development of babies. Factors such as posture, coordination and balance could be negatively impacted, found the study.
The study examined how children aged 4 years and above fared with 12 movement skills, including standing on one leg, walking on all-fours and hopping. Out of 300 kids examined, only 53 could perform 9 or more movements.
The reason for this, according to experts, is the fact that kids today are more sedentary, much like their parents.
Also there is an overuse of baby equipment such as baby walkers, car seats and baby seats – this can also impact physical development of children.
According to senior health visitor Sandra Martin, this can hamper balance and posture, particularly the ability to hold up their heads by the time babies reach school age and that delayed development was affecting the ability of kids to listen and learn.
This underlines the great importance of natural play for babies and emphasizes the fact that rolling, crawling and free movement can help a child develop better.
Tummy time, which helps babies learn to hold up their heads, and strengthens neck muscles, is also very important. It is pointed out that many parents tend to ‘protect’ their babies from activities that could actually improve posture, balance, skill learning and emotional wellbeing.
