Heline

physiotherapist

Justyna Miller

*friends call her Isia

The midline of the body? Why is it significant?

The midline of the body is the body’s axis that divides it into two halves, right and left. It runs through the tip of the nose, the chin, the sternum, the navel and the pubic bone. It is of great importance in the formation of the body blueprint. In the first 3 months, the baby organises his body in space and strives to bring his hands together in the centre line of the body. This synchronises the body and gives a sense of symmetry so that the child is stabilised and can move on to the next stage of development. The baby initiates his first attempts to cross the midline at 20 weeks of age. Eventually, the skills involved in crossing it are fully formed around 8-9 years of age

If the child initiates this activity, it indicates normal development of the nervous system. In adulthood, this will allow for activities such as drinking, eating, drawing, writing, reading, playing, walking, running and other activities of daily living.

Turnovers? Why are they needed?

In the beginning, babies make many uncoordinated movements because their brains cannot yet manage their bodies. Over time, as more connections are established in the brain, the movements become more purposeful. Crossing the midline occurs on many levels. First toddlers cross the line with their eyes to see toys, then they extend their arms and subsequently their whole body.

Turning over is the main driver for exploring the world, during which babies are able to change their points of view. Lying on their tummies, their eyeballs are positioned horizontally, which makes it much easier for them to observe the interesting surroundings. The position on the abdomen offers the chance to move around and explore everything around. The rotation itself is a complex sequence of movements where the extensor and flexor muscles are synchronously engaged; the quality of this movement is indicative of brain activity and motor control.

Contrasting colours? Why not pastels?

Contrast allows babies to train their eyes to accommodate. This is basically zooming in on the objects being observed which then allows the eye to fine-tune itself and the child can better perceive and acknowledge the surroundings. Therefore, the placement of the observed object is very important.

A good place for a toy is above the baby’s tummy at a distance of about 20-30 cm. This direction of gaze allows active exercise of the cervical area and the retraction of the chin, or so-called head retraction. It is a very important skill that allows for the active lowering of the shoulder girdle and, in squats, for dynamic work of the upper limbs. Another good form of accommodating the toddler’s eye is for the baby to observe the object he or she is holding. Then all the conditions for proper vision and activity of the abdominal muscles are met, and the baby is encouraged to cross the midline with eyes and hands.

Parental touch, why is it so important?

Touch is a crucial form of parent-child communication. The baby’s nervous system is a dynamically developing structure, yet at this stage still very immature, so gentle touch is perceived as unpleasant. In order for the child to feel safe, it is important that the parent’s touch is firm and that the parent places the whole surface of the palm on the child’s body. This touch also teaches the baby about his or her positioning in space. With a firm touch you help the baby to learn about his or her body.