GUEST ARTICLE: Gross Motor Milestones and Why They Matter
Heather Switz, Pediatric Physical Therapist
We took some time to have Heather Switz, PT, owner of Switz Pediatric PT, help us understand why gross motor milestones are such an essential part of infant and toddler development. This is always a hot-topic in pediatric healthcare, so we couldn’t be more appreciative of her insight.
WHAT ARE GROSS MOTOR MILESTONES?
Gross motor milestones are guidelines for monitoring how a child’s motor development is progressing. The milestone is linked to an age range of when children should develop certain gross motor skills. In the first year of life, some of the major gross motor milestones are:
1-2mo. Turning head side to side
3-4mo. Reaching to toys
4-5mo. Rolling independently to and from belly
6-7mo. Sitting independently
9-10mo. Crawling on hands/knees
10-12mo. Pulling to stand and cruising
10-15mo. Independently walking
When a child doesn’t achieve these milestones by the expected age range, there is most often a “why” behind it. This is not a reason for parents to panic, but likely there is a reason they are not meeting the milestone. This may or may not be a significant concern (often it’s just mild tightness or weakness), but someone like myself, a pediatric physical therapist, can assist parents in figuring out that “why” and provide treatment and at-home strategies to correct the impairment and set the child on a path of more typical development. If a child is consistently struggling to meet the expected motor milestones, they are likely to have ongoing delays without intervention.
WHAT SHOULD PARENTS BE LOOKING FOR IN DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?
SYMMETRY!
In addition to motor milestones, other aspects of a child’s development are equally as important and should not be overlooked. One of these aspects is symmetry. In a child’s first year of life, their movements should be symmetrical between the left and right sides of their bodies. For example, if your child is rolling by 4-5mo. but is only able to roll over 1 side they probably have some weakness and tightness that needs to be addressed. Or if a child is 3mo. old and reaching to toys but is only reaching with one hand, this could be a red flag and may need further assessment.
MOBILITY!
Another important aspect of development is mobility. If a child does well in sitting and standing with support at 9-10mo. (what we call static positions) but lacks the ability to transition between positions, this is a red flag. Children are naturally motivated to move and if they are overly content to remain in one position, this is a concern. Babies are not “lazy” or “just big babies” - if they are not moving as they should, there is typically an underlying reason.
WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU GIVE TO NEW PARENTS?
The first year of development for a child is so important and lays the foundation for all higher-level motor skills to build from. Parents are usually the first to notice child development concerns and they know their child best. If any concerns for motor development are present, it’s best to see a pediatric physical therapist early as this yields the best results.
Meet Heather….
Heather Switz has been helping kiddos for over 27 years as a pediatric physical therapist in the Wisconsin area. She recently opened her private practice, Switz Pediatric PT, to be able to focus on the growing needs of our community's little ones. Switz Pediatric PT is located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and services all of Southeast WI. Her passion for helping littles shines through when she helps her patients gain independence and reach their full potential. She is passionate about figuring out WHY your child is struggling with their motor skills/mobility and assisting them in achieving the next step. She highly values the parent’s role in assisting their child with development and believes in providing families with the knowledge and strategies to do so.
Contact Information
Heather Switz, PT
490 W Rolling Meadows Dr. Suite 1
Fond du Lac, WI
920-517-7130
Switzpediatricpt@gmail.com