Baby Builders infant development program is based primarily on the principles of movement systems balance (MSB) and postural control. Postural control muscles or CORE MUSCLES are those in the hips, tummy, neck and shoulders.
Weak postural control muscles are the primary problem with preterm infants, infants with Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy and other at-risk infants.
Postural control plays a HUGE role in a child’s life. Those muscles stabilize the trunk to allow for good coordinated movement of the arms, legs, head, jaw and even the eyes. Strong postural control muscles allow good hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills (pincer grasp, handwriting and handling of small objects), speech and swallowing, higher level motor skills (jumping, skipping, walking on a straight line, etc), and stabilization of the eyes for reading and learning.
The best time to strengthen postural control muscles is the first year. After the first year, it is MUCH more difficult — and often times impossible if the child has high muscle tone – to isolate and strengthen these muscles. Without strong postural control muscles, a child will compensate for the lack of strength with abnormal movement patterns and “blocking” of joints to gain stability. This “blocking” significantly limits movement and coordination.
Baby Builders uses fun playtime activities to teach parents and caregivers how to strengthen an infant’s postural control muscles while stimulating his gross motor skill development.