Development Milestones

Rolling 101

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Newborns lead a pretty cushy life once they arrive home. But it’s not too long before your pediatrician tasks them with homework, their first important developmental skill: rolling.

Here’s the quick facts to know.

What is Rolling Over?

Rolling over is the developmental skill of flipping the entire body from one position (back or belly) to the other. It is the first major motor milestone and as parents, we are ecstatic when they do it for the first time.

However, before you can confidently say “My baby can roll”, your newborn should be able to:

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Child(ish) Q&A: When will my kid be fun?

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

We’ve gotten this question quite a few times this past year, specifically from new dads who are unsure about what to do or how to play with their newborn.

To be honest, this is an interesting question to answer. For one, the definition of “fun” is completely subjective. Second, most “fun” activities we’re asked about depend on developmental skills that babies won’t acquire for months or even years. For example, you may not be able to toss your baby into the air safely until they develop good head and neck control (3 months). A child can’t properly throw a ball until they have appropriate trunk and shoulder stability (12-18 months), or catch a ball until they have appropriate hand-eye coordination, motor planning, and body/spatial awareness (2-3 years).  

Perhaps a better question is:
How can I share similar interests with my baby?

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The Proprioception System – On My Own Two Feet

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Know where you stand. We know this figuratively, but how about literally? How do we literally understand where we are and how we move amongst other objects and people in our environment? The proprioceptive system is designed to help us understand our physical sense in this world and how we physically interact with it.

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The Interoception System – Listen to Your Body

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Listen to your body. We hear this phrase often, especially when we are tired or stressed, as a signal to take it easy. More recently, I’ve been using it during potty training (a whole other post…) to help my son identify when it’s time to start heading to the bathroom. In fact, “listening to ourselves” is an entire system dedicated to letting us know what our bodies genuinely need, from sustenance to sleep, to maintain optimal operations.

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The Vestibular System: A Tale of Two Movements

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

The playground. It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times. It’s the place where some find joy in climbing, swinging, sliding, and bouncing. It’s also the place where others see dread at the thought of such madness.

The playground can be a polarizing place. It’s where the movement seekers can challenge their limits. Meanwhile, the movement avoiders look for solace at a nearby bench until it’s time to go home. Why the divide? There is one system to blame and it’s the one that lets us know exactly where we stand in the world.

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