Is a walking ring & jollyjumper good for my baby?
September 6, 2019
Anything is extremes are usually unhealthy. Having your baby in a jolly-jumper or walking ring for 15 minutes per day (NO MORE) will not hamper his / her progress. However, prolonged use of a jolly-jumper or walking ring will influence your baby’s development.
When a baby is placed in a walking ring or jolly jumper they are discouraged to crawl.
Crawling is important for:
- bilateral integration – the 2 sides of the body working together
- balance
- praxis – ideation, planning and execution of new movements
- weight bearing to stabilize the big joints – shoulder, pelvis
- hand function – strengthens the muscles in the hands
- exploration of the environment
- eye-hand coordination
- trunk stability for postural control – the ability maintaining postures with the body, usually against gravity
- Vestibular control – this is stimulated when the head is not in the upright position. Children with intolerance to vestibular input may avoid playground equipment, become car sick, be fearful of escalators/lifts, etc.
All the above mentioned skills are necessary for further development and could even have an influence on the child’s school functioning.
A walking ring may teach your child the walk sooner as the movement will simulate walking but crawling is important! This is not a developmental milestone you want your child to skip.
Posted in Child development, Writing
