Gross Motor Skills
What are gross motor skills? At what age should my child be walking? How can I help my child develop these skills? Skills like crawling and walking are understandably a very important milestone for many families — and it can be a source of stress if you worry your child may not be developing at the same rate as his or her peers.
Luckily, trained physical therapists address these milestones every day— and by building a unique plan of care, can work with your child and family to turn challenges into triumphs.
Smart Start
What are Gross Motor Skills?
Gross motor skills are movements we make every day that utilize large muscle groups — think: walking, dancing or playing a sport. They most often involve the movement of your arms, legs or torso (such as bending down). They play a large role in balance and coordination and are the foundational skills often needed to build and perfect fine motor skills.
Have Q’s? We are here to help
Signs of Gross Motor Skills Delay
Every child develops on his or her own timeframe, so, if you are approaching a milestone and your child is a few weeks behind, that’s not necessarily cause for concern. However, if you notice a significant gap in skill development between your child and their peers, it may be worth looking into a physical therapy evaluation. Some signs that may indicate the need for further evaluation include:
- For infants, be mindful of the timeframe for head control (around 4 months), rolling over unassisted (around 6 months) and asymmetric movement (heavily favoring one side)
- For toddlers, watch for the timeframe for walking (around 18 months) or challenges with running (past 2 ½ to 3 years old).
- For older children, be mindful if they avoid skills requiring balancing, like standing on one foot, or are hesitant on stairs without the support of a railing.
If any of these symptoms read as familiar, it may be worth looking into a physical therapy evaluation. In that session, a physical therapist will walk your child through a series of exercises designed to determine where, if any, delays may be present. With that information, they can then build a plan of care designed to help your child progress towards these key milestones.
Wondering About Developmental Milestones?
Have questions about your child’s development, or wondering if a certain diagnosis may be a fit? Try out our developmental screening tool— it’s a fast, free way to get a snapshot of your child’s progress on his or her developmental milestones.