02/08/2026
🐾 Crawling is so much more than simply getting from A to B.
The hands-and-knees position requires a child to stabilise the shoulders, trunk and pelvis while transferring weight and coordinating both sides of the body. It supports the development of postural control, pelvic stability, trunk rotation, balance, reciprocal movement and bilateral coordination—all of which provide important foundations for transitions, kneeling, standing and walking.
Crawling also helps to:
✨ strengthen the shoulders, arms, hands, core and hips
✨ develop controlled weight shifting
✨ improve coordination between the right and left sides of the body
✨ encourage hand opening and upper-limb stability
✨ support body awareness and spatial orientation
✨ develop protective reactions and dynamic balance
✨ provide repeated opportunities for motor planning and problem-solving.
Sometimes a child does not develop hands-and-knees crawling because the skill is genuinely difficult for them to achieve. In these situations - particularly when hemiplegia, movement asymmetry or another neurological difficulty is present - the absence of crawling should not simply be dismissed as a stage that can be bypassed.
It may indicate difficulties with trunk and pelvic control, reciprocal weight shifting, bilateral coordination, upper-limb weight bearing or sensory-motor processing. When these underlying components are not addressed, their impact may become more noticeable later as the physical demands of transitions, kneeling, standing, balance and walking increase. Early assessment and skilled physiotherapy can help the child develop the postural and movement foundations that are intensively practised through crawling.
For children with hemiplegia, or unilateral cerebral palsy, weight bearing through the more affected side is especially important. Loading through the hand, arm, knee and leg provides valuable tactile and proprioceptive input, promotes joint stability and body awareness, and encourages the child to actively include the affected side rather than consistently relying on the stronger side.
Sensory stimulation is also a key part of treatment. Through touch, pressure, movement and purposeful loading, the nervous system receives clearer information about the position and function of the affected side. This can support more symmetrical movement, improved motor planning and greater participation of the affected arm and leg during play and functional activities.
⚡ Electrical stimulation can be a powerful therapeutic tool.
When carefully selected, appropriately dosed and combined with active, task-specific practice and skilled hands-on facilitation, E-Stim can help the child access muscle activation, increase meaningful repetition and experience more efficient movement patterns.
It is not a stand-alone treatment. Its greatest value comes when it is integrated into purposeful activity - such as supported four-point play, reaching, weight shifting and transitions - and used alongside hands-on therapy to improve alignment, stability and active participation.
During this session, E-Stim was combined with supported crawling activities, sensory input, weight bearing and guided movement to help this little one use both sides of her body more effectively.
Little movements build strong foundations. 💪
