Did you know you have more senses than the 5 you were once taught?
One of them being your proprioception, also known as kinesthesia, is a child’s internal awareness of their body’s position, movement, and spatial orientation. It is an essential part of early development, and helps children develop motor skills, a sense of self, and self-regulation.
Proprioception is also known as our “6th” sense.
How it develops
Proprioception beings in the womb. When a baby’s arm presses against the uterine wall. After birth, every movement helps a baby learn about their body parts and how they work together.
Importance
Proprioception is essential for everyday tasks like waling, writing, and reaching for objects. It also helps children develop a sense of self and regulate themselves.
When it matures
Proprioceptive function typically matures around the age of 3 to 4, while the visual and vestibular systems that support it reach adult levels around 15 or 16 years of age.
How to improve it
Activities that can help improve proprioception include:
Chiropractic adjustments
Jumping off a low surface and landing on soft cushions
Hugs
The Sandwich
The hot dog
Tucking in the child tightly in a blanket (Elf)
The steam roll
Birth interventions can disrupt proprioceptive input. These disruptions can cause physical injury to the brain stem and vagus nerve, which can contribute to stress on and in the nervous system impacting communication from the brain to the body and thus function can be altered.
