Baby Programme
(0 -24 mnths)
What is Baby Kinetics?
Our Baby Stimulation Program is called ‘Baby Kinetics’. ‘Baby Kinetics’ is a sensory-motor program with a preventing,
improving and/or therapeutic nature
and is presented once a week by registered Kinderkinetici (qualified therapists
and paediatric exercise scientists) at various baby centres and pre-schools
around Pretoria East. This fun program is
developed for babies between 0 – 2 years of age and is designed to stimulate a baby’s sensory systems whilst
developing a baby’s motor skills. It also aims to prevent educational implications and encourages proper brain
development, thus helping a baby to
reach his/her full potential.
How does Baby Kinetics work?
A general assessment can be performed to evaluate a baby’s development with regards to the following categories:
reflexes, stationary skills, locomotor skills,
object manipulation skills, grasping skills and visual-motor integration skills.
After the assessment, the parents receive a professional report explaining the findings.
Specific exercises are further
provided to the parents to help them develop their baby’s motor skills adequately at home.
Should a problem be detected, an in-depth
assessment is suggested where after remedial therapy can be provided by
a Kinderkineticist on the school’s premises or at our practice, should it be required
(Remedial Therapy Program). The
parents will be referred to another profession if the problem falls outside our expertise.
What does Baby Kinetics address?
Baby Kinetics focuses on the following aspects:
Gross motor development, including:
• reflex integration
• stationary skills
• locomotive skills
• object manipulation
Fine motor development, including:
• grasping
• visual-motor integration
Stimulation of the:
• visual system (vision)
• auditory system (hearing and speech)
• tactile system (touch)
• proprioceptive system (muscle movement)
• vestibular system (motion)
Apart from addressing the above-mentioned basics necessary for future academic success, the program also includes
baby massaging and music
movementson an occasional basis. Music has proofed to calm a baby and enhances
learning all whilst contributing to brain and motor development.
Why Baby Kinetics
Brain research proved that movement provides a form of stimulation which allows the brain to develop more
connections and experts agree that early
movement experiences are critical to optimal brain development.
research also found that ‘rich environments produce rich brains’ and that children
who lack or receive improper stimulation may be developmentally delayed.
It is further important to focus on motor and physical development as it
increases oxygen and blood supply to the brain and thus aids in concentration and learning ability
? improves sleep, mental health & mood,
increases general health & longevity
? improves strength, posture & muscle tone
A ‘window of opportunity’ also exists where the brain is more ‘open’ to certain
stimulation than at any other time. If a
child misses this opportunity for further brain development, it could mean that the brain is denied the opportunity
to
develop neural networks to its full potential. The critical period for sensory-motor development is between 0 – 2 years
of age.
Logically then, it is most vital to provide proper stimulation for infants during this time frame.
Did you know
At birth your babys' vision is very blurry. When your baby is born, his or her eyesight is somewhere around 20/2400. Your baby can only see clearly
up to about 30cm's. Get close to your baby when you communicate with him or her and provide black and white objects for your child to see up close.
Babies love to see new things. By the time your child is six months old he or she should be able to have 20/20 vision.
