Rhythm, Regulation & Movement:  A Physiotherapists View

Guest blog by Deidra McDermid, Pediatric Physioptherapist and Clinic Owner, The Little Physio, Waterdown

 

Let’s get a bit brain-y about music and movement!

Hello Everybody! My name is Deidra McDermid. I am a paediatric physiotherapist with a solo practice, The Little Physio, in Waterdown. I entered the world of paediatric physiotherapy because a) I love working with children, and b) I am fascinated by brain development and function!  I am also a mom to three beautiful children and between my roles as physiotherapist and mom, I have seen and learned so much about infant development. Unknowingly, I have taken advantage of the powerful impact music has on development while playing with my own children and the children I have the pleasure of working with. I am here to share how these two are linked, some important concepts regarding motor development, and how music can play a role.

 

This blog will explore three key concepts and provide you with practical take-home tips that can be implemented specifically in the first year of life. Enjoy!

In essence, music supports movement because the infant brain develops through connected sensory, emotional, and motor experiences. So, let’s break this down into our three key concepts.

 

Sensory Input Leads to Motor Output

This is a line I use almost daily in my practice when explaining motor planning to families. In order to elicit a motor response, the brain needs an input first. This can be something we see, feel, or hear. Babies take in this sensory information from their environment, the brain processes it and then organizes a movement in response. Music is an amazing, multisensory input. Of course, the sound of music can help motivate a baby to turn their head, roll, reach etc. as they try and get closer to the source. Additionally, it can be a part of stimulating the vestibular system. When we sing and bounce with our little ones, this movement activates their vestibular system which tells us where our body is in space. This is especially helpful for little ones who are working on finding midline position. By singing and bopping with our baby, we are helping them to orient themselves which is vital for all forms of movement. 

 

TIP: if your child tends to prefer using one side of their body over the other, place a musical toy or sing to them from the opposite side. Additionally, add in some bouncing with singing to fire up their vestibular system and help them find a straight/midline posture. 

 

What Fires Together, Wires Together

Babies are not passive listeners to music. Their brains and bodies are actively organizing themselves around rhythm. Have you ever found yourself subconsciously bouncing or tapping your foot to music? That is because repeated rhythmic experiences (like songs) help the brain organize and create neural connections that underlie timing and movement coordination, especially when there is a predictable pattern (check out this article here). So, when we sing to our babies, it is activating both the auditory and motor systems in their brain, and what fires together, wires together. Synchronization is created. This is important information because it helps inform us what contributes to movement generation. With repetition of songs and singing, this synchronization is strengthened and we start to automatically associate movement with music. Think about all the movements our baby will do in the first year that require rhythm – sucking, chewing, crawling, walking. All of these skills are benefiting from music and song because of the rhythm component.

 

TIP: add singing into your daily routine – during diaper changes, before naps/bed, and while holding and walking around with your baby. Bonus – if holding your baby, add bouncing too! If you are working on a skill that requires rhythm, say or sing thr action out loud with a consistent tempo (ex: step, step, step, step). 

 

Singing and Swinging

There is a very interesting article (click here) that reviews the benefits of a mother singing to her child who was born preterm and required a NICU stay. It states that maternal singing supported autonomic nervous system maturation in preterm infants. Our autonomic system assists in controlling our heart rate, breathing rate, and overall reactivity. It drives our “fight or flight” or “rest and digest” responses. When it comes to how our baby moves, they will not have optimal movement if they are too sleepy (rest and digest), or too reactive/stiff (fight or flight). When our babies are in a safe and social state though, they want to explore, connect, and engage with their environment which naturally involves movement. One of my favourite suggestions for parents to bring their baby into this optimal state … singing and swinging. Singing and swinging helps babies with regulation. Specifically, singing helps our babies to feel safe, and this is when we see them try and achieve new things, including motor skills.

 

TIP: this one is probably obvious! If there is a motor skill your baby is working toward, or even just to help calm them down, sing to them while gently swinging them in your arm to bring them into an optimal autonomic state for movement. 

 

In conclusion, singing to your baby provides a rich, multi-sensory input that promotes development across multiple systems.

 

TipToe Music leads Music Together® classes on location at The Little Physio in Waterdown throughout the year.  Join us this summer on Wednesday mornings!

If you would like to make an appointment with Deidra at The Little Physio you can find out more or book an appointment here: https://www.thelittlephysio.ca/

 

 

 

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