Down to the Core

Often when we hear, “core strength” we picture an adult in the gym doing sit ups for swimsuit season. But what about our children? Just as a tree needs a strong trunk to be able to hold its branches up, and withstand elements in its environment, a child requires a strong core to participate in life’s daily activities efficiently. Core strength, or otherwise heard of as postural control, is not only the anchor, but the launching pad for everything we do! Read on to learn more about what core strength is, importance in having and how to recognize when your child has poor core strength. 

What is core strength and its importance? 

Even though we picture the small muscles on our abdomen that give an individual six-pack abs, our core is so much more! The body’s core refers to not just our abdominal muscles, but also the muscles of the back, hip, and pelvis! The main function of the core is to stabilize the trunk while the arms and legs move. This leads to better balance and stability in day-to-day activities.  

In children with lower tone (hypotonia), we may see lower arousal levels, inefficient muscle coordination due to inefficient functioning of the core muscles. Parents of children with hypotonia may also complain of their infant or child suffering from constipation and having difficulty digesting certain foods. These concerns could also be due to inadequate use of the core muscles which play a prime role in the above.  

Some children may not have any gross or fine motor difficulties, but have difficulty sitting comfortably on the floor, carrying out writing activities, which may come off as underdeveloped preacademic skills. Because core is something that is not always visible to use, it does not mean it doesn’t exist.  

The easiest way to illustrate how important core strength is for children, is to discuss what it may look like when kids have weak core muscles.  

0-4 months 

  • Difficulty with lifting and turning head while on their belly  

  • Difficulty supporting head while being carried or in sitting 

4-8 months  

  • No interest in attempting to roll on floor 

  • Difficulty reaching for toys outside of arms reach, regardless of position infant is in  

  • Unable to sit  

  • Unable to grab or reach for their feet when lying on their back 

  • Use of head on ground to help with movement  

8-12 months  

  • Unable to achieve hands and knees position 

  • Unable to crawl or move around on their belly 

  • Does not attempt standing, with difficulty maintaining standing at support  

  • Prefers to w-sit 

12-15 months  

  • Does not reach for objects outside of their reach in standing or attempting to cruise 

  • Does not to attempt to take steps with support  

  • Does not crawl up steps 

  • Does not bend knees in standing (or bounce as though they are dancing) 

15-18 months  

  • Absent walking  

  • Difficulty maintaining balance with standing 

  • Unable to walk on uneven ground or navigate around obstacles  

School Aged 

  • Difficulty sitting still as a result of having a hard time staying stable when using their limbs with decreased coordination of muscles  

  • Props their head on their hands to assist with finding stability to help activate other muscles  

  • Slumps into support or leaning on objects, again seeking stability wherever they can find it  

  • Difficulty maintaining attention due to increased concentration on keeping their balance in their chair or maintaining their posture, which in turn leads to difficulty focusing and learning 

  • Trouble with fine and gross motor tasks with frequent loss of balance – again your core is your foundation/stable point to assist with use of legs and feet, or arms and hands 

  • Speech  

    • To develop functional speech, the following building blocks are necessary: attention, motivation, engagement, imitations, coordination of respiration, phonation, and articulation. It takes the right balance of muscle for a child to sit. Core weakness can further contribute to difficulty with breath control and support needed for speech production. Chances are if the child has weakness of oral muscles (lips, jaws, tongue), it could be due to weak core which provides stability and control for smaller muscles to work effectively.  

As pediatric therapists, we would argue that having a strong core is one of the most important factors when it comes to development in children. Reach out to one of our therapists today with questions or concerns you may have about your child and their core strength!  

Emily Brandt