If you walk early as a child, will you be more likely to have sensory integration disorder when you grow up? Doctors answer...

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"If you walk early as a child, you are more likely to have sensory integration disorder when you grow up"

Recently, a saying has been circulating on a certain social platform: "When you are a child, you must crawl for a long time, otherwise you will have sensory integration disorder, and when you grow up you will suffer from motion sickness, seasickness, airsickness, poor balance, and poor spatial imagination in mathematics..."

Rumor Analysis

That is not the case.

The cause of sensory integration disorder (SID) is still unclear, and no research has shown a causal relationship with early walking. The most likely cause of sensory integration disorder is the innate regulation of sensory information and individual differences in susceptibility to environmental factors, followed by genetics, prenatal exposure to harmful substances, premature birth, perinatal complications, postnatal exposure to environmental toxins, parenting style and environment, and parental factors (such as personality traits and physique).

Recently, a saying has been circulating on a certain social platform: "When you are a child, you must crawl enough time, otherwise you will have sensory integration disorder, and when you grow up you will get carsick, seasick, airsick, have poor balance, and poor spatial imagination in mathematics..." Is this statement true?

Image source: Screenshot from a social platform

There is currently no scientific evidence to support this view. The cause of sensory integration disorder (SID) is still unclear, and no research has shown a causal relationship with early walking. The most likely cause of SID is the innate regulation of sensory information and individual differences in susceptibility to environmental factors, followed by genetics, prenatal exposure to harmful substances, premature birth, perinatal complications, postnatal exposure to environmental toxins, parenting style and environment, and parental factors (such as personality traits and physique).

What is sensory integration and sensory integration disorder

Sensory integration describes the processes in the brain that enable the body to organize and respond appropriately to information received from the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, vestibular sense, proprioception) so that the whole body functions harmoniously and efficiently.

Sensory integration disorder (SID) refers to problems in the brain's processing and integration of information from these sensory organs. It may cause difficulties in motor skills, balance, and hand-eye coordination, resulting in a series of behavioral problems, manifested as functional disorders in learning, concentration, posture control, small muscle coordination, emotions, and life functions.

The cause of sensory integration disorder is still unclear, but it may be related to the following factors:

Individual differences: Innate modulation of sensory information and individual differences in susceptibility to environmental factors.

· Genes and heredity: Certain genetic factors, or factors of the parents themselves (such as personality traits, physical constitution), etc. may make some children more susceptible to sensory integration disorders. · Neurodevelopment: Immature development of the nervous system or certain developmental abnormalities may have an impact: prenatal exposure to harmful substances (such as smoking, drinking, some special drugs, etc.), premature birth, perinatal complications (such as asphyxia, infection, etc.), postnatal exposure to environmental toxins.

Environmental factors: Parenting style and environment will affect children's early life experiences, including games, exploration, exercise and interaction with the environment, which are very important for the development of sensory integration. Children's lack of appropriate sensory stimulation, excessive use of electronic devices, or living in a monotonous environment may affect the development of sensory integration.

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What is early walking?

According to the statistical model of the 3rd edition of the textbook "Child Development Psychology", the normative age for infants to walk with support is 9.8 months, and the early maturity age is 7.1 months; the normative age for infants to walk a few steps independently is 13.7 months, and the early maturity age is 11.2 months.

From a statistical point of view, babies who learn to walk with their hands before 7.1 months or learn to walk alone before 11.2 months can be classified as "walking early". However, the mastery of motor skills is basically the joint product of the following four factors: first, the development of the central nervous system; second, physical motor ability; third, the child's inner goals; fourth, environmental support for skills.

That is, early walking is a normal developmental difference for infants. Medicine does not classify "early walking" as an abnormal development, and no subsequent adverse effects of early walking have been observed.

Image source: Reference [3]

There is no causal relationship between early walking and sensory integration disorder

Generally speaking, there are individual differences in the time when babies learn to walk. Some children start walking around 11 months, while others may be 15 months or later. These differences in most children are normal manifestations of growth and development and are not directly related to sensory integration disorder. There is currently no scientific research that clearly shows that there is a causal relationship between "early walking" and "sensory integration disorder": · Individual differences in development: Different children have different rates of progress in developmental milestones. This difference in progress rate is usually a normal physiological variation and does not necessarily indicate a sensory integration problem. · No evidence of causality: There is no evidence to support that children who learn to walk early are more likely to develop sensory integration disorder. Sensory integration disorder is related to the brain's ability to process sensory information, rather than simply being related to the early or late motor development.

Identification and intervention of sensory integration disorder

Symptoms of sensory integration disorder usually appear in preschool or early elementary school, and the symptoms are mainly divided into the following types: 1. Tactile problems: oversensitivity to light touch or certain materials, or seeking more tactile stimulation. 2. Auditory problems: oversensitivity to everyday sounds, easily startled or distracted by noise. 3. Visual problems: sensitivity to bright or flashing light, difficulty in visual filtering. 4. Taste and smell problems: sensitivity to the taste or smell of specific foods, picky eating. 5. Vestibular and proprioceptive problems: poor sense of balance, difficulty in motor coordination, discomfort with speed, height or rotation. 6. Movement coordination problems: clumsiness, uncoordination, difficulty controlling fine and large movements. 7. Social and emotional problems: difficulty in social understanding, mood swings, anxiety or temper tantrums. 8. Cognitive problems: difficulty concentrating, poor learning of new skills or memory. 9. Sleep problems: difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and poor sleep quality. These symptoms may vary from person to person and affect adaptability and functional performance in daily life. For normal children, with the practice and environment in life, the symptoms of this part of people will be relieved by themselves. However, for some children, sensory integration disorders caused by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), cerebral palsy, etc. generally do not improve by themselves, and some people may even get worse with age. If you suspect that a child may have sensory integration disorder, it is recommended to seek help from professionals, such as pediatricians, professional child behavior therapists, or child development and behavior physicians, who can determine whether there is a problem through detailed evaluation and testing, and develop appropriate intervention plans. There is no evidence that there is a direct causal relationship between early walking in childhood and sensory integration disorder in adulthood. The occurrence of sensory integration disorder is more likely to be related to complex genetic, neurodevelopmental and environmental factors. Early sensory stimulation and rich life experiences contribute to the development of children's sensory integration.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

When dealing with such problems, parents should avoid excessive anxiety and not believe in claims that have no scientific basis. The correct approach is to focus on the overall development of children, provide rich environmental stimulation, and seek professional help when necessary.

References

[1] S Sutton Hamilton. Developmental coordination disorder: clinical features and diagnosis. UpToDate Clinical Advisor. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/zh-Hans/developmental-coordination-disorder-clinical-features-and-diagnosis. (Accessed on Jun 202 2022).

[2]American Academy of Pediatrics. Sensory Integration Therapy. (2024-08-27). [2019-10-07]. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/developmental-disabilities/Pages/Sensory-Integration-Therapy.aspx.

[3] Jin Xingming, Jing Jin. Developmental and behavioral pediatrics[M]. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2014: 322-323.

[4] Li Xiaojie. Practical rehabilitation treatment technology for cerebral palsy in children[M]. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2016: 449-475.

[5] Wang Qian. Sensory integration disorder and sensory integration training in children[J]. Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2009, 5(2): 170-174.

[6] Yang Huiting, Wang Huan. Correlation between sensory integration disorder and family exercise environment in children with developmental coordination disorder[J]. Chinese Journal of School Health. 2020, 41(1): 86-89.

[7] Sensory Integration Disorder. Wang Qiuhua. Dingxiang Doctor. (2024-08-27). [2023-08-10]. https://dxy.com/disease/24777/detail.

Author: Fan Yunzhu Hangzhou Ho Yun Chia Hospital Nha Trang Clinic

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association, National Health Science Popularization Expert

Lin Guozhong, deputy chief physician, Peking University Third Hospital