Corpus Callosum

By Deb England

Corpus Callosum development takes place normally from 6-12 months. If children are neglected during this time, this is the part of the brain that is affected. This is commonly referred to as the “crawling” stage and the exercises that should be implemented are those which the child missed during this time. This is often apparent when children have spent a great deal of time in their cribs or strapped in car seats.

Rolling over, crawling, and sitting up are the physical exercises that can be used to alleviate the previous neglect. If children aren’t too old, it is simply a matter of getting the child back on the floor to do “floor time”, crawling around and playing. Parents may have to participate with their children in order to keep them down, especially if they have already become ambulatory, as most will not crawl if walking is an option. But playing with farm toys, cars and trucks, or sitting a doll house on the floor and interacting with the child on that level will encourage the child to stay on the floor.

I have also had some luck with “crawling races” which the parent implements on a daily basis and participates in with the child. Most kids will crawl if the parent is down on the floor and there is some kind of contest with the crawling, either a race to the finish or on an obstacle course. Not only will the neurological pieces be addressed, but also the parent has the opportunity to interact and bond with the child. And for children who shy away from touch, during the races and obstacle courses, the parent can occasionally “bump” shoulders or find numerous ways to integrate some kind of fun touch. Backwards crawling and fast crawling can also be added to the exercise routine.

Cross-over exercises can also be used to alleviate part of the neurological immaturity. These could involve cross-crawl patterns from Dr. Liz Randolph’s Neurological Assessment or some from the Brain Gym program. Activating and stimulating both sides of the brain can help in development, self-esteem, and PTSD.

England, D. (2005), Brain Development Corpus Callum, Wholeness Healing Today, 2,(3)