Neck Development in Babies

At birth, a baby's neck muscles are not fully developed. The baby's head must be supported or it will flop around, causing harm. By 3 months, many babies can hold up their heads at a 45-degree angle, and by 6 months, most babies can hold their heads up erect.

  1. Brain Development

    • Organization of the subcortical brain areas is related to neck development. The subcorial brain controls functions such as motor control, behavior and sleep.

    Consequences of Poor Neck Development

    • According to Developmental Delay Resources, if your baby's neck is not developing properly, he may appear to be developing normally physcologically, but lack of subcortial brain development could show up later in the form of learning and behavioral problems.

    How to Help Your Child

    • You can help your baby develop neck muscles by providing adequate "tummy time." Place her in a safe area on the floor on her tummy so she can practice lifting her head.

    Tummy Time Guidelines

    • According to Dr. Alan Green from DrGreen.com, aim for a total of 30 minutes of tummy time per day. Start out slowly if your child does not like tummy time, and break up the sessions throughout the day.

    Warning

    • Consult your child's doctor if you are concerned about your baby's neck control. Some conditions associated with neck development, like torticollis, require medical intervention. Torticollis means "twisted neck" and is normally a muscle injury that is present at birth, but is not normally noticeable until the first week to 10 days of life.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Improve the Receptive Language of Infants and Toddlers
      The No. 1 developmental issue in young children is language delay, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Language development and use include not only speaking or verbal behaviors, but also receptive language skills. If you are concerned a
    • What age does a baby start crawling?
      Most babies start crawling between 6 and 10 months old. However, its important to remember that every baby develops at their own pace. Some babies may crawl earlier, while others may crawl later. Some babies might skip crawling altogether and go stra
    • What are 6 babies born together?
      This is a bit of a trick question! There are a few ways to answer it:* Six babies born together could simply mean six babies born at the same time, but not necessarily to the same mother.* Six babies born together could mean a set of sextuplets, whi