Dynamic gymnastics: benefit or harm?

Dynamic gymnastics is a complex of developing exercises developed by L. Kitaev and M. Trunov. Along with the "habitual" elements of gymnastics and massage, dynamic gymnastics includes exercises for the development of the vestibular apparatus. During these exercises the adult holdschild for one or two knobs or legs (or grasps his body with his hands) and tosses, rotates, shakes the child. From the outside it's more like acrobatic sketches than for gymnastics for newborns.

Adherents of this methodology believe that Dynamic gymnastics favorably influences the development of the child - both intellectual and physical. It allows you to adjust the muscle tone, develop flexibility, increase the amplitude of movements in the joints of the legs and hands, strengthen the muscles. In their opinion, dynamic gymnastics trains the vestibular apparatus, stimulates the work of the brain and internal organs, activates metabolic processes and intestinal motility, adapts the organism to stresses and stresses.

Dynamic gymnastics is also considered one way to communicate with mother and child. These exercises help the baby to establisha trusting relationship with an adult, and through him - with the outside world. The child grows balanced, benevolent, self-confident. Dynamic gymnastics is also recommended for children - "Caesarians": it compensates for the lack of ancestral (intrapartum) experience.

But is dynamic gymnastics so good asthey say? Still, these acrobatic exercises seem rather risky. Dynamic gymnastics has repeatedly been criticized, and in the West it is sometimes called "shocking practice of Russian mothers." Many parents and doctors question the effectiveness and safety this kind of gymnastics.

First, such exercises - stress for the newborn (and dynamic gymnastics often beginpractice a couple of weeks after birth). Increased release of stress hormones can lead to the development of the syndrome of hyperactivity and attention deficit at school age.

Secondly, dynamic gymnastics in many waysis based on congenital reflexes of newborn children - grasping reflex, Moro reflex. But the normal physiology of child development provides for the gradual extinction of these reflexes by 2-4 months. If the reflexes fade away later, it is a sign of delayed development and disturbances in the nervous system. A Dynamic gymnastics artificially stimulates these reflexes.

Thirdly, intensive exercises can causeovergrowth of the elastic and tender ligament of the baby, microtraumas of the tissues, of which the joint is composed, circulatory disturbance. There may be thickening of the joints and problems with ligamentous apparatus (pain, loss of elasticity and elasticity) in the future.

In addition, psychologists believe that dynamic gymnastics leads to the fact that the child no fear of height and fall is formed (because he has become accustomed to infancy from childhoodsensations of take-off, falling and speed). This can cause injury at an older age, when the child simply can not assess the danger of the situation. Fear in dangerous situations performs a protective function.

As you can see, you can find a lot of arguments inthe benefit of dynamic gymnastics, and against it. But in any case, it's up to the parents. If you still think that dynamic gymnastics is necessary for your baby, we will tell you, how to make classes safe:

1. 
   Start classes 3-4 weeks after the birth of the child, not earlier, and finish at about 4 months, to let the newborn's reflexes fade away.
2. 
   Before starting the training, be sure to consult an orthopedist: dynamic gymnastics contraindicated at dysplasia of hip joints and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, increased muscular tone.
3. 
   Do not try to do the exercises themselves on the descriptions from the Internet - first, use the services of an experienced instructor who will show everything and teach everything.
4. 
   Responsible approach to the choice of a place for classes: during the exercises, falls are possible, so that the probability of injury must be minimized.
5. 
   If you are not confident in your own abilities, try to choose the most sparing program and avoid extreme exercises.

And remember: Dynamic gymnastics is not officially recognized as a medical technique. So the responsibility for your child's health lies solely with you.