Committee on Sports Medicine

Infant Exercise Programs

Infant exercise programs are becoming abundant development of their infant. An infant should be
in the United States. In most programs, massage provided with opportunities for touching, holding,
techniques, passive exercises, and holding an infant face-to-face contact, and minimally structured
in various positions are used. Some programs in- playing with safe toys. If these opportunities occur,
volve the purchase of exercise equipment. Pro- an infants intrinsic motivation will guide his or her
moters have claimed that participation by an infant individual developmental course.
in these programs will improve physical prowess. Therefore, the AAP recommends that (1) struc-
In early infancy, the predominant neuromuscular tured infant exercise programs not be promoted as
responses are reflex in nature. Most activity at this being therapeutically beneficial for the develop-
age can be attributed to an intrinsic arousal-seeking ment of healthy infants and (2) parents be encour-
drive. Natural curiosity and the drive toward self- aged to provide a safe, nurturing, and minimally
sufficiency motivate infants in virtually all activi- structured play environment for their infant.
ties.2
Providing a stimulating environment for an in- COMMITTEE ON SPORTS MEDICINE, 1986-1988
fants development is extremely important. Envi- Paul G. Dyment, MD, Chairman
ronmental deprivation will impede the develop- Barry Goldberg, MD
mental progress of an infant. There is some evi- Suzanne B. Haefele, MD
dence that conditioned responses can be elicited in William L. Risser, MD
the newborn period. However, there have been no Michael A. Nelson, MD
data to suggest that structured programs or the John J. Murray, MD
promotion of conditioned responses will advance Liaison Representatives
skills or provide any long-term benefit to normal Oded Bar-Or, MD, Canadian Paediatric Society
infants.3 Richard Malacrea, National Athletic
The bones of infants are more susceptible to Trainers Association
trauma than those of older children and adults. The
AAP Section Liaison
skeletal system of the child in the first year of life
David M. Orenstein, MD, Section on
is less than optimally ossified.4 Infants do not have
Diseases of the Chest
the strength or reflexes necessary to protect them-
Arthur M. Pappas, MD, Section on Orthopedics
selves from external forces. The possibility exists
that adults may inadvertently exceed the infants
physical limitations by using structured exercise
programs. REFERENCES

Parents do not need specialized skills or equip- 1. Ranick GL: Concepts of motor learning: Implications for
ment to provide an environment for the optimum skill development in children, in Child in Sport and Physical
Activity: Selected papers presented at the National Confer-
ence Workshop, The Child in Sport and Physical Activity.
Baltimore, University Park Press, 1976, pp 203-217
This statement has been approved by the Council on Child and 2. Shephard RI: Growth of motor skills: Motivating the child
Adolescent Health.
toward physical activity, in Shephard R (ed): Physical Ac-
tivity and Growth. Chicago, Year Book Medical Publishers,
The recommendations in this statement do not indicate an
1982, pp 107-123, 233-245
exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. Van- 3. Baldwin KM: Muscle development: Neonatal to adult. Ex-
ations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be ercise Sport Sci Rev 1984;12:1-19
appropriate. 4. Royer P: Growth and development of bony tissue, in Davis
PEDIATRICS (ISSN 0031 4005). Copyright 1988 by the JA, Dobbiny J (ed): Scientific Foundations of Paediatrics.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Philadelphia, WB Saunders Co, 1974, pp 376-398

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PEDIATRICS is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication, it
has been published continuously since 1948. PEDIATRICS is owned, published, and trademarked by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 60007.
Copyright 1988 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0031-4005.
Online ISSN: 1098-4275.

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 Infant Exercise Programs
Pediatrics 1988;82;800

The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is located on
the World Wide Web at:
/content/82/5/800

PEDIATRICS is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication,
it has been published continuously since 1948. PEDIATRICS is owned, published, and trademarked
by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village,
Illinois, 60007. Copyright 1988 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print
ISSN: 0031-4005. Online ISSN: 1098-4275.

Downloaded from by guest on April 20, 2017