Toddler Spine Development

Spine development is a continuous process that takes place from womb to spinal degeneration in the elderly. The size, length and durability differ for every other individual.

Serving as the axial support of the body, the spine, or the vertebral column, extends from the skull to the pelvic bone. Before birth, it consists of 33 separate bones, some of which eventually fuse to make up 26 bones in total, the seven cervical, 12 thoracic, five lumbar, one sacral and one tailbone.

Toddler Period

• A toddler is from one to three years old. Many changes take place in a child's physiology during this time. They are able to accomplish a variety of developmental tasks and noticeable bodily changes. These changes are slow and steady but not as rapid compared to infancy.

Nutrition

• While toddlers are making great leaps developmentally, physical growth is noticeably slow. This must not hinder parents in giving appropriate food and supplemental minerals and vitamins to maximize growth and development. This can, however, be very stressful for parents because this is the "no" stage. But because bone lengthening and hardening doesn't stop, and tissues are continuously dividing, a toddler's parents must continue to provide an adequate supply of essential nutrients.

Lordosis

• As children begin to walk, they must be observed for abnormal posture. Toddlers tend to have a prominent abdomen due to weak abdominal muscles and a forward curvature of the spine at the lumbar and sacral area. This is called a lordotic posture. It is self-limiting and will slowly correct itself naturally as the child continues to walk. In addition, children also have a waddling gate commonly compared to a duck's. It is walking with a wide stance that furthermore increases the lordotic curve but keeps them on their feet due to a widened center of gravity.

Osteomyelitis

• Bone infection, or osteomyelitis, is common in toddlers. Due to the frequent falls in an effort to maintain balance, fractures are always a possibility for this age group. A fractures with an open wound can easily get infected and have devastating effects, especially if it occurs in the spine. Spinal involvement means neural malfunction on the level of spinal cord down. Tuberculosis of the bone can also cause infection even without an open fracture wound.

Posture

• A toddler is always on the move. This is their exercise and enhances their motor skills. It also improves signal transmission from the brain to the body and vice-versa through the spinal cord. Parents have the responsibility of teaching their children proper posture at all times because they can develop poor posture unconsciously. Proper body mechanics must also be taught because the spine is still very fragile at that age.