1.2.1 Proprioception

Figure 4 Good proprioception is important for a child’s physical development

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A baby is laying on a colourful playmat looking at their reflection in a mirror that is on the floor in front of them.

Figure 4 Good proprioception is important for a child’s physical development

This sense uses tiny receptors located in muscles, tendons and joints that send messages to tell the brain about where the different parts of the body are and what force or resistance is being felt. Our proprioception helps us make sure we can walk through a door without hitting the frame, it tells us how tightly we need to hold a glass of water and how much we need to tip it to take a sip. If a child’s proprioceptive sense is underdeveloped they can seem clumsy and unaware of other people’s personal space.