Abstract
Children are valued as part of the Navajo community, and the responsibility for nurturing and teaching children typically extends to siblings and extended family members. In Navajo philosophy, K’e is the concept that expresses the social and familial relationships between the child and the people in his world. The use of traditional equipment such as cradleboards and modern-day equipment such as baby walkers reflects both the practical needs of caregivers to protect their babies from harm and the desire to instill in their children cherished cultural values and a sense of belonging. Navajo parents may believe that culturally valued child outcomes of emotional stability and physical strength are promoted through the positioning of children in equipment that places them at the center of their home where they are encouraged to watch, listen, learn, and engage with their family. Although there are potential risks associated with use of this equipment, the overall cultural values of harmony with nature, self-regulation, strength, and balance should guide recommendations for use when working with Navajo families.
This manuscript was reviewed and approved by the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board on September 17, 2019.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abbott, A. L., & Bartlett, D. J. (2001). Infant motor development and equipment use in the home. Child: Care, Health and Development, 27(3), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2214.2001.00186.x
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2001). Committee on Injury and Poison Prevention. Injuries associated with infant walkers. Pediatrics, 108(3), 790–792. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.108.3.790
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2018). Patient education handouts. Baby walkers: What you need to know. Retrieved from https://patiented.solutions.aap.org/handout.aspx?gbosid=156398
Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Women and Children’s Health. (2019). Navajo Nation primary care area, statistical profile 2018. Retrieved from https://www.azdhs.gov/prevention/womens-childrens-health/reports-fact-sheets/index.php
Arizona Rural Policy Institute. (n.d.). Demographic analysis of the Navajo Nation using 2010 census and 2010 American Community Survey estimates. Retrieved from https://gotr.azgovernor.gov/sites/default/files/navajo_nation_0.pdf
Australian Physiotherapy Association. (2007). Position statement: Baby walkers. Retrieved from https://www.physiotherapy.asn.au/DocumentsFolder/Advocacy_Position_Baby_Walkers_2007.pdf
Badihian, S., Badihihan, N., & Yaghini, O. (2017). The effect of baby walker on child development: A systematic review. Iranian Journal of Child Neurology, 11(4), 1–6.
Bartlett, D. J., & Fanning, J. E. K. (2003). Relationships of equipment use and play positions to motor development at eight months corrected age of infants born preterm. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 15(1), 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.PEP.0000051693.49199.41
Beeshligai, H. (2018). The cradleboard and child development. Leading the Way: The Wisdom of the Navajo People, 16(4), 24–27.
Begay, S. L. (2018). Developing a Navajo educational media guide: A community perspective (Order No. AAI10288621).
Benally, H. J. (1994). Navajo philosophy of learning and pedagogy. Journal of Navajo Education, 7(1), 23–31.
Blanchard, K. (1975). Changing sex roles and Protestantism among the Navajo women in Ramah. Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion, 14, 43–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/1384455
Bowie, J.I., Brown, C., Clark, D., Sawyer, V., & Worden, H. (2018). Coconino County community needs assessment report 2017. Retrieved from http://www.coconino.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7421/Coconino-County-Community-Needs-Assessment-Report-2017
Calamity, A. (2011). Child guidance and classroom management. Unpublished manuscript.
Chagas, P. S. C., Mancini, M. C., Tirado, M. G. A., Megale, L., & Sampaio, R. F. (2011). Beliefs about the use of baby walkers. Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, 15(4), 303–309. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-35552011005000015
Chisholm, J. S. (1978). Swaddling, cradleboards and the development of children. Early Human Development, 2(3), 255–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3782(78)90029-4
Chisholm, J. S. (1983). Navajo infancy: An ethnological study of child development. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine Publishing Company.
Clarke, N. M. P. (2014). Swaddling and hip dysplasia: An orthopaedic perspective. Archives Disability in Childhood, 99(1), 5–6. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2013-304143
Claw, S. A. (2018). Diné parenting: Conception to cradleboard. Leading the Way: The Wisdom of the Navajo People, 16(12), 10–13.
Connors, J. L., & Donnellan, A. M. (1998). Walk in beauty: Western perspectives on disability and Navajo family/cultural resilience. In H. I. McCubbom, E. A. Thompson, A. I. Thompson, & J. E. Fromer (Eds.), Resiliency in Native American and immigrant families (pp. 159–182). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dennis, W., & Dennis, M. G. (1991). The effect of cradling practices upon the onset of walking in Hopi children. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 152(4), 563–572. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.1991.9914713
Deyle, D., & LeCompte, M. (1994). Cultural differences in child development: Navajo adolescents in middle schools. Theory Into Practice, 33, 156–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849409543634
DiLillo, D., Damashek, A., & Peterson, L. (2001). Maternal use of baby walkers with young children: Recent trends and possible alternatives. Injury Prevention, 7(3), 223–227. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.7.3.223
Frankland, H. C., Turnbull, A. P., Wehmeyer, M. L., & Blackmountain, L. (2004). An explanation of the self-determination construct and disability as it relates to the Dine’ (Navajo) culture. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 39(3), 191–205.
Garrett, M., McElroy, A. M., & Staines, A. (2002). Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: Cross sectional study. British Medical Journal, 324(7352), 1494. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.324.7352.1494
Hossain, Z., & Anziano, M. C. (2008). Mothers’ and fathers’ involvement with school-aged Children’s care and academic activities in Navajo Indian families. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14(2), 109–117. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.14.2.109
International Hip Dysplasia Institute. (2018). Swaddling: IHDI position statement. Retrieved from https://hipdysplasia.org/news/latest-news/swaddling-ihdi-position-statement/
Jett, S. C. (2005). Navajo-modified living trees and cradleboard manufacture. Material Culture, 37(1), 131–145.
Johnson, K. (2018). Using a cradleboard. Leading the Way: The Wisdom of the Navajo People, 16(12), 10–13.
Manolescu, K., & Noble, D. (2005). Cradleboard use today. Leading the Way: The Wisdom of the Navajo People, 3(12), 2–5.
Native-Languages. (2015). Native languages of the Americas: Native American cradleboards. Retrieved from http://www.native-languages.org/cradleboard.htm
Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development. (2010). 2009–2010 comprehensive economic development strategy Navajo Nation. Retrieved from http://www.navajobusiness.com/pdf/CEDS/CED_NN_Final_09_10.pdf
Norris, T., Vines, P.L., & Hoeffel, E.M. (2012, January). The American Indian and Alaskan Native Population: 2010. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-10.pdf
Ogunwole, S. (2006, February). We the people: American Indians and Alaskan Natives in the United States, Census 2000 Special Reports. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/censr-28.pdf
Pin, T., Eldridge, B., & Galea, M. P. (2007). A review of the effects of sleep position, play position, and equipment use on motor development in infants. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 49(11), 858–867. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2007.00858.x
RPI Consulting. (2011, August). Phase II housing needs assessment and demographic analysis. Retrieved from https://www.jonespayne.com/sites/default/files/file-attachments/Plate_IMS_NavajoHousing_052914.pdf
Schwend, R. M., Pratt, W. B., & Fultz, J. (1999). Untreated acetabular dysplasia of the hip in the Navajo: A 34-year case series follow-up. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 364, 108–116. https://doi.org/10.1097/00003086-199907000-00015
Shaw, B. A., & Segal, L. S. (2016). Section on orthopedics. Evaluation and referral for developmental dysplasia of the hip in infants. Pediatrics, 138(6), e20163107. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-3107
Siegel, A. C., & Burton, R. V. (1999). Effects of baby walkers on motor and mental development in human infants. Journal of Development and Behavioral Pediatrics, 20(5), 355–361. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004703-199910000-00010
Simpkiss, M. J., & Raikes, A. S. (1972). Problems resulting from the excessive use of baby-walkers and baby-bouncers. Lancet, 1(7753), 747. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(72)90261-9
Sims, A., Chounthirath, T., Yang, J., Hodges, N. L., & Smith, G. A. (2018). Infant walker-related injuries in the United States. Pediatrics, 142(4), e20174332. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4332
Wenger, D. R. (2013). Is there a role for acetabular dysplasia correction in an asymptomatic patient? Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics, 33(1), S8–S12. https://doi.org/10.1097/BPO.0b013e3182771764
Woudstra, K. (2018, April). Why are baby walkers banned in Canada? The Huffington Post Canada. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11/20/why-are-baby-walkers-banned-in-canada_n_8609678.html
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Paula Seanez, director of the Navajo Nation Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation, and the staff of the Growing in Beauty (GIB) Early Intervention Program for their assistance in completing this research. Special thanks to Aurilia Calamity, Early Childhood Developmental Specialist with GIB, and Lorenzo Max, Navajo Elder/Cultural Advisor with Northern Arizona University. Thank you to the Western Navajo Agency Council, Chinle Agency Council, Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education, and the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board for their feedback and support in implementing this project.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Donaldson, C., Clancey, S., Russell, M. (2020). Understanding Navajo Parents’ Beliefs About Cradling and Early Mobility Practices. In: Ashdown, B.K., Faherty, A.N. (eds) Parents and Caregivers Across Cultures. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35590-6_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35590-6_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-35589-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-35590-6
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)