Thoughts From a Therapist: Are You Sitting Comfortably?
By Anna Willis, 28 November 2023
In this month’s Thoughts From a Therapist article, Anna Willis, Occupational Therapist and Advanced Practitioner in Sensory Integration, discusses the importance of sitting.
Seating – something I constantly talk about as an OT and it really does make SUCH a difference when you get the right seat for the child (or adult). Functionally, we need to sit comfortably to work at a desk, to eat food at a table, to do craft activities at a table or to enjoy a meal out with our friends and family. If we think about all the hours children are expected to sit at school, it becomes obvious why it's such a big deal.
I know from personal experience recently with my 4-year-old daughter the difference it can make, even for little ones with no sensory needs. I found myself falling into the trap of Auto-Parent rather than using my Therapy Brain again (See here for another excellent example of my error!) and asking my daughter to ‘sit on [her] bottom’ and ‘sit still’ (not things I would ever recommend as a therapist!).
Eventually, I remembered to get her a footstool (with a big box on top so her feet actually reached) and used a booster seat (I like this Lionheart one) and – like magic - she could eat her dinner in half the time.
With so many new and exciting seating options popping up (hello ErgoErgo!* New to me anyway – how have I not seen this before?!) there's all sorts of fancy and fun seats that can be explored and conversations that can be started. Sometimes though, you just can’t beat a cardboard box with cushions in for little ones who need a cosy squish whilst sitting on the carpet.
A word of caution though! Make sure you don't fall into what I like to refer to as the Jelly Trap. Children need GOOD CORE STRENGTH to cope with wobbly seats (wobble cushions, gym balls, wobble stools, I’m looking at you). If you’re recommending movement seating, make sure you understand why the child is seeking movement. (If they are wobbling because they don't have the skills or strength to stay still, putting them on a wobbly surface is like putting jelly on a jelly i.e., not very effective at getting it to stay in one place). These then become good therapeutic activities – ones to do to build skill, but not at the same time as academic learning.
So have fun exploring all the sitting options out there and make sure to think about the why of wiggling.
*Southpaw is a SIE Preferred Supplier
Thoughts From a Therapist is a regular series written by Advanced SI Practitioner Anna Willis about something that piqued her professional interest or inspired her in some way over the last month. Anna, an occupational therapist and owner of Active Play Therapies, has over ten years of experience working with children and adults with a range of learning disabilities and autism.
