News flash: Kids move. They can squirm, stretch, grab, twist, reach, kick, all while seated. They’re supposed to. Child development experts say movement doesn’t just help infants and kids to gain strength; it also helps them to communicate and to learn.
That’s no different for children who use seating & mobility equipment. But due to clinical issues, these children may need specialized technology to support their movement. Perhaps they have low or high muscle tone. Maybe they’re prone to uncontrolled movements or have weaknesses in certain parts of their bodies.
In the past, seating wisdom called for finding a functional posture for these kids and keeping them statically within it — a choice that can cause pain, poor positioning and broken equipment.
Fortunately, clinicians, ATPs and seating & mobility manufacturers are devising new ways to help kids who use wheelchairs to be properly positioned while also having freedom to move. Even better: The different approaches to this matter means kids can be supported in different ways, depending on what works best for them.
Who Can Benefit from Dynamic Seating?
Repetitive, involuntarily movements can be common for children with neurological involvement “where there would be some abnormal tone,” says Vicky Heidler, ATP/SMS, rehab sales evaluator for Miller’s Adaptive
