Seating & Posture for Young Wheelchair UsersJulia CunninghamAmanda Hopkin

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

• How many activities do you do throughout the day that involve sitting down?

• Where do you sit?

• What position do you like to sit in?

• How long do you sit for?

Activity: Sit in your preferred position for the next 5 minutes……………

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Why wheelchair mobility?

What are the benefits of early mobility using a wheelchair?

1. Enables progress through developmental stages by participating in mobility

2. Facilitates Playfulness and Curiosity3. Encourages socialisation and language development4. Reduces fatigue and promotes independence and choice

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Advantages of Independent Mobility

Research shows that children

should be provided with access

to a wheelchair to enable them

to become independent as close

as possible to the age when

mobility would be occurring

naturally within normal

childhood development

(Butler 1986)

4

How does posture affect sitting?

Functional sitting is the ability to maintain an upright position and work against the force of gravity to sustain that position in a productive and useful way…………

How does the body achieve this?• Muscle tone and strength• Support from a wide base created from the shape of the hips and

upper legs• Leaning against a back rest• Feet on the floor• Supporting through arm rests• Movement to adjust and be comfortable

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And relax!......

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How easy was it to sit still and not move?

Did this affect your concentration?

What do you think the biggest impact is on

young wheelchair users who participate in

day to day activities from a sitting position?

Why do some children need postural support?Maintain head control with less effort

Allow an upright posture so that they can enable good hand and arm function

Keep support in the correct place to support joints and body shapeAllow for comfort and inability to change position through choice

Allow maximum function, with least effort for as long as possible…

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Malachi powered mobility independence

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‘Now I can go out

and play with my

friends…. and I can

reach in the fridge

without asking my

Mum!!’

Equipment can support and be functional…..

Malachi has a riser on his wheelchair

that enables him to reach and grasp

to places where otherwise he wouldn’t

be able to reach from a sitting position

Malachi has tilt in space on his

wheelchair to allow him to rest when

he has been concentrating hard

Malachi has a shaped back rest that

gives good support to his spine

Malachi has a shaped cushion to help

with his sitting position and a padded

lap belt

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Types of powered wheelchair

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Postural Products – Backs and Cushions

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Postural Seating Systems

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Full seating system with

built in support in back

and cushion with harness

and lap belt. Tray

mounted control for

stability and support to

arms

Assessment through growth and development The twins aged 4 were using seating with support, Whizz-kidz

added a chair with a tilt and riser

At 10 the girls needed custom seating from the wheelchair service and Whizz-Kidz found a bigger chair

Later we changed the controls to make driving easier

At 14 we changed the type of chair and added a recline option to match the recline on their custom seating

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Summary

The opportunity to move independently from a young age is essential to promote social, emotional and skill development.

Postural support enables focus on driving or self propelling, playing and learning whilst maintaining a good anatomical position to reduce fatigue and possible changes to body shape

There are is a variety of seating accessories, seating systems and wheelchairs available.

All equipment needs careful assessment and needs may change during the development and growth of the child

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Find out more about Whizz-Kidz

www.whizz-kidz.org.uk

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