What’s the Deal with W-Sitting?

W-sitting is a familiar term for many parents, teachers and clinicians, and most of them could tell you that it is not good for a child to sit this way. But what is the real issue with this seated position that so many children demonstrate?

What is W-Sitting?

W-sitting is when a child sits on their bottom, with both knees bent and their legs pointing out and away from their body. When looking from above, the child’s legs appear to form the letter “W.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is W-sitting so common?

W-sitting is a very common and often preferred position for children. Many children find this to be a comfortable position because it provides a wider base of support and lowers their center of gravity, which provides more stability through their hips and trunk and compensates for any weakness in these areas. This allows a child to engage in play without having to concentrate on keeping their body upright and balanced.

Why is W-sitting a problem?

-Muscles of the hips and legs can become shortened and tight, resulting in muscle weakness as well as back and pelvic pain as a child grows.

-In this position, a child’s hips are internally rotated, which can lead to bone malalignment and abnormalities during development. This can result in pigeon-toed walking, which increases a child’s risk for falls.

-Trunk rotation and weight shifting are limited when in this position. A child needs to engage in these movements to develop balance reactions as well as to cross midline (reach across their body) with each arm.

-The wide base of support created by W-sitting provides too much trunk stability and control, meaning the child is not properly engaging and strengthening their core muscles.

-The W position puts increased strain on a child’s joints and can increase the likelihood of hip dislocation

How can we address W-sitting?

The best thing a parent, teacher or clinician can do when a child is W-sitting is to redirect by verbally cueing or physically assisting them into a different position. You can practice using a verbal cue that works best for your child, such as “Fix your legs/feet” or “Fix your sit.” You may also need to physically assist the child in adjusting their posture. Other positions you can encourage include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many ways you can encourage participation and play while in these various positions. And though it may be difficult for a child to break the “W” habit and challenge their trunk strength and balance, it is one small change that can have a big impact on a child’s development.

Ashley Heleine, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Photos sourced from:

www.dinopt.com

https://www.childsplaytherapycenter.com/w-sitting-correct/

http://activebabiessmartkids.com.au

https://pathways.org

Self-Care for Caregivers: Do you recharge your phone more than you recharge yourself?

If you are asking yourself that question, then it is probably time for some much needed, self-care. With hectic schedules, homework, and snow days, everyone needs a break once in a while, and yes, a screen break too! Allow yourself to fully disconnect and recharge your batteries.

 Self-Care ‘Splurges’ Suggestions:

*Plan a ‘You retreat’, whether it’s for a few hours, days, or weekend getaway filled with relaxing activities you enjoy (massage, manicure, museum).

*Join a fitness group/gym/exercise hobby you enjoy. Working out relieves stress and can be your ‘recharge’ time.

*Go shopping for a few new items to spruce up your wardrobe, even if you buy yourself new socks. Buy something for yourself that you want.

*Begin weekly therapy sessions for yourself to just talk about ‘life’.

*Plan a night out/vacation with your favorite adult.

We are a society that is constantly go, go, go! It is important we take some time for ourselves, to slow down, and really appreciate each day for what it is. Check out this link below for some easy daily accommodations to challenge yourself and make time for you. Happy self-caring!

Simple Self-Care Tips

Kelly Scafidi, MSW, LCSW, DT
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Developmental Therapist

Photos

https://mobiwoz.com/revealed-causes-iphone-battery-explode/

http://www.healthyskindayspa.com/

http://www.latinaonrealestate.com/en/2017/02/08/hispanic-latino-latina-and-latinx-what-do-they-all-mean/

 

Skill Building and Repetition

“It feels like we’re doing the same things over and over, why hasn’t my child learned this by now?”
“We’ve tried that and it didn’t work.”
“My child said that once, but hasn’t said it again since.”

CareyHope/Getty Images

Toddlers with language delays often learn along the same developmental path as “typically” developing children, they may just require more time to learn skills, more repetition of models, more cueing or help, more practice with each new concept, word, or skill, etc. Often times, children with language delays don’t just pick up words overheard in adult conversation and they don’t repeat things they have heard within full sentences. They require more direct teaching of each word or concept, which often includes a lot of exposure to each target, keeping things simple and concise, and a lot of repetition and practice before it truly becomes part of their repertoire. Some children may process a new word after five repetitions, some may require 20, some may require 50 or more, it all depends on the complexity of the concept or word, their interest level in said concept or word, what cues or aids they have when being exposed to this concept or word (e.g. pictures, physical objects, models of actions, etc.) and a variety of other factors. Just as we as adults often need practice or multiple exposures to be good at something new, children’s brains, oral motor mechanisms, and bodies need a lot of repetitions to efficiently learn and use new skills.

At times it may feel like our toddlers are not listening or intentionally refusing to do or say something we’ve seen or heard in the past, but it’s important to be aware that just because we’ve heard something or seen it done once, twice, or even a handful of times, does not necessarily mean it’s been mastered; therefore, we cannot necessarily always expect it done. Until each new skill is used consistently, children need continued repetition and practice. Oftentimes, we will hear some children in the initial phases of learning to talk repeating words to themselves for seemingly no apparent reason, but they are practicing when there is no pressure to perform!

Once we’ve seen a new skill or heard a new word, resist the urge to move on to the next new thing. Elicit this over and over to help your toddler practice! Make it a game to perform the action or repeat the word again and again. Make it functional so the child has more motivation to keep trying or participating. For example, saying “Say ___. Say it again. ____. Say ___,” is not a functional use of this new word. While it seems to be the quickest, easiest way to get high repetitions of the word in a short period of time, they will quickly lose interest, in addition to not necessarily equating this new word with it’s true meaning. Instead, with each target word, give a little at a time so the child is motivated to use to the word again in order to receive the desired output. For example, give one piece of the snack until your child uses the word again to request more of it, give one piece of a desired toy until they use the word again to get another one, or perform one silly action and pause until they use the word to request another performance. It may feel redundant, but modeling or eliciting a new concept, skill, or word with high repetition is key to your toddler’s acquisition of it. Once children find something they like, they will attempt to get it over and over again anyways, so you might as well use it as an opportunity for repetitive exposure and practice!

Therese Schmidt, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist