GM.B.77 STOOPS TO FLOOR AND RECOVERS

Full function in walking is limited until a child can stop walking, bend down and pick up an object from the floor and come up again to standing without assistance. Until your child can do this, if she drops something or sees something of interest on the floor, she will have to sit down to retrieve or explore it.

How to Assess

Materials: An interesting toy.

Method: When your child is standing in the middle of the floor, place the toy on the floor in front of her and ask her to pick it up. Score plus if your child bends or squats to pick up the toy and stands up straight again to examine it.

How to Teach

You can teach this skill using the techniques described in GM.B.71 (stands from floor alone). Now your child will have a weight to lift, so her centre of gravity will need to be even further back over her feet when she attempts to stand up. To help, use 2 hands on her hips from behind to steady her back on her heels as she stands up. Initially, use a very light toy that she can hold in one hand so that she can use the other hand on the floor to help her back up to standing. It will also need to be small enough for her to be able to grip with the one hand. Use this small, light toy until she can get back up to standing without your assistance. When she has achieved this, use a heavier toy, but one that she can still grip with one hand. Again, let her achieve independence with this toy before you try her with a light toy but one that needs both hands to grasp, such as a balloon.

To stand back up without using either hand she will initially need your help, stabilising her at the hips in a squat position before she stands up. Gradually lessen your support until she no longer needs your help.