GM.A.10 HELD IN STANDING, BEARS SOME WEIGHT

It is important for the normal development of a deep hip socket for a child to put weight through her legs from an early age. Failure to do so will result in a shallow bony socket for the hip hone, which will allow the hip to dislocate too easily as the child grows taller and heavier. Standing will also help to build up muscle tone and to ensure the correct length of your baby’s muscles. A child who is not stood early enough will sometimes resist putting her feet to the ground later. Standing her now helps to prepare her for more advanced standing exercises.

How to Assess

Method: Hold your child well supported around her chest with her feet flat on a firm surface. Score plus if she pushes up on her feet momentarily against the firm surface. At this stage her legs may he apart, her knees stiff and her hips bent back behind her shoulders.

How to Teach

If your child is very stiff in the legs you should check with a therapist before attempting this. We also suggest that you seek advice from a therapist if your child is very floppy, as bracing of the knees may be needed. If such advice is not available, and if your child is at least 5 months old, you could try the following techniques to keep your child’s legs straight in the standing position.

Wrap offcuts of carpet around your child’s legs and bind them with crepe bandages or secure with Velcro, Or cut out pieces of cardboard and wrap them around with crepe bandages. Children’s soccer shin pads cut to size and secured with Velcro or crepe bandages can also be used. These ‘braces’ or ‘splints’ should extend well up the leg, and down to the ankle. If they are not long enough, the child will be able to bend her knees. You may need to pad the top and bottom of the splints. It is worth persevering for up to a few months with these braces or splints if your child has low tone, as her ability to stand will definitely improve with practice.

Of course, not all children are very stiff or very floppy, and many need no encouragement to push up on their feet. If your child enjoys it, let her stand as often as she wishes. Let her stand on your lap as you play language games with her.