Functional Seating for School-Age Children With Cerebral Palsy: An Evidence-Based Tutorial

Abstract

Seating intervention may produce positive body structure and function, activities, and participation effects for school-age children with CP when appropriate equipment is provided for weight bearing, the pelvis is positioned for stability and mobility, and the body is properly aligned. SLPs can support functional seating for school-age children with CP by communicating with professionals with seating expertise and by invoking and monitoring recommended guidelines for children with basic and complex seating needs, respectively.

"Let's let the students do by themselves" How to activate students with severe physical disability in the classroom?

“…chosen so that the students can work, and enough time has to be given to students to complete tasks-in other words, remedial activities have to be widely used in schools (see also Costigan & Light, 2011;Hutton & Coxon, 2011;Maher et al, 2011). Attention to each student as an individual is at the core of all this (cf., Imms et al, 2016).…”

“…Concrete help for students with physical disabilities may include, for example, looking for ways to have a good sitting position and opportunities work at the desk but even this can require a variety of multiprofessional expertise (Costigan & Light, 2011). Being able to work in a good position is also a part of so-called postural treatment, that Hutton and Coxon (2011) call "postural care", and Pountney, Mandy, Green, and Gard (2009) "postural management program".…”

Effects of seat surface inclination on respiration and speech production in children with spastic cerebral palsy

“…The modification of sitting posture changes the structure of respiratory muscles in resting position. Change in sitting posture can enhance the respiratory muscle activities, reduce the risk of airway blockage, and ultimately improve respiratory functions [ 25 , 26 ]. The chair-inclination intervention is an ergonomic approach that can affect posture and also can change function of the respiratory system.…”

“…Children with spastic CP, because of their abnormal muscle tone and unstable posture, often display a particular way of sitting. To compensate for their unstable posture, their sitting position involves upper trunk flexion and posterior pelvic tilt [ 26 ]. Studies demonstrated that the anterior seat inclination helped the trunk extend into a more upright position [ 29 , 30 ].…”

Clinical tools that measure sitting posture, seated postural control or functional abilities in children with motor impairments: a systematic review

“…4, p.108). Costigan and Light 5 suggest that seating can be used to enhance body structure and functioning as well as activity and participation. Seating interventions directed at the level of body structure and functioning impairments may, for example, enhance respiratory function, influence muscle tone or reflexes, reduce risk of, or accommodate for, anatomical deformity or address skin interface pressure management.…”