toddler "W sitting"

Kate253

Has anyone got experience of this? Was at the OT recently and it was pointed out that this is an issue as LO always sits in W position and it is due to/ leads to weak core muscles, which in turn can affect co-ordination. We've been advised to try and guide him away from same and encourage different sitting patterns. However, little 2 yr old has been sitting like this forever and is not impressed at any intervention! OT says it can be rectified but was curious to know if anyone else has experienced this and how did your little ones get on?

Yes it will rectify. Do it (rearrange their sitting) while distracting them with high interest activity. It is a habit and new habit will form before long. Try different ways of sitting and you will see which one they are most comfortable in (sitting crossed legged, on bum with legs to side, on hunkers, legs straight ahead leaning back against beanbag/furniture, etc). Also encourage lying on stomach while doing jigsaw/colouring. good luck.

freedominacup

"Tch, for God's sake, oh for God's sake, jaysus, this is ridiculous, this is so ridiculous, my god, what are they on about?, this is the definition of overparenting". This is the reaction of my wife, mother of four, to a webpage outlining w sitting. Stop looking for things to worry about and just enjoy spending time with your kids.

Btw. It won't rectify itself. There's nothing to rectify.

catrionanic

I sat like that my whole childhood. I don't think I've any problems with my core!

MayoSalmon

Had to google this as I had never heard of it.

Looked at an image and nearly broke my ****e laughing....dont even know what to say...my god!

Kate253

Yes, you may jest away but I'm not willing to risk future hip/ knee problems and little guy having co-ordination problems down the tracks. It was highlighted by two different professionals before I finally decided to bring him to an OT to see what all the fuss was about and I choose to listen to their advice.

MayoSalmon

edited

Kate253

MayoSalmon wrote: »

Ah yeah and while your at it don't let him go outside, make sure he only eats organic, make sure he doesn't watch tv, blah blah.

Give it a rest with that over parenting nonsense

It's a sad interpretation that listening to a professional's advice about your child is "over-parenting". Very helpful.

catrionanic

Kate253 wrote: »

It's a sad interpretation that listening to a professional's advice about your child is "over-parenting". Very helpful.

Ignore them. Every parent will do what they think is best for their child, and nobody can fault you for that. I think the general sentiment here, while not worded sensitively, is that people wouldn't be getting too worked up about the W sitting because it's not the biggest deal. There are so many Do's and Dont's of parenting which we hear every day, and this seems to fall under the more minor of worries. I'm sorry that you probably felt you were being mocked or picked on, but if you can take anything from the replies I think it should be that most people wouldn't be too concerned about it, so just do what you think is right but don't lose any sleep over it.

D0NNELLY

Kate253 wrote: »

Has anyone got experience of this? Was at the OT recently and it was pointed out that this is an issue as LO always sits in W position and it is due to/ leads to weak core muscles, which in turn can affect co-ordination. We've been advised to try and guide him away from same and encourage different sitting patterns. However, little 2 yr old has been sitting like this forever and is not impressed at any intervention! OT says it can be rectified but was curious to know if anyone else has experienced this and how did your little ones get on?

After two kids I still had to Google W sitting position. Nothing wrong with it.

Still don't know what LO and OT are.

Allah snackbar

Lol , is the baby going to hit the gym to improve core fitness , get Lo to do the plank it's a mighty job :-D

shesty

OT is occupational therapist.(generally).I had to google w sitting too...

OP does your child have other issues?I think if you're visiting an OT for something like hypermobility and this is highlighted as something then ok, in that context maybe it's a thing to work on.But otherwise...I wouldn't be too bothered.

That said,I always sat that way as a child.Up til I was 10 or 11.I'm still here, going strong with no problems....

Kate253

Kate253 wrote: »

Yes, you may jest away but I'm not willing to risk future hip/ knee problems and little guy having co-ordination problems down the tracks. It was highlighted by two different professionals before I finally decided to bring him to an OT to see what all the fuss was about and I choose to listen to their advice.

I work professionally in this area and your concerns and input will greatly benefit your child. Please do not feel belittled by uneducated comments here it will not help your little one. If you think about the high percentage of joint problems in adults it's no overreaction to do what you can on such a simple matter as a preventative measure.

tracey turnblad

My daughter sat like that, she is hypermobile... it's one of the signs of hyper mobility. Hyper mobility can cause problems with hips and knees in fact she was diagnosed at 15 after having pains in her hips and knees. She was given physio therapy

D0NNELLY

Kate253 wrote: »

Yes, you may jest away but I'm not willing to risk future hip/ knee problems and little guy having co-ordination problems down the tracks. It was highlighted by two different professionals before I finally decided to bring him to an OT to see what all the fuss was about and I choose to listen to their advice.

First child?

The therapist who charges for each visit reckons it's a problem.
Parents who've raised kids tell you it's not a problem.


Think about it. Take all the time you need.

PanicStations

Not all experts agree that it is bad. http://www.today.com/parents/why-w-sitting-really-not-so-bad-kids-after-all-t69806

jlm29

D0NNELLY wrote: »

First child?

The therapist who charges for each visit reckons it's a problem.
Parents who've raised kids tell you it's not a problem.


Think about it. Take all the time you need.

I know an awful lot of public sector therapists who don't charge a penny for their services and will tell you that it CAN be a problem. Yes, plenty children sit like that, and are grand. But plenty sit like that and it is a symptom of a problem, or a cause of problems later in life.
OP, you are right to take on board the opinions of a trained health professional who encounters a lot of children, rather than their own children.
I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but as someone else said, do your best to correct the position when you see it, distract, encourage, whatever. It's probably a habit, and habits can be broken.

bookworms

I still sit like this and I'm in my mid 30s. No problems here!!

allym

jlm29 wrote: »

I know an awful lot of public sector therapists who don't charge a penny for their services and will tell you that it CAN be a problem. Yes, plenty children sit like that, and are grand. But plenty sit like that and it is a symptom of a problem, or a cause of problems later in life.
OP, you are right to take on board the opinions of a trained health professional who encounters a lot of children, rather than their own children.
I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but as someone else said, do your best to correct the position when you see it, distract, encourage, whatever. It's probably a habit, and habits can be broken.

OP I second this. Not necessarily an indication of a problem but it can be. No harm to correct as much as you can/when you notice and they will start correcting it themselves out of habit.

Btw, lots of adults can have weak core muscles which can impact on posture, cause back problems etc. Having a strong core is good for every aspect of your mobility but is really key when children are developing! So yeah while I wouldn't go crazy worrying about it it's definitely no harm to keep an eye on it! Also ask the ot for core strengthening activities if they haven't discussed them already.

farmchoice

what a load of W...

73trix

Curiosity made me ask an OT I know about this. She is a public OT and would address it when she sees it in kids. She does not benefit financially from this advice / intervention. She also said if kids have low tone / hypomobility, it could cause issues down the line. I think it's unfair to suggest OP 's being "had" by a private therapist or to slag OP off as being someway OTT. As someone said, apparently it CAN be an issue for SOME kids. OP, I would trust the professionals to be perfectly honest and ignore the cynics. Good luck.

January

Wow, where did this influx of 'know it all' parents come from? Ignore the advice of a professional in child development? I'd rather not, thanks!

OP, as others have said, while it may not mean there is a problem, following the advice of the occupational therapist on this is the best course of action.

yellow hen

W sitting can be very normal in msny children but it can be symptomstic of greater problems in otgers. My son did it and he has very low muscle tone. Listen to the professionals and not anonymous faces on a forum like this. It may well be nothing but better to find that out now.

Daisy 55

Is sitting like this a symptom of a problem or a cause of a problem??

jlm29

Daisy 55 wrote: »

Is sitting like this a symptom of a problem or a cause of a problem??

It can be either, neither, or both really!
It can be a symptom of weakness and poor trunk control, so a child might sit like that to compensate, rather than challenging their balance.
It can also cause tightness around the hip joint and trunk muscles, among other things!

groovyg

MayoSalmon wrote: »

Had to google this as I had never heard of it.

Looked at an image and nearly broke my ****e laughing....dont even know what to say...my god!

Had to google it too I can't remember how I sat as a kid but as an adult I often sit in that position and I'm in my 30s