Does your child habitually sit in this position ?

Why do children W-sit?

Children who are frequent W-sitters often rely on this position for added stability at trunk and hip to allow easier toy manipulation and play.
This position resists the child’s ability to rotate to reach for toys across the midline.
This position restricts a child from developing more mature movement patterns necessary for higher-level skills.

Effects of W Sitting

• Altered patterns of walking
• W-sitting can predispose a child to hip dislocation, so if there is a

History of hip dysplasia, or a concern has been raised in the past, this position should be avoided.

• If there is muscle tightness, W-sitting will aggravate it. This position places the hamstrings (muscles at back of thigh), hip adductors (muscles placed over inner aspect of thigh), internal rotators and heel cords in an extremely shortened range. If a child is prone to tightness or contractures, encourage another pattern of sitting.
• There are neurologic concerns/developmental delays, W-sitting will feed into the abnormal patterns of movement trying to be avoided. Using other sitting postures will aid in the development of more desirable movement patterns.
• W-sitting can also discourage a child from developing a hand preference. Because no trunk rotation can take place when W-sitting, a child is less inclined to reach across the body and instead picks up objects on the right with the right hand, and those placed to the left with the left hand.

What to do if the child is a habitual w sitter?

1. Prevention is the key
2. Avoid Sitting in W sitting
3. Encourage the child to sit in long sitting, side sitting, crossed leg sitting
4. Encourage physical play activities e.g all kinds of playground activities to help strengthen their core muscles