There is this Facebook article all over my Facebook about kids sitting in a W position and how it is not good! Well naturally today I noticed my DD sitting that way!
Mainly because she crawls some still and gets to her kneees and then sits back causing the said W position!
I will look for article and post!
Anyone else see this?!
Is it true or something not to be concerned with!?
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I worked in a daycare infant room for 6 years and we had a child who had physical therapy that did this. But the therapist made it seem like it's most concerning when that's the only/primary way they sit, which was the case for the child. You could tell the child's legs were stiff to sit normally. (I didn't read the article though)
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@creativemomma15: makes sense, her sitting is definitely not that all the time and she can sit anyway and walk....
If so major I would think it would be something a Pedi would tell you to look for! -
Disclaimer: I'm a physical therapist, though I don't specialize in pediatrics. W sitting is an indication that a child has poor core strength. That position increases their base of support meaning that they do not need to engage their core in order to sit unsupported. Like @creativemomma15: it's a bigger deal if they cannot sit in other positions, but I would encourage the child to sit in other ways . Usually saying, "sit like a big girl or boy" is an effective reminder once they know what that means.
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@peaches1038: Good to know, thanks!
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Our early intervention teachers* warned us about it but said not to worry as DD rarely sits that way.
*DD is delayed only in speech.
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My sister is a pediatric OT and has many ped PT friends and pretty much said what @peaches1038: said. I tried reading the article when I saw it on Facebook but I'm too sleep deprived. My LO occasionally sits like that but not usually so I don't really worry.
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Our Ped was concerned because it was the only way DD would sit. Turned out to be nothing concerning for DD, lack of core strength and ultra flexibility in her legs/ knees. We were told to just encourage "Criss cross" seating instead.
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My brother was in PT and my mom had to correct him/us ALL the time not to sit like this.
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I spend a ton of time correcting this! I just say feet under your bottom or feet out in front and he corrects it.
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Apparently my DH sat this way exclusively and no one knew it was a problem. He was also pigeon toed and that can occur as a result of sitting this way. Hmmm
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Yeah, it's just a way to sit that makes it a lot easier on them, so you should discourage it. Dhiren's PT always told me to tell him "feet in front" - I just shoved him to the side. He very rarely does it anymore.
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I still sometimes sit this way as an adult. I don't know if it is a chicken or egg problem, but I have really tight hips and have difficulty turning out enough to comfortably sit in tailor seat.
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This article popped up in my feed today!
http://kendrapedpt.com/2014/03/27/w-sitting-problem-or-solution/
I think if it's a constant, correct it, if it's occasional then I wouldn't worry!
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I remember sitting like this as a kid once because I saw another kid doing it and thought it was fun, and was immediately told to change the way I was sitting. I'm not sure it's as terrible as people make it out to be.
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I haven't really had to deal with this, but I'm skeptical of the claim that a chair is a preferable alternative! Sitting in a chair is pretty terrible for your hamstrings, core, and hips too. Better to show your child a bunch of different floor-sitting positions by modeling them and maybe get them out of the W by finding something else to do in another position, I think.
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I am so torn on this. My daughter had hip dysplasia and her ortho warned us she probably would sit like this, and she does. He said they used to tell parents to discourage it. But he said these days they don't see it as a problem so not to worry (his own kids sat like that too who had no hip problems at all). So, we have never really bugged her about it. However, DH is a physio and has recently started to try get her to sit cross legged instead. We moved recently so she will see a new ortho soon. It will be interesting to see what they say about it.
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@Mrs. Pink: Thanks for posting!
@honeybear: I agree!
@travelgirl1: Thanks -
Our DD used to sit like this and my DH would always come over and move her to a different position. We still catch her sometimes at 2.5 years in a W position but it's not too often so I don't worry.
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So funny that you posted about this because I just uploaded a bunch of pictures of the kids from Christmas on FB and had a friend contact me about it because Xander's sitting like this in a few of the pictures! I never really noticed before, but now I'm paranoid, haha. Luckily, he definitely only does it occasionally, and like G, usually just does it because he's crawling from one spot to another (like while playing with his train tracks) and is just sitting back for a minute before moving again.
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@Adira: Hahaha exact same here my Facebook was flooded with this article and bam I look at she is doing it...lol
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I W-sit all the time, so I assume I did it as a kid and no one corrected me. It's really comfortable and keeps my feet out of the way if I'm working on something on the floor. Never paid attention to doing it though, until DS was getting EI for low muscle tone and the therapist said it can be a sign of low tone. He didn't think it was a big deal by itself though, just an indicator that a child might need to work on core strength.
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I sit like this a lot (and I did as a child, too - remember an elementary school classmate telling me Britney Spears sat like that and had to get knee surgery
) I have tight hips and I'm really bony so sitting criss-cross or on my knees hurts after a while. LO does the W sit occasionally, but I'm not concerned about it because he seems to have normal strength and range of motion.
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We had to correct LO 2 a lot because she had weak core strength and gross motor delays.
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My friend that's a PT told me to just gently correct her position if I happen to see it. She also said it's not a major concern unless they are always sitting like that; but if I see it, it doesn't hurt to correct it either!
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My brother has CP and I remember as a kid he constantly sat like that and would be corrected.
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When I coached competitive gymnastics, the girls would sometime sit like this. I can guarantee that none of these girls were deficient in core strength or had less than average flexibility (they were all chosen for team based on above average strength and flexibility that we continued to develop through training). So I'm in the boat that if it's just sometimes, kids just like to sit like this. If it's all the time, obviously get it checked out.
) I have tight hips and I'm really bony so sitting criss-cross or on my knees hurts after a while. LO does the W sit occasionally, but I'm not concerned about it because he seems to have normal strength and range of motion.
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