Have you ever noticed that chairs are named for what you do while you sit in them?
Subtitle: Chairs Not Meant for Mobility [Hence, wheelchairs.]
If this is your first visit here, warning, I have strong opinions about sitting.
Previous lessons on sitting:
Sitting is so important in life that being unable to sit can dramatically affect everything about a person’s life. I use that thought with parents to help them buy-into my therapy techniques as well as goals.
Because, yes, Sally (in comments) not every parent has accepted my advice for their child. For example, many parents expect to see me sit their babe on an inflated ball to develop the ability to sit on the floor (covered with a blanket, of course). Instead, I work with the child sitting bolt upright and supported on a firm surface (read chair). As the child learns to maintain an upright posture, the support is reduced; until it is not needed.
No ball. Not floor sitting.
Back to the idea that chairs are named for the activity done while sitting in the chair. I recommend the same principles for sitting no matter the chair.
Seat level with or parallel to the floor.
Seat surface depends on the amount of time in sitting.
Feet supported with soles flat to the support surface.
Support above the hips as needed.
[Okay, even I sit on a couch or cushy chair sometimes.] You might also want the surface to be easy to clean. And pretty. Just saying.
Speaking of clean, let’s consider the bath chair. A chair named for what one does while sitting in it. Sadly, most of the bath chairs for children are not chairs so much as they are loungers. Ahem. (Photo from here.)
Bath chairs are made with the premise that the child cannot.sit.at.all. And that the bather will be passively bathed by someone else.
In keeping with the principles of sitting above, I recommend the back be as upright as possible. Having the child’s feet supported might not be too important during bathing. Let’s face it, bathing a young child doesn’t take too long (unless it is a cherished child-parent play time.) If you also want real submersion in water (for at least her little legs), a bath chair pretty much restricts playing with floaty toys.
Bluntly, if a child has a disability, bath time can be another parental dream bubble popped. Which reminds me of Sally’s question again. When it comes to decision time, I require myself to accept the parent where they are with their acceptance of any of my recommendations. Their child. Not mine. I get to walk away. They do not.
In the circumstance that I am recommending a bath chair be used at a height easy for the adult and accompanied by a sprayer on a hose – and the parent still wants to
kill their back lift their child down into the tub, kneel by the side of the tub and lift their child out of the tub again for years - I just have to accept their decision. And I do.
No matter how the child sits (or lounges) for bathing I recommend placing some mitts on her hands and teaching her to rub herself with the mitts. And teach names of her body parts.
Which reminds me to mention that most parents spend y-e-a-r-s with their children in the bathroom. I decided to let my children bathe without my presence when they were 6-years-old. That’s a lot of time kneeling on the bathmat.
If the child can sit, it is a whole lot easier.
Hoping all my bathroom talk has not offended anyone.
We still put Charlie in the tub and take him out, but Hubby is a weight-a-holic. He lifts heavier than Charlie on a regular basis. I like having him more upright for the reason you mentioned above--I like to see him splashing and maybe even playing with a bath toy.
Mitt is a great idea--we've got them--just never occured to me how to use them.
Posted by: Katy | October 19, 2009 at 11:08 PM
A timely post. I've been toooo busy lately dealing with drama, but your posts always seem to come just when I need them:) Little Man is getting too long/tall for his noodle tub and I've been trying to come up with an alternative to a bath chair, before he conpletely outgrows it. I'm also not a fan of the lounge affect of them. I will continue to work on sitting him up because even at 15 lbs(!) he does get heavy when lifting him in & out of the tub.
Posted by: carla | October 20, 2009 at 07:34 AM
'Tis good to have a weight-lifter hubby, eh, Katy? A lot of learning can be incorporated into bath time. It is more fun, too, if the parent is not suffering from back pain.
With our first baby bathtime was a family event that we enjoyed every evening for a while. Sentimental sigh.
'Tis good to look ahead and figure out what works in your home, Carla. Waist-high bath chairs can help reduce the work in the time gap between when Little Man is too big for the noodle chair and not yet ready to sit on his own in the tub.
Posted by: The Barbara who lives here | October 20, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Just this week I have been thinking, "how much longer am I going to be able to do this?" (lift Elisabeth out of the bath) Because she is getting HEAVY! Obviously I will be able to continue for some time.....but perhaps a bath chair is something I should think about in the future.
Posted by: Lisa | October 20, 2009 at 11:25 PM
We have the HIPPO smiles chair (cheaper version of Stokke Tripp Trapp) and love it. Elizabeth does not need trunk support but she does need to be seated appropriately. The Hippo chair will grow with her until she is in her teens. I also love that she can climb up on her own which allows her even more independance. Seating is so important but so overlooked.
Posted by: Angela | October 23, 2009 at 07:59 PM
You can also ask Elisabeth's therapist to guide you on your lifting style, Lisa. In the meantime, while you are thinking. ;)
I gotta admit, Angela, I had to look up the HIPPO Smiles chair - and I can see why you like it. Thank you!
Posted by: The Barbara who lives here | October 24, 2009 at 05:14 PM
Barbara-
Lilah has a bath seat...from safety first. I notice that she uses it as a crutch so much. We try to give her baths without it...but to be SO honest...bathtime...for us...is bathing a 6, 4, 2, and 11 month old ALL together. Sometimes we cannot give her the freedom for fear that, even though we are there, that her brother or sisters may hurt her.
However...she uses her trunk muscles much more when we remove the seat.
Gotta question for you....off topic.
Lilah is having tubes put in this wed. I am hoping that this will help her move because it will free her more. She seems to have 2 strikes against her in the vestibular system (visually impaired and repetitve painful ear infections) She will sit unsupported GREAT...but does NOT want to move out of sitting. She remains on all fours BEAUTIFULLY for 2-3 minutes when placed there....but does nothing...gets tired and wants to lay down. I am open to ALL thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks.
Posted by: Katie Sharp | October 30, 2009 at 05:06 AM
Hey, Katie. Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you.
I wholeheartedly agree on safety first during bathtime. I also am completely supportive of bathtime NOT being anything more than 'get it done'. A very reasonable goal with 4 little ones!
I discourage you from judging Lilah for resting on the bath chair. If you don't like how she looks in it - don't use it. If you want to use it, for safety, and for helping her develop sitting strength - take the chair to therapy with you and ask her therapist for her ideas on how to use it for the reasons you want.
On the other topic, I'll email you a bit - but you might be expecting too much too fast. Again, I will urge you to rely on the therapists that work with her directly.
Posted by: The Barbara who lives here | October 31, 2009 at 11:43 AM