Simply being taught what positions are best is not enough, its important to understand the principle of what is happening so you can influence how your child moves through any position. It is normal to feel stiffer when you are over excited, angry, scared or about to move. Watching your child you will notice specific times your child gets stiffer. Do the hands close more when you are sitting or the legs get tighter when you pick them up? Optimally we want your child to feel relaxed and move with more control. Look out for positions where your child can do more and avoid positions of stiffness. Then during physio we help to problem solve ways to move. Perhaps lifting them makes them stiff? This may be anticipation of movement that makes them stiff – so move slowly and tell them what you are about to do before you pick them up. Holding your child with more support and practicing the movement may also help with stiffness. These relaxed postures give feedback to the brain about more effective movement.
