Case study: A simple chair helps young boy to feel supported and participate in family life
AAT GB’s foam positioning system, the Gravity Chair, is helping a nine-year-old boy to feel safe and supported while enabling him to participate in family life with ease.
When parenting a child with a disability, one of the biggest problems can be balancing family life, ensuring that the child does not feel excluded.
For paediatric therapy support practitioner and mother Sam Reid, the answer to the problem has been a chair. Specifically, one of AAT GB’s Gravity Chairs for her son, Stanley.
Stanley, aged nine, has an undiagnosed neuromuscular condition. It means he fatigues easily and struggles to maintain a seating position when tired. As a result, he often ends up lying on the sofa or bed while his siblings play.
Stanley’s occupational therapist (OT) in West Somerset, Tracy Potter, knew of the Gravity Chair and arranged a trial to see if the foam positioning system would help with her client’s comfort and energy levels.
Explains Sam: “We love the Gravity Chair! Stanley is so comfortable in it that he hasn’t sat in any other chair since. He feels safe and supported. It helps him conserve his energy, enabling him to rest whilst still being part of family life and then giving him that boost to participate.
“As it’s lightweight, we can easily move it to wherever we need, even into the garden, so he’s been able to spend much more time with his siblings. I’ve told numerous friends about it, especially in the special needs community, who are now also considering it for their children.”
The Gravity Chair is designed to positively harness the natural forces of gravity, providing a stable, supported environment.
The deep, inclined seat provides a low centre of gravity to naturally encourage a stable, non-restrictive seating position and naturally aligned posture.
High armrests support the elbows forward, helping reduce muscle tension in the shoulders and enabling fine motor control activities. Snug lateral supports help maintain seated symmetry.
The structure of the seat allows muscle contortion to be accommodated without putting the occupant at risk. It helps alleviate discomfort from spasm and involuntary movement, providing a safe and non-restrictive seating option to ease deformities and contractures. An optional tilt wedge can finitely adjust inclination of the chair to individual user needs.
An optional removable side pocket further provides storage for aids and devices. Sound devices can be similarly attached to provide sensory support.
The seat is upholstered in 100 percent cotton with a mesh insert to allow the body to breathe. The Gravity Chair can be wiped down or washed as necessary.