PT Walker Help

tiffany0727

Hey ladies.  My son just got a "postural" walker from PT (https://www.acaciamedical.com.au/products/paediatric/mobility-standing-frames.php).  I tried everything the PT suggested to get him to use it, but he won't use it.  He just think it's a car and will lay on his belly rolling it around on the floor.  He has very low muscle tone and external hydro.  Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to like it?  If he would use it, I know he would love the freedom!  Thanks for any advice.

MummyGruetzie

One of DDs walkers look like this. Is he weight bearing or standing holding on to something yet? or pulling to stand? Does his walker have a chest harness or sling for him to sit in? Did the PT use it at all with him before she left you alone with it? I'd think she would have needed to see him to at least adjust the settings to the right place.

... Not sure if I'm reading your post right, but it sounds like he doesn't know how to get to standing position to walk with it or maybe have a concept of what he's even supposed to do with it. Most kids are used to seeing others walk with out assistive devices so showing them deliberately what its for is a big part of teaching them to use it. You can do this either by literally standing him up and placing his hands on the hand bars--one person can walk behind to make sure his hands don't fall off while another adult walks in front stimulating him with some favorite toy (essentially a motivator to "chase" after) or if he hasn't learned a gait pattern yet you may need the 2nd adult to move his legs while the first holds up his torso. Generally you do this in short spurts so that you don't completely wear the child out and keep them motivated. Another idea is making sure that every time you use the walker you have a goal in mind for where he is going. Ie. In the beginning put an activity table or large toy just a few feet away so that he can reach the activity and feel instant reward. As he learns the concept of the walker and his new found mobility (which may take a little while to get) you would gradually increase the distance of the places he could go. Maybe the kitchen table for lunch time, his bedroom for his nap, etc. In the beginning, though, there is typically a lot of you bending over and either pushing/pulling the walker or ensuring that he is steady on his feet depending on where he is motorically. One last thought--if DS has a favorite stuffed animal it may be a good idea to demonstrate to him that the stuffed animal is going to walk with the walker as well and that Gyro the Giraffe gets to play with his toys when he moves his feet like this in his walker towards his toys. We also used to work specifically with DD on getting up to her walker. First we started from a stool. Where she sat next to it and pulled to stand. Gradually we lowered her starting point to the floor, where that was the point where she had to pull up from.  

If the issue is that he is not weight bearing yet, that'd be the first step to work on (unless your walker has a chest harness that will support him). I'm guessing your PT wouldn't have given you the walker if he isn't able to stand with support, though. Hopefully your PT will give you more suggestions that are specific to your son at the next session so that he can really take in his new mobility. Have fun!  

tiffany0727

Thanks for the reply!  He can pull up to stand and he cruses.  He doesn't weight bare all the time.  At 16 months he started finally baring weight to walk while holding onto our fingers.  He is almost 18 months now.  His legs are very weak and shake if he's standing for too long.

 

You got it.  He doesn't really know what to do with it.  It doesn't have chest straps.  It's just like the first one on that link.  It's just a walker.  She has it set to where he can't go backwards yet.  He has pulled up on it once.  I've put it near him when he is cruising on the sofa and he has supported himself using it, but I think he's really afraid to use it.  He doesn't like anything that throws his balance off or something that makes his legs feel unsteady, I guess.  She adjusted the walker to fit him and I guess she felt he would take off with it, but he hasn't yet.  My husband and I will use the walker around to house and he thinks it funny.  Tried showing him how to use it, like you suggested, with Elmo and he thought it was funny too.  Thanks for the other suggestions.  Will give them a try. Building his confidence seems really hard to do.  He's so afraid to do things on his own.  He's afraid he'll fall, I suppose.

kar5162

I wonder if it's really supportive enough for him right now? It took several months before DS would really use his walker. He didn't seem to "get it" at first. We had much better luck using it outside where he wouldn't normally be able to crawl/cruise. Short straightaways like at the zoo. We'd put him down and in it several feet away from something and he would walk there. Inside he seemed to think it was really just an inconvenience. Now he runs with it.

MaxandRuby

Is this a walker that he pushes in front of him or pulls from behind? What things did your PT suggest?

DS2 uses a Snug Seat Gator which is a reverse walker/gait trainer (you pull it from behind you). I find the Kaye walkers to be extremely light weight. Maybe he would prefer a walker with more weight and it would make him feel more stable. Maybe he needs some of the other supports to feel more comfortable/stable also. I don't know. It took months for DS2 to start using his walker and he now (sometimes) requests it. Honestly, he is most interested in using it at daycare...where he has NT children that he can "chase". He can't use it for long periods of time though and I would assume from your description that he may tire easily also.

When DS2 started with the walker we would actually walk on our knees behind him (we were in the house on carpet) and we would hold his hips stable while he walked. It also helped if he had some sort of motivation in front of him (say for instance, DH was helping him walk while I was standing in front of him - I was his motivation).