DIY Positioning Equipment
In this resource, we are detailing the low cost solutions to help school-age children reap the benefits of prone and quadruped.
APTA Pediatrics Annual Conference -November 2024
The Physical Therapists in the Deafblind School at Perkins School for the Blind presented a research poster at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Annual Conference in November of 2024. The purpose of the poster was to share information about low-cost positioning equipment that has been created and utilized here at Perkins through collaboration between the PTs and the Assistive Device Center (ADC).
Information from the research poster is shared here to be used as a resource for any provider or family member hoping to help children reap the benefits of prone and quadruped positioning. The poster has a section of our case study “Johnny” that depicts our student’s progression of using prone and quadruped. This article contains DIY instructions which can be found in the Equipment Instructions section below.
Purpose
There are limited options for commercially available positioning equipment focused on the development of crawling skills, and the options available can be expensive and quickly outgrown. Physical therapists working with children with developmental delays need low-cost and easily-implemented solutions to target these skills.
Description
In order to fulfill the need for appropriately-sized positioning equipment for the majority of school-age children, therapists brainstormed how to use easily accessible materials to maximize treatment effectiveness. In collaboration with the on-campus Assistive Device Center, devices were created to work on prone extension, pivoting, creeping and quadruped positioning and weight shifting.
Summary of Use
The team developed the Prone Box, Pivot Plate, Pedi Reformer, Crawler, and updated the PVC frame. This equipment is now integrated into direct therapy sessions targeting skills ranging from prone tolerance to crawling. Each piece of equipment follows the developmental sequence and can be adjusted to fit the child.
Importance to Members
While we recognize that not all children will crawl, pre-crawling positioning and skills help to build the foundation of many fine and gross motor skills down the road. Children with motor delays often require greater time and attention to achieve quadruped, creeping and crawling. Commercially available devices are commonly used for infants and toddlers to facilitate these skills through exploration and play. However, as children with delayed gross motor skills grow, the commercial devices become too small; facilitating prone extension, quadruped positioning, creeping and crawling then requires more laborious hands-on support. By fabricating cost-effective devices for individuals of any size, pediatric physical therapists can help the children they serve explore and play to achieve the benefits of developmental positioning.
Equipment
Prone Box
Encourages anti-gravity head control through prone extension in a midline position
Pivot plate
Facilitates reciprocal movement in a supported prone position through pivoting rather than rolling
Pedi Reformer
Promotes weight bearing in supported quadruped and provides opportunities for anterior propulsion
Crawler
Allows movement with reduced external stability and more degrees of freedom
PVC Frame
Supports access to motivating materials in a predictable location across developmental positions
Equipment Instructions
In the downloadable document below, we cover six instructions for the DIY positioing equipment. This guide includes instructions for PVC frame, resonance board, prone box, pedi reformer, crawler, and pivot plate.
Photo Gallery
Check out our photo gallery of our students using the equipment.
Questions?
Should you have any question or would like to get more information on this project, please contact us!
Alysha L. Croke, PT, DPT, PCS – [email protected]
Lauren Kling, PT, DPT – [email protected]
Michelle Sousa, PT, DPT – [email protected]
Emily Weber, PT, DPT – [email protected]
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