Introduction

Learning to sit does not just happen. It is a process that requires experience. Many factors influence a child’s ability to sit independently. Infants must gain the strength and control to extend their spine while holding their head and trunk upright and steady. They must also learn to balance their head and trunk over their base of support with and without perturbations. This course will demonstrate how sitting is learned through practice in many environments and in response to different challenges.

Aims

The general aim of this course is to provide an overview of how infants learn to sit, starting from early sitting supported on a caregiver's lap to independent sitting with good balance. A second aim is to highlight the many factors that influence learning to sit, the role of experience and the important link between learning to sit and the development of hand function.

Outline

This course is made up of videos, reading, forum posts and a final quiz. The course content is split into the following sections:

1. Video
2. Reading activity
3. Quiz

Target audience

This course is aimed at rehabilitation professionals, students and assistants including but not limited to Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Rehabilitation Doctors, Rehabilitation Nurses, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Psychologists, Audiologists, Dietetics, Social Workers. Community Health Workers, Nurses or Medical Doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.