Is it ok to let you child W sit?

W sitting is a stage that a lot of kids go through, but is it ok?

W sitting is something that adults often strive to do in yoga class.  For most of us it is very difficult because of tight muscles and the way our hips are structured.

W sitting in children is concerning because they go through such large growth spurts often.  W sitting actually changes the way a child's hip bones grow.  For most kids they go through a stage of W sitting if they do it at all but they are able to move in and out of it and sit in different ways also.  For the majority of children W sitting doesn't end up being a problem, but for some it is the reason that many children get stuck with their milestones and can't progress to standing or walking.

When children are only able to W sit it poses a problem because along with changing the way the hip bones grow it also allows a child to sit without using their trunk muscles for balance.  So, a child doesn't learn how to balance in sitting which in turn makes it hard for them to balance in other positions as well.

When I get a new referral for a child who is having difficulty learning to walk and they W sit - their sitting position is the first thing we start to work on.  By changing their sitting position they strengthen their trunk muscles and hip muscles to be able to then work on standing and walking.

If your child W sits but moves in and out of it and can sit easily in other positions its a good idea to encourage them to sit in the other positions such as criss-cross or with their legs straight out.

If your child can only sit in a W position help them slowly learn new positions and become comfortable in them by:

1. Change their legs for them to criss-cross or straight legged.
   
2. Tell them to "change their legs" along with changing their legs so eventually they will be able to change their position by themselves.
3. Ask your doctor to check your child's hips at your next appointment to ensure their hips aren't dislocating at all and their joints seem to be forming well.
4. Call your local Early Intervention office to get support from a Physical Therapist.

W sitting is hard to change in the beginning, so you will feel that you are always changing your child's legs or telling them to "change their legs", but with time they will be able to sit in other positions and strengthen their muscles at the same time.