Activities to help your child learn to stand and walk

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HealthWiki > Helping Children Who Are Blind > Activities to help your child learn to stand and walk

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

To help your child learn to stand

Let's bounce up and down, Natife.

Hold him in a standing position on your lap. Bounce him up and down a little so he gets used to feeling where his feet are. Also move him gently from side to side so he learns to shift his weight.

Keep pulling, Anil. There you go!

Sit on the ground with your legs apart. Encourage your child to hold onto your body and pull himself into a kneeling position, and then to stand up.

Put toys he likes on a chair or table and encourage him to pull himself up to get them. Or put your hands on his hips to help him up.

Up you go,Viku!

I'm holding you, Manuel. You can sit down.

To help your child lower himself from a standing position to a sitting position, support his bottom as he lowers himself to the floor.

To help your child learn to walk

Come to me, Thet Nay, for a big hug.

Encourage your child to walk back and forth, holding onto a piece of furniture. This will also help him learn where different things are in the house.

Let’s walk to the table, Pablo. Everyone’s ready for supper.

When his balance is better, hold one of his hands and walk with him.

Be patient. It takes a long time for a child to feel safe walking without holding on to anything.

Let him start walking alone by pushing a simple walker, chair, or box. Put some weight in the box or chair so he has to push harder and so it does not move too fast.

Once your child is walking, be sure to think about possible dangers in your home and the area around it, and how to make walking safer.

To help your child learn to walk up and down stairs

Hold the rail, Fernando, so you won't hurt yourself.

To help your child walk up stairs, encourage him to stand up and hold onto the rail and move one step at a time. Later, teach him how to go down the stairs too.

To help your child use his arms for guidance

As your child gets older, he can learn to use his arms to guide and protect himself while walking.

This boy's hand is touching the wall for guidance.

At home, he can use the back of his hand to follow a wall, the edge of a table, or other objects.

In other places he can hold one hand in front of his face, with his palm facing away from his body. This hand protects his face and head. He should hold his other hand about waist high, to protect the rest of his body.

When he falls, teach him to protect himself by putting out his hands and bending his knees as he falls. This will keep him from hurting his head.

Accidents will happen just as they do to children who can see. But it is important to let your child do things for himself, to learn to be independent.

To help your child learn to use a stick (cane)

A child can start learning to use a stick whenever he seems ready, usually when he is 3 or 4 years old. Using a stick can help a child feel more comfortable when walking in new places.

The stick should be thin and light, but strong enough so it does not break easily. The top of the stick can be curved or straight.

It should be tall enough to almost reach your child's shoulders.

With practice, it can also help him walk faster, with long, sure steps. This is because he can feel further ahead with a stick than with his hands or feet.

Keep your arm straight, Kiran.	As the stick touches the ground on the left side, Kiran, move your right foot forward.
At first, have your child lightly touch the ground in front of him with the stick as he walks. Stop before he gets tired. 5 to 10 minutes is enough at first.	As he gets used to using the stick, teach him to move it from side to side, lightly touching the ground. The width of the swing should be a little more than the width of his shoulders.

Your child can also use a stick to help him go up and down stairs and curbs:

YES	NO
Teach him to hold the stick like this to feel the height and position of each step.	Do not hold the stick like this! The step may make the stick stop suddenly and hit him in the stomach.