SMA & Hip Dysplasia? Why We Chose the Leckey Squiggles Stander 👨🏻‍🦰🦴| SMA Pediatric PT #25

👋🏽 Hi, I’m Amy Sturkey, a retired pediatric physical therapist with over 35 years of experience. In this video, I introduce you to my co-instructor, Cillian 👨🏻‍🦰, who is 2 years, 3 months old and has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1. Cillian was diagnosed through newborn screening and treated early with both Risdiplam and Zolgensma. He also has scoliosis and hip dysplasia, which makes positioning and weight-bearing especially important in his therapy program. Today, I’m showing Cillian in his new Leckey Squiggles Stander: https://www.leckey.com/products/squiggles-stander I am not affiliated with Leckey and receive no financial benefit from this link or product mention. 💡 Why Standing Matters Children who are not yet walking independently still need opportunities for weight-bearing through their hips. Dynamic standing helps support hip development, positioning, bone health, and joint alignment. The Leckey Squiggles Stander allows positioning in abduction (legs apart), which research suggests may help improve hip coverage and reduce hip migration risk when used consistently. 📘 Cillian’s Medical & Therapy Background Cillian received: • Risdiplam by day 5 of life • Zolgensma at 5 weeks old • Restarted Risdiplam at 10 months old He has also been diagnosed with: • Nystagmus • Cranial asymmetry • Scoliosis • Hip dysplasia Cillian began physical therapy at 3 months of age and currently receives: • Physical therapy • Occupational therapy • Feeding therapy 🚗 Session Focus In this session, I discuss: • Dynamic weight-bearing through the hips • Hip positioning in abduction • Upright standing alignment • Head and trunk support • Daily standing tolerance and progression 🧠 What I Look For in Standing I like to check whether: • The head is over the shoulders • The shoulders are over the hips • The hips are over the knees • The body is reasonably upright Cillian is also wearing a TLSO (thoracolumbosacral orthosis) to help support his trunk due to scoliosis. This stander includes: • Adjustable hip abduction • Head and chest support • A supine loading position for easier transfers • Upright positioning for standing tolerance His family reports that this stander is relatively easy to get him into and that he tolerates it well. He currently stands about an hour and a half a day and is working toward approximately 10 hours per week. 💙 Why This Matters Children with SMA often need carefully supported opportunities to: • Bear weight safely 🧑🏿‍🦽 • Maintain hip alignment 👩🏽‍🦱 • Build standing tolerance 👨🏾 • Support bone and joint development 👩🏻‍🦰 Standing programs are usually built gradually over time based on the child’s comfort, endurance, and medical needs. 👉🏽 Watch the full Cillian playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjOBUy-rQKVN5ACa37e72liK ⚠️ Important Note These videos are educational and are not a replacement for in-person pediatric physical therapy. Every child is unique. Please consult a licensed pediatric therapist before trying new exercises. I cannot provide individualized treatment without an in-person evaluation. 🌐 Contact / Learn More Website: https://www.pediatricPTexercises.com Facebook: Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises Email: amysturkey@gmail.com 📚 Books by Amy Sturkey, PT Children’s Educational Books (Amazon) • P is for Poop and Pee Accidents — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSRJ483 • A is for Anxiety — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LXQ3W6V • A is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QH9H5HR • C is for Cerebral Palsy — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088TSJCYP • D is for Down Syndrome — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8HH49 • A is for Autism — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F4FFTB Professional Pediatric Physical Therapy Books (Amazon) • Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 • Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees — http://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 • Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD 💬 Captions / Accessibility Captions were reviewed and corrected for clarity and accuracy. To turn on captions: click CC To change languages: ⚙️ Settings → Subtitles/CC → Auto-translate → choose your language