Try This Stick Trick for Standing Balance 👶🏻🧹 | Pediatric PT for Down Syndrome #97

Helping a Young Child with Down Syndrome — Standing Balance Holding a Stick (Everett, age 2y 3m) | Pediatric Physical Therapy (PT) with Amy Sturkey @pediatricPTexercises Thank you to Everett’s family for welcoming me back to share his progress! Everett 🧑🏻‍🦰 has Down syndrome, was born almost 2 months premature, had corrective heart surgery ❤️‍🩹, and has a G-tube. In this session (age 2 years 3 months), I show how I work on his standing balance using a simple broomstick instead of relying on me or furniture. ✋🏼🧹💪🏽 What you’ll see in this video Everett can stand with support, but he often leans his chest on furniture with stiff legs and bent hips. To help him stand more upright and use his own muscles, I create a setup that encourages balance without letting him rest on a surface. In this video, I: Sit on the couch behind him, using my knees at his hips for support Let him hold a cleaned broomstick with both hands Fade my hip support gradually Encourage upright posture with only hand support Add gentle movement (up/down, side-to-side) to activate balance reactions As I reduce my involvement, the broomstick becomes his only support, prompting more core, leg, and balance activation. Why this helps 🌟 This activity helps develop: Balance reactions and postural control ⚖️ Upright alignment instead of leaning Dynamic weight shifting Core and hip activation for early walking readiness 💪🏼 Confidence standing without adult hands 🙌🏾 A broomstick provides slight instability, which encourages active balance rather than passive leaning. Practical tips for parents & therapists Use a lightweight, smooth stick or broom handle. Sit or kneel behind your child to offer safe hip support. Let them hold the stick while you assist at their hips to start. Fade your support gradually. Add small stick movements to activate balance. Practice on a non-slip surface and be ready to help if needed. Great for children who tend to lean their chest on furniture while standing. ⚠️ IMPORTANT These videos are educational and not a replacement for in-person pediatric physical therapy. Every child is unique. Please consult a local pediatric therapist for individualized recommendations. 📺 Everett playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjPqgM4rbEV8G1bMdC1Dyzaw 📬 Contact / More info Email: amysturkey@gmail.com Website: https://www.pediatricPTexercises.com 📚 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 ADHD — 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 PT Books (Amazon) Strengthening Exercises for the Hips — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 Strengthening Exercises for the Knees — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD 🧏🏽‍♀️ Captions To turn on captions: click CC. To change language: Settings (⚙️) → Subtitles/CC. 🔔 Subscribe Subscribe to @pediatricPTexercises and tap the 🔔 for updates. 📍 Chapters 00:00 – Intro (music only) 00:07 – Meet Everett 00:18 – Why leaning isn’t enough 00:30 – Starting with hip support 00:40 – Using the broomstick 🧹 00:57 – Fading hip support 01:14 – Standing with only the stick 01:37 – Adding movement 02:04 – Building dynamic balance 02:17 – Flexible balance skills 02:22 – Closing + subscribe 🔔 Image background on the thumbnail is by Freepik