Comment: How postural support products can provide more than just postural support
Postural support products play an incredibly important role, providing a whole host of incredible benefits that extend far beyond simply providing postural support. Holly Jenkins, Director of Jenx, the leading manufacturer of postural support products for children, explains all in this article…
It’s common for people to view our products as pieces of furniture or a safe place to put a child. But what many people don’t realise is the fact postural support products are actually therapeutic devices. And when they are used to develop a child’s postural skills, the ripple effect is incredibly powerful – in school and in their relationships with everyone around them. Their overall cognitive development is enhanced because they’re no longer having to concentrate on how uncomfortable they feel or how unstable they are.
Opening up children’s worlds
For children with disabilities, getting access to the right support is life-changing. Good anatomical support for growing bones and muscles, opportunities to weight bear and build bone density, and support to facilitate the healthy functioning of body systems are all absolutely essential to the child’s wellbeing.
However, excellent support provides these benefits as a minimum. The real magic happens when the equipment not only supports a child in all of these areas, but opens up their world. This is achieved by viewing each and every child as an individual, with their own unique set of interests and aspirations.
Designing with the whole child in mind
We know that excellence in postural support is the minimum requirement, which sits at the heart of our design and development process. We then build out from this point by focusing on the things that make a difference to inclusion and function.
For instance, our products for pre-school children are designed to be fun and appealing while our range for older children comes in a range of colours to give children the freedom to choose their favourite. Meanwhile, height adjustment on our seating systems means that children can interact with peers at eye level whether they are doing floor-based activities or working at a table.
We also prioritise comfort because we know that in order to be able to focus on playing, communicating and learning, children need to ideally be experiencing minimal pain and discomfort. We help make this happen by using measures, such as tightly controlling the chemical composition of our PU pads to create the right amount of support (not too firm or hard) or using memory foam seats and covers.
Transforming children’s lives, one Dreama at a time
Our night-time positioning system, Dreama, is a prime example of the impact postural support products can have on children’s lives. Over the last 40 years, the system has literally transformed the lives of thousands of children and families worldwide.
It is designed to make sure that people at risk of body shape deformities get the support they need overnight, so the work that is done with positioning and therapy during the day is not undone by damaging positions that take hold at night. The system can be configured to support the most complex postures and, as a result, can be used by children of all ages.
The future of postural support products
While many of today’s postural support products are already ground-breaking, there are still so many areas in which they can be developed to provide children with even wider support and further enrich their lives.
For example, advancements in materials and manufacturing techniques are capable of making products more robust and versatile and therefore able to accommodate a wider range of needs. And, of course, given the digital era in which we now live, the prospect of adding AI into the mix is an incredibly exciting and undoubtedly game-changing option.
But in terms of the here and now, and as we celebrate our fourth decade of manufacturing, our focus remains firmly on the child and giving them access to opportunities and skills that nature hasn’t given them naturally. Postural support products are invaluable tools that enable therapists to treat and work more easily with children, and for children to celebrate new successes, postural and non-postural, that shape their entire world.
