Ergonomics for Children

Ergonomic Seating for Children

Can we be candid here? Children don't sit like adults.

• Children have a natural vitality that can be preserved if parents understand how.
• Whilst adults usually sit passively in chairs and build up "static person" illnesses over time.

In consequence

• Children up to the age of 8 are best matched to a very different type of furniture to that which keeps adults healthy.
• During that age span, there is no need for movement in the chair.
• The Tripp Trapp is perfect for 6 months to 8 years after which see the Move Stool
• These chairs let the child's natural poise win. Children adore them.

Our research shows that Children above 8 are starting to be slumped and passive, and it can become a habit... just as it has for most of our adult customers with back pain.

• So above 8 years and through adulthood chairs should encourage and enhance movement and natural balance.
• A rocking kneeling chair is our perfect match for a ten-year-old through to teendom.
• For A-levels and higher-level studies, the sitting time can become outrageous and its vital to keep as much movement as possible.
• The Actulum is really popular if money allows it. Or use a gadget to modify chairs.
• We make a great posture pack for example and other options exist.
• Our belief is that movement is more important than posture for growing bodies ... so make the chair move.
• If you are interested in children's seating options see links at bottom of this page.

NB There are still a few old voices out there that preach conventional ergonomics for children. We've found their theories are ineffective in practice for children... and we've supplied over 100.000 children's chairs to rave reviews.

• We've repeated below conventional advice for you to read.
• Chances are you won't get past the second or third paragraph.
• It's dry stuff and not the type of thing a child will follow either.

People used to believe: Always work in the Neutral Posture.

The modern approach: Move! Move move move. Movement and variety are so much more important that "perfect posture"

Upper body posture
What the old school methods told us: Back supported by chair (sitting back in chair with back >90 and well supported)
Chair seat should not press behind the knees
What the old school methods told us: Feet firmly on a surface for support (floor/footrest)
Head balanced on neck (not tilted back or too far forwards)
What the old school methods told us: Popliteal angle > 90° (i.e. angle behind the knees should be open)
Upper arms close to body and relaxed (not abducted to the side or flexed forward)
What the old school methods told us: Elbow angle > 90° (forearm below horizontal) - Wrist neutral (<15°) (wrist/hand level with forearm)

What the old school methods told us: Organize a Normal Work Area - The normal work area is the space that can easily be reached by your child while s/he is sitting comfortably in the chair without her/him having to unduly bend or twist their body. Bring those items that your child uses most while working at the computer within this normal work area. If you child types from a text document or book, make sure that this is placed in a document holder and that it is as close to the screen as you can get it so that your child doesn't have to twist her/his head unnecessarily.

What we now know to be true: Check the Computer Screen Position

The computer screen should be positioned so that your child can comfortably view the screen without having to noticeably tilt her/his neck backwards or forwards. If the screen is too high, your child's neck will be tipped backwards, and if it is too low it will be bent forwards. You should change the height and angle of the screen to avoid these postures.

What the old school methods tell us: Workstation furniture and equipment

What the old school methods tell us: a comfortable chair - use a height-adjustable chair with a comfortable seat and good back support

What we now know to be true: Use a stable desk/worksurface - make sure that your child is working with a computer that is placed on a stable work surface. Use a negative slope/tilt-down keyboard system for a height-adjustable keyboard/mouse platform check the fit of the keyboard and mouse to the size of your child's hands. If your child has small hands then consider using a smaller keyboard for a better fit.

What the old school methods told us: Glare-free screen -

What we now know to be true: Check that the computer screen is free from glare spots (bright lights). To do this you may have to reposition the screen or adjust the room lighting. Make sure that there is sufficient light on any paper documents that your child is reading by using a freestanding adjustable brightness task light.

What we now know to be true: Manage computer use time

The risks of any postural problems associated with computer use depend upon the length of time that your child uses the computer without taking a rest break and doing something else. You can "watch the clock" to regulate your child's computer use

Children's Special Concerns

Although children have the same needs as adults when it comes to keyboarding, they also have some unique needs:

• A child, especially a very young one, may not be very aware of their seated position therefore, it is especially important for the adult to notice and try to correct the child's posture. 
• What we now know to be true:BACK IN ACTION VIEW: A child naturally balances and is unaware of their posture..it's natural as long as adults don't destroy it by sitting children in the wrong type of chairs.
• Children may respond more to images than to writing when it comes to learning about the ideal workstation posture. Pin up "before" and "after" pictures of workstations by their desk.  
• What we now know to be true: Children, especially the younger ones, have smaller hands than adults. A conventional keyboard may be too large for him/her. There is computer hardware available on the market today that is especially designed for children's small hands.
• Children may find it more difficult than adults to know when to take breaks from typing or surfing the web. Thus, monitoring your child is very important.   
• What we now know to be true: BIA comment: Yes But..sit them on furniture that moves and the need for variety and monitoring decrease greatly.
• Being able to adjust chairs, monitors, desks, etc., is very important for children to know how to do in order to be comfortable. Be sure that they understand and are physically strong enough to do so (some mechanisms are even difficult for adults). 
• What we now know to be true: BIA : Far better to use furniture that needs no adjustment.
• Adjustability is absolutely essential when a family shares a computer workstation.   
• What we now know to be true: BIA... mmmm. Some types of furniture can cope and best to ask us for advice.
• What we now know to be true: A chair needs to be chosen that will place the student at a height such that when the elbows are bent to 90 degrees and the upper arms are relaxed at the sides of the body, the keys are right under the fingers. For most children, this will mean use of a higher chair and their feet will not be supported. 
• What we now know to be true: BIA: sloping chairs allow higher sitting and still with foot to floor contact.

What about using a laptop?

What we now know to be true: Children and young adults with small hands may find that the smaller laptop keyboard is easier to use than a regular keyboard. Those with larger hands may find it uncomfortable. The basics shown for desktop computers above, also apply to laptop use ...

• Keep the upper arms relaxed at the side of the body
• Bend the elbows to about 90 degrees
• Keep the wrists straight
• Change position every 15-20 minutes and take a complete break to get up and move your body every 30-60 minutes.

If your hands are large and using the laptop keyboard is uncomfortable, plug in a regular keyboard. You can also plug in a regular mouse.
Some students will find that looking down at the laptop screen is comfortable while others may find that it bothers their neck. If it bothers you, when you can, plug in a regular monitor and place it so that the top of the screen is at or below eye level.
Laptops are great for allowing you to change position...you don't always have to sit at a desk but keep the basics, above, in mind.