ABOUT THE TRAINING
Children and young people with cerebral palsy at GMFCS Levels IV and V are at high risk of developing complex postural problems that impact comfort, health, eating and drinking, participation, and quality of life. Most live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where access to appropriate postural support devices is limited and therapists often have little access to up-to-date training and information. Although the importance of good postural management is widely recognised, it is frequently not prioritised, inconsistently applied, and rarely integrated into daily care.
Effective postural management is not about expensive equipment. It is rather about understanding posture and postural patterns, anticipating secondary complications, strong clinical reasoning, and appropriate, context-relevant solutions.
Our objectives in planning this training:
- Understand the core principles of 24 hour postural management (seating and lying) for children with GMFCS IV–V.
- Learn how to assess postural patterns and identify postural risk
- Develop clinical reasoning skills for solving complex postural problems.
- Explore low-cost and locally feasible postural management solutions.
Questions participants wanted answered:
- How do I assess posture properly?
- What can I do with very little or no equipment?
- What if the child already has severe deformity or high tone?
- How do I manage posture across the whole day?
- Which devices or APT solutions should I use—and how do I choose?
- How does posture link to feeding, participation and communication?
We have all seen the consequences of not taking postural management seriously – this does not have to be the case!!
Together let us turn the tide and ensure that the children, youth and adults we serve remain comfortable and painfree and able to participate!
Access the recordings below:
Presentations
This webinar focuses on the practical assessment of posture; principles of supported lying, sitting and standing; problem-solving complex postural needs and low-cost solutions , including Appropriate Paper Technology (APT) that have been successfully used in resource-constrained setting.
Welcome and Setting the Scene
Presenter:
Dr. Gillian Saloojee is a South African paediatric physiotherapist with a special interest in cerebral palsy. She is the Founder and former Executive Director of Malamulele Onward and up until recently, worked as an early intervention consultant for UNICEF in Uganda, Peru, and Bulgaria. She is the former Chairperson of SA-ChilD, serves on the IAACD Executive and Best Practice Committees, and is an honorary senior lecturer in the Physiotherapy Department at the Wits University.
Postural Management: Standing
Presenter:
Kabi Krige is a Johannesburg-based Occupational Therapist with a passion for paediatrics and family-centred care. She has 15 years of experience across public health, private practice, schools, and the non-profit sector. Kabi is co-founder of Sukumani Dream, an NPO providing affordable standing frames to children in resource-constrained communities, while empowering caregivers with practical strategies to support c
Postural Management: Seating and Sitting
Presenter:
Dr. Elsje Scheffler is a physiotherapist based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, with over 25 years of experience in disability and wheelchair service delivery. She has consulted for WHO and UNICEF on wheelchair services and standards, co-authored the WHO wheelchair service training packages, and led the South African training packages. She is committed to improving wheelchair provision through education and practice.
Postural Management: Assistive Devices
Presenter:
Daniel Meyer is a Swiss orthotist with 28 years of humanitarian experience. In 2006, he and his physiotherapist wife, Anika, founded Timion in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. Timion designs and produces affordable assistive devices for children with disabilities in underserved communities. From humble beginnings, the organisation has grown into a well-established workshop providing quality disability equipment across South Africa.
Postural Management: Supported Lying
Presenter:
Sarah Clayton is an internationally recognised leader in supported lying and therapeutic positioning with nearly 30 years of experience. Originally trained as a biologist, she combines professional expertise with lived experience as the mother of a young woman with a complex brain injury. She co-created the sterno-spinal line model and champions evidence-informed approaches that improve health, comfort, and participation.
Q and A with the Presenters
Access the resources referenced during the presentations by clicking the link below
RESOURCES
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