Homework desk/chair for DS with possible ADHD

[ocelot41]

DS (7) has attention issues and finds it impossible to sit still. He likes a lot of sensory feedback (pressure) on back and feels the need to push or kick with his feet. He doesn't really get on with a wobble cushion (ends up being thrown across the room). We are working with Ed Psych to work out how best to support him, but one thing we have been advised to do is get a homework desk and solid back chair where he can get his feet on the floor to feel 'grounded'.

I could then tie a bungee cord or exercise around the bottom or look for an under table bicycle thingie. But other than school suppliers most shops just seem to do stools or grown up style office chairs which spin round...and round. Help me oh wise MNetters!

I would trawl the charity shops for a solid dining or kitchen chair as long as his legs are long enough.
If not, then ask the school if they have a child size one you could borrow off them for a bit.
The other thing worth trying is sitting him on a beanbag type cushion - he gets the sensory feedback without bouncing off the chair. (I mean turning a lap tray upside down, or making one from an old cushion cover or something, to use as a seat pad, not suggesting he'd be able to write sitting on a bean bag instead of a chair.

I don't know how practical it would be, but I did see a photo a teacher put up on the internet once of a chair they had made to help pupils needing sensory feedback.... let me see if I can find it...Here you go

I go the opposite way with quite a number of my kids at school. We put wobble boards under their feet which sounds like it would work for your DS if he needs to kick. They are only a tenner on amazon. We also tie bungee cord to the chairs so they can pull on it.

I really want www.southpaw.co.uk/zuma-rockers-88-c.asp rocking chairs. They are so comfy! Sadly they are too expensive for a school.

The other thing you could try is a standing desk.

Thanks so much Lowdoor. The school said the main thing is to get his feet flat on the floor, as if they are dangling the wiggles are much worse. He really struggles with handwriting and trying to write with the wiggles is virtually impossible. I am trying to find some way of giving him movement with his feet, without too much joggling up and down in order to help him get his writing legible

I find the wobble boards work fine for that. It might be worth trying in at home. The kids can be paddling away madly with their feet but their upper body is still stable. We have these

Personally I don't think getting rid of wriggling is a realistic aim, so it's better to channel it in a way that doesn't impact on the shoulder girdle.

Is his core strength and bi-lateral co-ordination OK? A lot of our kids have exercises for that. Crawling and using scooter boards is often on the care plan. Write-dance is another thing.

I presume he already has a sloped desk top?

The other thing we do is switch them onto typing early. We do still practise handwriting for future form filling and shopping list writing, but the main bulk of their literacy is word processed. Even SATs can be done on a word processor. There is no point holding up grammar and composition development for the sake of a motor/ praxis delay.

Brilliant - thanks for the tips. No slope has been recommended to me yet so will give it a go - and keyboarding!