HOW TO PERFORM SAFE LIFTS WITHOUT HURTING YOURSELF OR YOUR CHILD

It often happens when a child just plops down on the floor of aisle 7 of the grocery store, screaming at the top of his lungs and simply refusing to get up off the floor. Not knowing right away what his needs may be, especially if he is non-verbal, further exacerbates the situation, leading the parent and child to become more frustrated at the circumstance.

At times like this, a parent may quickly and forcefully lift their child off the floor in ways that may cause more harm than good if not done properly, for both the child and the caregiver. Not only are safe lifts helpful in mitigating the embarrassment of public tantrums but they are also crucial when trying to remove your child off the floor during emergencies or any unsafe situation. Regardless of your child’s age and weight, here are 3 safe lifts to help you get your child off the floor safely and efficiently.

Before we get into the techniques of the lifts,  keep in mind that it is important to always inform your child what is about to happen and why to facilitate compliancy: “I am going to help you stand up because this is not a safe place to sit.” Always make sure your own body mechanics are safe before lifting your child: ie do not, I repeat, do not bend with your back but rather with your legs. Lifting while bending your backs can lead to serious injuries. Get as close to your child as possible when lifting them. And never pull on your child’s arms or legs as this may risk dislocating their joints.

Let’s Get Into It!

Here are 3 safe ways to get your child from the floor to a standing up position:

Technique #1: Criss-cross arms method from behind:

Technique #2: All 4-s (quadruped) to sit to stand

Technique #3: Bending hip/knee method

If your child is lying down on the floor, here are three safe ways to get them to first sit up. Once they are sitting up, follow the sit to stand methods mentioned above.

If your child is lying on his/her back – Technique 1

If your child is lying on his/her back – Technique 2:

If your child is lying on his/her stomach:

Hope these videos were helpful. For any comments, questions or suggestions please write them in the comment section below or email me directly at madeha.ayub@seedsforspecialneeds.com.

See you in my next post!