PERTH · FACE TO FACE AND ONLINE
Fidgeting, Focus and Sitting Still in Children
Fidgeting and trouble sitting still are some of the most common things parents and teachers notice. A child who wriggles on the mat, wraps their legs around a chair or struggles to stay focused on a task is not necessarily being difficult on purpose. Often, their body is working much harder than it looks to maintain a stable position and stay engaged.
Sitting still requires postural control, core stability, body awareness and the ability to regulate movement. When these underlying skills are still developing, children may move constantly to help their bodies feel more stable and organised. Primitive reflex patterns can also be worth exploring as part of a broader developmental assessment. Through my work, I look beyond the fidgeting to explore the underlying skills that may be contributing to these challenges and identify targeted activities to support your child’s development.
Does your child struggle to sit still, even when they are trying their best?
Let’s explore what their body might be telling us and how we can support them. Get in touch to book an appointment.
Primitive Reflex Integration Practitioner · Brain Gym® Consultant · Qualified primary school teacher · Mum of three
I’m Michele, a Primitive Reflex Integration Practitioner and Brain Gym® Consultant in Perth. I am also a qualified primary school teacher, and I taught for 15 years before moving into this work. This page explains what can sit underneath fidgeting and poor focus, and what helps.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
What it can look like at home and at school
Fidgeting and wriggling, especially when sitting on a chair
Difficulty sitting still at a desk, wrapping the legs around the chair or sitting on one foot
Slumped posture, or lying across the desk to write
Finding it hard to sit on the mat at school
Trouble with attention and concentration, especially when there is a lot going on
Disliking tight waistbands, labels or belts
Why some children find it hard
There can be many reasons, and often more than one. In my work I often see fidgeting and poor focus alongside retained primitive reflexes, the automatic movements babies are born with. These are three I look at:
Spinal galant reflex: triggered by touch along the lower back. Retained, it is associated with fidgeting and bedwetting. If this reflex remains active, it may contribute to difficulties with body awareness and sensory processing.
STNR (symmetrical tonic neck reflex): links the head with the upper and lower body. Retained, it is often linked with W sitting, slumped posture and difficulty sitting still at a desk.
Moro reflex: the startle reflex. When it is retained, children can be easily overwhelmed, anxious or sensitive to noise and light. The nervous system plays an important role in how children process sensory information, respond to stress and regulate their emotions.
When a reflex is retained, the body keeps reacting automatically in situations where a child needs calm, controlled movement, and that can make everyday things like sitting still harder than they should be.
AT HOME
Simple things to try at home
- Movement breaks during homework, rather than asking for long stretches of sitting still
- Big movement before sitting down: crawling games, animal walks and climbing
- Lying on the tummy to read, draw or do puzzles
- Try loose, soft clothes and waistbands
- Quiet time after busy places, before asking for homework or chores
- Keep it light. A child who is on high alert is not being difficult on purpose
When it is worth getting it checked
If fidgeting or poor focus is getting in the way of learning, friendships or family life, talk to your child’s teacher, and check in with your GP or paediatrician, who can look at the whole picture. My work is movement based and sits alongside that support, not instead of it.
WORKING WITH ME
How I can help
In an initial appointment I assess which primitive reflexes are still active, along with brain and body organisation and side dominance. We then work through simple, playful movements in weekly sessions, with “home play” in between. You can see the full process and prices on my services page.
Positive results are usually seen after 5 or 6 weeks, and sooner when the home play is done regularly.
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Related challenges
Coordination, balance and clumsiness: These challenges are not laziness or a lack of trying. Often, a child’s body is working much harder than it looks, making everyday activities more tiring and frustrating than they should be.
Handwriting and fine motor skills: Handwriting relies on much more than the fingers. It involves postural control, core stability, shoulder strength, hand-eye coordination and the brain’s ability to plan and coordinate movements.
School readiness: School readiness is about much more than letters and numbers. Sitting on the mat, holding a pencil, managing belongings and getting through a full school day all rely on developmental skills that build up throughout the early years.
QUESTIONS
Common questions
Is fidgeting a sign of ADHD?
Not on its own. Lots of children fidget, and ADHD is a diagnosis made by health professionals. I do not diagnose. I work with the movement side, whether or not your child has a diagnosis.
Why can’t my child sit still at school?
There can be many reasons. One thing I check is whether a retained reflex is making sitting still hard work for the body. If it is, asking a child to try harder rarely helps, because the reaction is automatic.
Can my child see you alongside other professionals?
Yes. My work is movement based and looks at the whole brain and body connection, and many families see me alongside other professionals.
What age do you work with?
Children of all ages from 2.5 years, and preventative exercises for babies from birth up to 2.5 years.
Do you only see children in Perth?
I see children face to face in my home office in Perth, which creates a safe and comfortable environment, and I also offer online appointments.
Not sure where to start?
You are welcome to get in touch for a free phone chat about what you are noticing in your child.