Alice’s story: Standing tall every day, thanks to the Supine Stander 

Alice’s story: Standing tall every day, thanks to the Supine Stander 

Alice is a social butterfly, who enjoys getting out and about. The 14-year-old lives in Whitefield with her mum, Lisa, dad, Tony, brother, Mani, sister, Molly, and Stan the pug.

She’s such a social butterfly – she loves nothing more than going to the cinema or the zoo. And she really loves music, especially playing with her musical toys. When she’s at school (Firwood High School in Bolton), she enjoys swimming in the hydrotherapy pool, rebound therapy and singing her heart out in the school choir. 

Alice is a truly remarkable young lady. She was diagnosed with Grade 3 Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy when she was born. The brain injury caused lifelong disability, which has severely affected her functioning and posture. Alice has Cerebral Palsy and weakness throughout her entire body, which means she cannot lie, sit or stand without significant support. She also has dislocated hips and a significant curvature in her spine. 

Alice requires 24-hour care to keep her posture aligned 

She has already undergone multiple surgeries throughout her young life, including a tracheostomy to help with her breathing. Alice has also subsequently experienced some life-threatening issues, which were caused by the tissue around her tracheostomy growing too much. 

Despite all of these challenges, she remains resilient and continues to overcome the obstacles she faces and bounce back with her beaming smile. 

Standing has always been difficult and uncomfortable for Alice 

She needs a standing frame to enable her to be in an upright position. Over the years, her family had struggled to find a frame that could support Alice’s postural needs and adapt to her posture as she develops. Alice’s progressive spinal scoliosis has made her trunk a little wider. However, her height has become smaller, making sizing difficult.

Up until recently, Alice spent very little time standing up because it hurt her so much. She was also at risk of her skin breaking down. 

Despite her determination, she had recently reached the point where supported standing was too painful. She was also at risk of skin breakdown. 

The Supine Stander has transformed Alice’s life 

Alice recently trialled the Size 3 Supine Stander, which has been a game-changer for her and her family. Thanks to the flexible design, which means the system is small enough for her height and wide enough to support her spine, standing is now an option again. 

Following the successful trial run, a Supine Stander has been ordered for her to use at school. 

Alice can now happily stand for an hour (and more) a day 

“She would stand longer than an hour a day if she could. It’s great to see Alice not in her chair, and she can do all of her favourite activities standing up. The tray is an amazing accessory to help her play,” explains her mum. 

“Standing with the help of gravity really helps with her bowel movements because Alice has major difficulties with constipation. Standing also helps calm her breathing and increase her breathing capacity. Alice is so happy, comfortable and really enjoying her new standing frame!” 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key features of the Supine Stander and how it’s supporting Alice at school…  

The customised supports expertly align with her body – Alice needs bespoke postural support, and the Supine Stander provides just that. For example, Alice’s Supine Stander incorporates flexible thoracic support pads that are positioned asymmetrically to comfortably support her fixed scoliosis – a size 3 flexible thoracic is used to support the large convex curve on her right side, and a smaller size 2 flexible thoracic is used on her left, which accounts for the fact she leans down to the side more. 

The multi-grip headrest – can be adjusted to support Alice’s posture. Historically, the headrests that been used in the past used to place Alice’s head in a midline position, which isn’t practical because of her fixed posture. This made breathing through her tracheostomy extremely difficult. Constant rubbing against these headrests also resulted in her skin becoming irritated and sore. The highly adjustable nature of the multi-grip headrest means Alice is fully supported, her airway is unobstructed and her head is comfortable and less likely to be impacted by pressure care issues. 

The tray – is sturdy and supports Alice’s favourite musical toys. The bowl enables her to enjoy fun sensory exploration while the soft padding provides a different sensory experience and layer of comfort. The height of the tray can be easily adjusted, supporting Alice’s upper limb functioning. 

The electronic adjustment – means Alice can easily go from horizontal to standing. The process is steady and controlled, enabling her to adjust to the new position without feeling dizzy or disorientated. 

Alice, our Supine Stander and the F-words (1-2) 

Fitness – supported standing with the Supine Stander can potentially positively impact Alice’s bone health, range of motion and respiration, amongst many other bodily benefits. It is perfect for positional changes, encouraging physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour. It is also a great way to help reduce constipation. Alice no longer feels uncomfortable when standing which, in turn, helps boost her overall mental wellbeing. 

Functioning – the comprehensive and easily adjustable support of the Supine Stander means Alice can comfortably stand and work on her head and upper limb movements more easily. She can express herself better and in a more varied way to friends, care staff and teachers. 

Friends – Alice loves standing with her classmates and interacting with them at eye level. When she was having difficulties with her previous standing frames, she was missing out on all of these valuable activities and meaningful interaction. 

Family – knowing that Alice is standing on a daily basis has been extremely uplifting for her family. The standing frame also provides reassurance, helping her with her breathing and bowel movements; two functions that can cause considerable worry at home due to the potential impact they can have on her health. 

Fun – the Supine Stander has opened up a whole new world of fun and exploration for Alice. She can play with her favourite toys and take part in hobbies in new ways and with different perspectives. She can get messy or explore different textures with the simple addition of the bowl. 

Future – thanks to its adjustability, the Supine Stander will support Alice for many years to come and can be easily adapted as she grows or as her posture changes. 

Keep standing, shining and keeping up with your busy social schedule, Alice! 

For more information about the Supine Stander 1, 2 or 3 or to discuss your requirements with us, complete this short form. 

1) World Health Organization. (2001) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). 

2) Rosenbaum, P. & Gorter J. The ‘F-words’ in childhood disability: I swear this is how we should think! Child: care, health and development. 2011; 38(4): 457–46.