Clinical demonstrations

Coaching cues

• Apply tape with the limb in the lengthened position, then anchor without stretch at each end.
• Set the target just outside easy range so reaching requires forward weight shift, not trunk collapse.
• Cue at the elbow, not the hand — let the child own the last third of the reach.
• Reward every attempt with the light and a short verbal mark: "you got it."

Coaching cues

• Set the hands under the shoulders with the palm open and fingers spread.
• Facilitate at the scapula and trunk — avoid pulling on the wrist or fingers.
• Keep the head up and eyes on a target to recruit the extensors.
• Work in short holds with rest, not one long hold to fatigue.

Coaching cues

• Set the grip first, then ask for movement of the trunk or legs.
• Watch for wrist flexion creeping in — reset the position rather than pushing through it.
• Count out loud so the hold is predictable and the child can pace effort.

Coaching cues

• Anchor the pull low so the shoulder works below 90° before you go overhead.
• Alternate hands to keep both sides in the pattern.
• Stop the set when the trunk starts to twist to substitute for the arm.

Coaching cues

• Load enough that the child has to set the grip deliberately, not so much that the wrist collapses.
• Keep the elbow tracking close to the body on the first pulls.
• Use full-effort sets of 5–8 with real rest between them.

Coaching cues

• Feet supported, hips back — build the base before asking for reach.
• Move the target through arcs: across midline, overhead, then down and out.
• Look for the trunk staying quiet; if it follows the arm, shrink the arc.

Coaching cues

• Organize the trunk and shoulder before beginning the scoop.
• Support the assisting arm only as much as needed to keep both sides involved.
• Use a manageable load so the wrist stays aligned through the full movement.

Coaching cues

• Set the shoulder and trunk before each reach.
• Place targets at varied heights while preserving wrist and elbow alignment.
• Pause or shorten the reach when shoulder hiking or trunk substitution appears.

Coaching cues

• Start with the elbow tucked at the side to block trunk substitution.
• Ask for palm-up as the object travels, not as a separate movement.
• Add a reason to supinate — receiving, pouring, or showing you the object.

Coaching cues

• Choose an object with weight and texture so both grasp and release are felt.
• Set the release target in view and slightly forward.
• Count the release: "hold — and open." Timing is the skill being trained.

Coaching cues

• Start the ring within easy reach and raise the demand once the pattern is smooth.
• Ask for both hands on the ring — no helper hand parking at the side.
• Let the child finish the last inch even if it is slow.

Coaching cues

• Two hands on the handle, one high and one low; swap the lead hand between loads.
• Load lightly at first — the sequence matters more than the weight.
• Use a real purpose: filling, moving, digging to a finish line.

Coaching cues

• Practise the pattern dry before adding water and soap.
• Allow the elbow to rest on the head — that support is a legitimate strategy.
• Fade your help from hand, to elbow, to verbal cue only.

Coaching cues

• Plan the route so the affected hand has to take real holds.
• Spot at the hips so the arms keep doing the work.
• Short climbs, full effort, genuine rest.

Coaching cues

• Film the same task, same setup, same camera angle every time.
• Capture the whole attempt, including the pauses — that is where change shows.
• Review with the family; they see progress they had stopped noticing.