Signs Your Child’s Posture Changes Might Be A ‘Red Flag’

If you’ve noticed your child has started sitting in a different way, and it’s not the norm for them, it might be a ‘red flag’ that something’s going on in their body that’s making them uncomfortable.

That’s according to Kelsey Pabst, a registered nurse and medical reviewer at Cerebral Palsy Center, who said: “As a nurse, I treat posture changes as a red flag: when a child suddenly sits or lies differently, it’s often the body adjusting to discomfort or stress before they can express it, and the concern is a repeated pattern rather than a one-off day.

“If that pattern is missed, those small shifts can disrupt sleep, affect mood, reduce focus and make movement harder, even when there’s no obvious illness or injury.”

“The things I tend to notice first are shifts away from their natural comfort set-point. That might look like always leaning to one side, sitting cross-legged when they used to stretch their legs out, or constantly changing position as though nothing feels quite right,” said Pabst.

She also recommended paying attention to how they get in and out of a seated or lying position.

“If it takes them longer, they brace themselves on furniture or they avoid bending or twisting, there may be discomfort they can’t describe yet,” she added.

The nurse noted that children, especially younger ones, don’t always connect a sensation in their body with the need to speak up about it.

“Instead, they shift their weight, slump, perch on the edge of seats, or curl up tightly to protect the area that feels sore,” she explained.

Kids with tummy issues, for example, might prefer lying face-down or folding themselves over their knees as though they’re giving their stomach support.

Tight muscles or growing pains might make them pull their legs close or avoid stretching them out fully.

“Their posture can be the body’s workaround for avoiding a sensation they don’t quite understand,” Pabst added.

Similarly, a child’s posture might convey if they are stressed or struggling mentally.

“Stress tends to make children smaller rather than larger,” explained the nurse. “They might curl into themselves, tuck their knees up to their chest or wrap their arms tight around their body, especially when resting.

“Other children become restless and pace, fidget constantly, or sit in positions that look tense and ready to spring up again. Their posture can be a physical ‘tell’ that they don’t feel settled on the inside even if they can’t explain why.”

If you’ve spotted a shift in your child’s posture, the best thing you can do is keep a note of their posture patterns.

“If something feels different, note when it started, whether it’s happening every day and what else is changing at the same time,” said Pabst.

“Ask gentle, open questions such as ‘Does anything feel a bit funny when you sit like that?’ or ‘Where would your body like to be more comfy?’ rather than ‘Do you hurt?’”

She added that encouraging movement, stretching and varied play might help as it “helps reset the body”.

And if you’re seeing changes that don’t settle within a couple of weeks, check in with a GP, physiotherapist or occupational therapist.

“Early reassurance makes a big difference,” she ended, “for you and for them.”