Howda Designz HowdaHUG1 Adjustable Children Seat

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• Tips for Using the HowdaHUG:
  • Getting in and out:
    - To get into the HUG, sit on the floor, open the HUG, then slide back into the chair until your hips are flush with the bottom hinge. To get out of the chair, scoot forward out of the chair. Then fold the chair flat, roll onto one side in a seated position and come up on your knees. Use the chair sitting on its end to push up against, come up on one foot and then on the other and stand up
  • Tightening and loosening:
    - Sit in the HUG so that the loose ends of the straps are facing downward. To tighten the straps, lean forward slightly and pull down firmly on the straps. To loosen the straps, lift up on the black plastic buckle and lean back gently. Note that the HowdaHUG does not have a 'front and back,' and can be used on either slat side, but generally you position the seat so that when sitting on the bottom, you can pull down on the adjustable strap to tighten (the loose end of the strap will be below the buckle.)Gauge how tight by what is comfortable for the individual child. It is best to be snug, but not so much that the child has to bend forward to sit up straight. The tightness (proprioception/deep pressure) is what is calming. The seat should also cradle them when /if they rock back in it, with legs bent at the knees and feet flat on the floor
  • The thrill of tipping backwards:
    - HowdaHUGs are a great way to allow a child to move without being disruptive. One of the first things most children will do in their HUG is tip it backwards. Because they have not yet learned how to balance the chair, most children will “fall” all the way back (and often enjoy sticking their feet up in the air). Tipping all the way back and coming back up independently or with assistance is a great core strengthening exercise that can be used during sensory breaks or therapy sessions
  • Rocking and balancing:
    - Once a child gets the hang of tipping back without falling over, she can learn to balance and rock comfortably. This can be very calming for many children and the movement is so subtle that is does not disrupt others in the vicinity. When rocking or balancing, the more a child pushes against the HUG, the more proprioceptive (deep pressure) input he receive 
  • Safety first:
    - In order to reduce the possibility of injury, an adult should sit with a child the first time she tries the HUG. Sitting the child in front of a wall, a sturdy bookcase that will not tip, or a large floor cushion, will allow the child to tip back without getting hurt. The floor pillow is often the best thing to place behind a child because he can then tip all the way back and experience the sensation of “how far is too far” and “how do I problem-solve getting back up”
  • Additional sensory input (fleece liner/weighted lap pad):
    - In addition to the HowdaHUG, Howda Designz makes two types of fleece liners for the seats. One is a cap that fits over the top edge of the chair. The other is a liner that hooks over the top and bottom edges and lines the whole seat (see photo). For children who want or need softer input or more of a cuddle sensation, the fleece liners are a great addition to the HowdaHUG experience
  • If a child needs additional deep pressure while in the HowdaHUG, we recommend using a weighted lap pillow. This type of weighted item will not interfere with how the HowdaHUG fits the child and gives even more comfort, especially if the lap pad is made with interesting material that the child can rub for tactile input
• Using the HowdaHUG in a chair:
  • Cinching forward and rocking:
    - Many children who sit in regular school chairs constantly squirm and rock the whole chair backwards
    - Using the HUG in a school chair allows for rocking in the chair so that the chair itself stays stationary
    - This can greatly reduce the possibility of injury from tipping chairs and damage to chairs from falling onto the floor
    - To allow for rocking in the HUG on a chair, cinch the chair closed slightly more than the position of the HUG when used on the floor
    - Then place the HUG on the chair, but leave 3 or 4 inches of space between the back of the HUG and the back of the chair
    - This will allow the child to rock back slightly in the HUG on the chair, but will encourage the child not to tip the whole chair overIn terms of fitting in a chair, it generally works best if the chair is at least as wide as the HowdaHUG and does not have a significant dip in the back
    - The seat can be slanted back, but those with a large concave area often do not accommodate the Howdas as well
    - I have used them in a variety of cloth, wood and plastic chairs with success
    - You also want to make sure that your child's sitting balance is good and that if the seat of the chair is very slippery, you put some kind of non-slip material under the HowdaHUG like shelf liner

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