UTHSC News: OT Chair Designs Pillow to Aid Infant Development

As a pediatric occupational therapist, Anne Zachry, PhD, OTR/L, has been a strong advocate of the importance of tummy time for the development of neck and shoulder muscles and motor skills in infants.

The chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at UT Health Science Center and the author of two books on infant development, Dr. Zachry has designed a pillow or wedge to help babies better tolerate time on the stomach.

The Tummy Time Trainer is a wedge tailored to support a baby in a prone position and lift the chest to help strengthen the neck, back, and shoulder muscles. This promotes an infant's ability to eventually roll over, crawl, and pull up. Special contours allow a baby to support weight on the elbows, arms, and hands. The wedge is positioned so the baby's weight is shifted toward the hips, making it easier to hold the head up.

"I had worked with so many babies that disliked tummy time, and so I started trying to make a wedge that would help the babies tolerate tummy time better," Dr. Zachry said. After designing the pillow, she received a grant through the UT Research Foundation (UTRF) to do a pilot study to see if it was effective. "It did show that babies tolerated tummy time better and longer without crying," Dr. Zachry said.

Read more at our UTHSC news site.