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Sitting Milestone:
The First Step 
to Early Care

The ABBEL Research Division of the Rehabilitation Institute at Sinai is inviting families to join a study focused on babies who are just learning to sit.

 

By taking part, your baby will help researchers understand what typical sitting development looks like. These insights will help doctors and therapists recognize early signs of developmental differences so children needing extra support can get it sooner.

Who Can Join?

Infants may be eligible to participate if they: 

  1. Can sit independently for at least 10 seconds
  2. Are under 10 months of age
  3. Have no known medical diagnoses

Study Location

We’ll conduct all study sessions in the Pediatric Motor Development Lab at the Rehabilitation Institute at Sinai—a bright, child-friendly space designed especially for kids.

What Participation Looks Like

You and your baby will come in for one paid visit (about 90 minutes), with the option to return for two additional visits. Each visit includes up to four simple activities:

1. Sitting on a Force Plate: 

 

Your baby will sit on a special, flat plate that measures their balance and posture. Some infants may also have a small wearable sensor placed on their lower back.

2. Sitting on a Pressure Mat:

 

Your baby will sit on a soft, cushioned mat that measures how they distribute their weight.

3. Lying on a Pressure Mat:

 

Your baby will lie on their back as the same cushioned mat measures how they shift their weight.

4. Developmental Skills Check:

 

We’ll use the Mullen Scales of Early Learning — a play-based developmental assessment — to look at your baby’s motor skills, problem-solving and early language. It takes about 45–60 minutes and feels like guided playtime. Parents can choose to receive a summary of the results by mail and/or have them faxed directly to their pediatrician. If any results fall outside the typical range, we’ll advise follow-up with your pediatrician.

Safety first

For the first three activities, we aim to collect about 30 seconds of usable data. Many babies need time to settle in — we go at your baby’s pace. Two trained researchers will be right next to your baby the entire time, and you can pause or stop the visit at any point.

What Families Receive

$90–$120 in Amazon gift cards (amount depends on visit duration)

Vouchers for free on-site parking

Option to receive the results of your baby’s developmental assessment

Meet Our Research Team

We’re excited to meet you and your baby! Our team is here to make your visit safe, comfortable and fun.

 

Jordan Wickstrom, PhD

Principal Investigator

 

Dr. Wickstrom is the head of this project and will lead your visit. She will review consent and paperwork with you, explain each step of the visit, manage the research equipment and administer the developmental assessment.

 

Allie Chenowith, BS 

Research Associate

 

Allie is responsible for your baby’s comfort and safety throughout the visit. She stays with your baby during each activity, helping them stay calm while also making sure the research team can collect the data needed for the study.