Etac presents in Lecture Theatre 1 at OT Show 2026

🗓️ 25th November, 14:15-14:45, Lecture Theatre 1

Complexity is Comfort & Function: Purposeful Movement

About the presentation

Many children with complex physical needs continue to experience discomfort, fatigue and reduced participation despite having well prescribed assistive seating. While adjustments to off-the-shelf equipment can often meet a child’s needs, there are times when a more individualised seating solution is required.

This session explores how to recognise when standard seating has reached its limits and when custom seating solutions should be considered. Using real life clinical case studies, attendees will develop confidence in identifying children who may benefit from custom seating and gain an understanding of how bespoke solutions can support comfort, postural alignment, pressure distribution, function and participation across home, school and community environments.

The session places the child, their occupations and their quality of life at the centre of seating decision making, providing clinicians with a practical framework to support confident clinical reasoning and collaborative decision making.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the clinical indicators that suggest custom seating should be considered.
• Understand how custom seating solutions, including foam and 3D printed systems can enhance comfort, posture and participation.
• Learn to apply clinical reasoning to support seating decision making using real life case studies.
• Feel more confident discussing custom seating options with families and multidisciplinary teams.

About the presenter

Linda Keogh is a Senior Occupational Therapist specialising in paediatrics, complex needs, and sensory integration. She is the creator of the SitWell Pathway, an innovative, award-winning service model that enhances access to custom seating and positioning supports for children within disability services.

With over a decade of clinical experience, Linda is recognised for her ability to blend evidence-based practice with creative, family-centred approaches that promote comfort, participation, and wellbeing. Her work bridges clinical expertise with service design, ensuring systems evolve to meet the real-world needs of children and families.

Linda was the recipient of the HSE Best Patient Access Award and the Spark Innovation Bursary 2025 for her leadership in service development and innovation. She also works as an Educational Consultant with Etac UK, developing professional learning resources and webinar content that support therapists across the UK and Ireland in advancing paediatric postural care practice. Linda is passionate about equitable access and professional growth, championing innovation and collaboration.  

We hope you can attend and visit us on Stand G40.