What Should Education Professionals Know About REST?

The REST chair is the best chair that a school can offer to their students who have ADHD, Autism, Down Syndrome, or other neurodevelopment disorders. Through the use of hippotherapy, the chair simulates the motions of a horse in a therapeutic manner which activates both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. More specifically, the chair exercises parts of the brain responsible for attention, impulses, and activity levels.

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Where is REST Being Used?

Currently, REST is being used in 24 school districts as of August of 2021. This number is growing and we hope to reach more schools as time goes on. Schools that have tried our product primarily have them in designated ‘sensory’ rooms in which children may have access to the chair under the supervision of either a speech pathologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or guidance counselor.

When Should Children Be Allowed to Use the REST Chair?

This is completely up to the school. Some schools allow children to use it on an as-need basis. If a child feels he or she can’t focus, has impulsive behavior, or shows signs that they are in need of a REST session, teachers may instruct the student to ‘go to the chair.’

Other schools have designated times that children are encouraged to use the chair such as the beginning of the school day, before or after lunch/recess, and before the school day ends.

In short, it’s completely up to the school as we are still conducting research for the ‘best’ or ‘optimal’ usage of the chair.

Should I Have the REST Chair in a Classroom or Designated Room?

As mentioned above, schools primarily have them available in designated rooms under the supervision of a specialty teacher. This helps prevent the chair from being seen as a ‘toy’ and keeps the focus of the supervisor on the child at hand. However, as demand grows we hope to make the chair more accessible to classrooms across the country.

Are There Noticeable Benefits to the Chair?

Yes, there are numerous benefits that teachers and specialty teachers will notice after their children use the chair. The most notable is an increase in focus and self-regulation. Although not confirmed by an official study, we have noticed that children who use the chair for about 20-30 minutes will have these improvements linger for up to several hours after the session is over. As soon as we find thorough evidence we will make those results public.

How Can I Get Access to a REST Chair?

If you’re in the education department and looking to learn more about how you can implement the chair for your students, you can reach out to us by calling (844)  264-REST to speak with us, you can email info@restbygait.com or visit our contact page.

Want More Information?

If you’re looking for additional information for how the REST by GAIT chair can help improve the education of your school, please visit the school presentation page we have designed specifically for people like you!