Equipment Recommendations

On this page you will find recommendations for equipment that parents have found very useful for their children. We are also including equipment that parents have found not so helpful. KidPower is providing this page for informational purposes only and does not endorse or support any of these products.

I wanted to mention that the Baby Bjorn potty chair is much more supportive that others I've looked at and it wraps around him in a sort of semi circle, so that he is much more enclosed and secure, and he also seems to do better in general on focusing when he's more enclosed physically because of sensory issues. The bucket also lift from the top, so he can take it out and dump himself, a big plus for him, as he has also recently been very embarrassed about the needing help part. These seats retail for $35-$40.
Carrie, Mom to Jimmy

Another something that might be useful that we just got is an educub/edutray set. It's a cube chair with high sides, etc that also has a tray table that you can attach or not. Jimmy's speech teacher brought one and he wa able to attend so much better in it that we were able to get funding for one. The link is http://www.learningproducts.com/active1.htm.
Carrie, Mom to Jimmy

I just wanted to pass along some info regarding the Benik Support vest. I first read about it from a mom here on the list.
I researched it and we just received it. Today was the first day I tried it out. Jakes PT comes today so I thought she could be the one to do its maden voyage.
It is great!!!
Jake is very floppy in the trunk area and we were trying to find something to help out. Well this vest makes him sit up so tall!!!! The PT loves it. It helps him too when we practice "walking" cause he stand so tall with his trunk that his legs do what they should rather than him slotching over like a rag doll (saves the PTs back as well)
So if anyone is interested here is the info:
Benik Corporation
11871 SIlverdale Way NW #107
Silverdale, WA 98383
360-692-5601
What we did was I called and ordered the catalog the catalog doesn't tell you too much about the "special Adaptive" vest that can be made. So Terry (Jake's PT) called and asked what she need to do to get one adaptive with all the splints and pockets (the can made pockets for weights to be added) and she drew it out on paper. We have splints on jakes back and chest and one on each side, we have two pockets on his shoulders to hlep "push" his shoulders down! It is incredible. And the wholes thing shipping included only cost $112.00!!!! I know thats not peanuts, but compared to his other equipments this was nothing.
I know I am going on and on but I am so excited at how it works, so if you have any questions let me know.
Karen, mom to Jake

We have always used the Rifton bath and shower chairs, I've looked at others whenever we had to go bigger, but they just don't seem as nice as Riftons.
Janet
Rayna 21 yrs-spastic quad cp-spinal fusion-cvi-seizures-asthma-trach-gtube

Kyle has been wearing Cascade DAFOs for the last 4 years. He started out in the DAFO #3 and now is in the DAFO #4. They are made of a lightweight plastic which makes it easier to find shoes to fit the orthotic and the foot without. The DAFOs are also cheaper for us because our PT casts Kyle and then sends them directly to Cascade. Our insurance has always paid 80% so we usually wind up paying about $50.00 out of pocket. We have only had to order 3 in the last 4 years because they have stood up to Kyle, even walking outside on the cement without anything over them.
April, mom to Kyle(12) rt. hemi, seizures

We got the Ablenet switch for Garrett - about $100. Single switch. We program the channels and, if desired, other actions such as turning the tv on or off. Garrett LOVES it!! The only bad thing is it only switches forward, so if Garrett stops long enough for me to get interested in a show then turns the channel, I have to wait 13 more channels to catch another glimpse . Just what I need . . . two males in the house with remotes!!!!! One of the best purchases we ever made! If you son can use his fingers somewhat, we did find a universal remote with large enough keys that if Garrett had a bit more dexterity he could use.
Melissa

I think it's probably a very common item, but our lifesaver has been the Tumble Forms Feeder Seat. Lauren got hers when she was 2 and at age 5 she still uses it every day. She hasn't yet outgrown it. The seating posture is adjustable, it doesn't tip over, withstands a ton of abuse, is extremely easy to clean, is not too heavy or awkward (compared to other chairs) to move -- the list goes on and on. I didn't have a good way to go anywhere with both she and her year-old brother -- she's too big for a double stroller, he's too big for a "snuggy sack" and I can't push her wheelchair and his stroller at the same time -- so I was delighted to discover that the seat fit snugly in a two-seater wagon that I got at Toys R Us. Now we all go on walks together, to the mall, zoo, etc. It's great!
Just about any adaptive equipment catalog features Tumble Forms products. Ours was a hand-me-down from another family, so I don't know whether or not insurance would cover it. But I can say that our insurance hasn't turned us down on any of our equipment requests, although sometimes it takes some creative language on the prescription/evaluation to make it fly. Maybe we've just been lucky.
On the flip side: Some equipment I wouldn't recommend is the Kid-Kart EZ stroller/wheelchair -- at least not for kids with severe spasticity. Lauren has very high tone, and she is strong as a horse when it kicks into high gear. The frame and attachments on the chair are made of a molded plastic or fiberglass of some sort, which makes it lightweight and easy to transport, but her repeated thrusting has stressed it to the point that it's broken -- three times in the last six months. The manufacturer has authorized replacements and has covered it all under warranty, but the chair is just two years old. Insurance will only cover a new chair every five years. This one was not cheap, about $2400, and I just hope it holds up for another 3 years or that the manufacturer continues to repair it at no charge. Even so, it's a hassle to have to repeatedly fix it. It's not necessarily a bad product, but if I knew when we were selecting a chair what I know now, I wouldn't have chosen this one. I imagine it would be great for a child with low tone. I do like the fact that it is easy to clean, and the tray attachment is great -- it's the one place Lauren can sit with good posture and entertain herself with toys and books, and I don't need to repeatedly re-position her.
Wendy

Jeramey has used a Kaye Reverse walker for about 10 years. He used to have a 2-wheel model that we switched to 4-wheels about 5 years ago. Right now, Jer only uses the walker to race - still the fastest in Special Olympics Illinois for the 25m Assisted - the rest of the time he uses a quad cane or goes "freestyle." Medicaid has always paid for the walkers and repairs on it. With the way Jer gets around, the repairs are frequent. It is my understanding that Crippled Childrens (DSCC) here in IL also will purchase the Kaye for those that qualify.
Amber Woolsey, mother to Jeramey, 20 (ataxic)

Kyle has started using the Tru-Grasp hand splint. It is made of a very thin material(neoprene) and does not hinder sensory input through the hand. Kyle usually wears his when he goes to therapeutic horseback riding and it really helps him be able to hold the reins better. When he has it on he can use his affected hand in a more functional way. Instead of just using it as a helper he can actually pick up items with it. This splint is also a little harder to get off because it comes up the forearm. We didn't have any problem getting our insurance to pay their 80%.
April, mom to Kyle(12) rt hemi, seizures

I found the Boppy Pillow (adv for nursing moms) very helpful for Liz. It gave her the extra support to sit up when she was unable to. I would put it around her waist and pin it from the underneath.
Maureen, mom to Liz, Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

May I recommend the Playskool 1-2-3 highchair? Kyle uses it and it's the only thing he can sit in and be supported enough to eat. It has a divider between the legs and nice "wings" that kind of come around the head which helps Kyle's trunk support. It adjusts up and down so it can fit under a table and it is labeled as good through age 4 - which is about 40" tall and 38 lbs.! I actually tried to get Kyle out of his and into a booster seat (because our tray broke - but ours is 4 yeras old!), and we had to put him back in it because it's the only thing that supports him properly! Personally, Kyle even still needs the tray - something about the tray helps hold him up more upright and eat better although I can't figure out why it's any different than the table.
Adrienne, mom to Kyle

We're seriously considering getting the Trip Trapp Chair for Jacob and I had concerns about trunk control. I recently found, at Sports Authority, a wide neoprene belt used for trimming the waist. It velcros together and is maybe 9" wide. It works great for trunk support in an endless number of situations and only cost $9!
Julie, mom to Dane-3/20/85, Jacob, Clare and Emily-1/31/93

The Fisher Price Musical Activity Chair is a chair from FP which has two levels of height. It's not a chair specifically designed for special needs, but when Jason got his for his first b-day, his PT was saying what an excellent chair it is. It has 2 arms and one arm has a xylophone, drum and push buttons. I think the other arm has a spin toy and some other musical instrument. It comes with a drumstick and a tambourine that attach to the sides of the chair. I think the reason that so many PT's recommend it is the way that the chair is built. It has a straight back and Jason was able to keep his feet flat on the floor in it, hence he wouldn't tilt over so much. From what I understand, K-Mart carries it, so you might check there. Someone mentioned that they saw it on the FP website, but you can't purchase it from there and someone else's mom got it for them from Kohl's.
Barbara , Mom of Jason, 9.!, spastic diplegia

To search for all types of assistive products you can go to the AbleData website. You can read online reviews by parents and compare different products through this site.