Autism is, as we know, a spectrum, and on it lies innumerable facets of difference and similarity in comparison to not only the neurotypical, but the autistic alike. You may never know if you have met someone with autism, especially if they find they are socially well versed, however, as a parent of an autistic child I have found it simpler to try and spot the fellow parents of young, autistic children.

The No Sleep Club

When children with autism are very young, you may find yourself part of what I call the “No Sleep Club”.

One of many early-morning photos, taken at 3:37am.

Being the parent to an autistic child whom does not sleep is obvious to other card-carrying members of the no sleep club – the early mornings  and late night bedtime turmoil, present themselves as red eyes; you get sick of people asking if you’ve been crying (and perhaps you have, and that’s ok – more on this later!). The dark circles and lines beneath your eyes you thought were predestined for your elderly years, start to make an unwanted appearance 20 years before schedule. People talk to you, but you wonder if you’re losing your hearing, because you just can’t understand a word they say, and it takes you approximately 45 seconds to reply to any question asked of you (except, perhaps for “would you like a tea or coffee?”), and when it comes to verbally communicating, you perhaps get an idea of how difficult it is for our kids to process information, as you struggle to form a complete sentence no matter how simple the subject matter.

The Now-Obvious Signs of Early Autism

Sleep is absolutely vital to every living thing on this planet, and only when you’ve been deprived of it, can you truly understand the devastating effect it can have on every angle of your life.

My daughter is 8 years old, and she was diagnosed with Autism when she was 22 months old. “22 months old? That’s impossible!” I hear you gasp. However my daughter was so obviously autistic from an early age that the diagnosis came secondary to the treatment, as it was clearly imperative to all involved that she should receive Speech and Language Therapy (SLT), Occupational Therapy (OT) and be supported at nursery via a Statement of Special Educational Needs (now known as EHCP) as soon as possible.

The first time a SLT came around to our house, she sat calmly on the floor opposite myself and my daughter (who was most likely running around in a circle humming nursery rhymes at the time) and took a moment to take-in what she was going to be dealing with.

A few moments passed, and she simply said “I am here because you are worried that your daughter has a social communication delay, and I just need to tell you now that we can see she has autism”.

That was basically a diagnosis at 22  months of age. We didn’t need a plethora of tests to certify her diagnosis, that was purely a formality which came at the age of 3.

Tippy-toe walking, no eye contact, hand flapping (stimming), no gestures (pointing, waving etc), a lot of screaming – almost constant screaming, poor coordination, severe sensory issues (although it took us a long time to work that out, and understanding her sensory issues quelled some of the screaming), echolalia, no functional language whatsoever, and … no sleep.

When Will My Baby Finally Sleep Through?

From being a baby my daughter would struggle to sleep – it was either that it was seemingly impossible to get her to fall asleep, or that she would sleep so lightly even when utterly exhausted, she could be woken by the wind blowing outside of the window.

At first, when she was tiny, we thought it was colic, then teething, then after this point the world just started spiraling into absurdity as we tried to figure out why she wouldn’t sleep.

It would take us hours, literally, to get her to fall asleep, and then when she did, we had no guarantee as to how long she would stay asleep for.

She would wake at two hour intervals throughout the night, and once awake, would scream endlessly whilst kicking holes in the plaster of the wall around her bed.

Under the mass of duvets and blankets lies one very exhausted little girl and her dad, having been awake for hours in the night – the pair finally succumbing to sleep.

Mostly she would simply start the day at 2am, and become more frustrated and bored as we slowly approached 5 am, where she had already been awake 3 hours. We took reluctant trips to the 24-hour Tesco just for a way to pass the time. We waited impatiently for 9am or 10am to finally arrive, at which point we might actually be able to partake in some “normal” activities, as the world finally caught-up with our family.

Not sleeping, not having a routine, not being able to rely on the therapeutic and restorative qualities of sleep throws everything you thought you knew about life right out of the window.

How can I keep dragging myself into work each morning when I’ve been up since 2am for the past 3 months? How can I socialise when I don’t know if my daughter will fall asleep before I go out, and stay asleep once we’ve come home? Even more importantly, is there anyone willing to babysit my insomniac child? Is my child going to be able to do anything with her day given she’s slept 4 hours in a 48 hour period? Am I going to be able to continue to function like an average human when my brain is breaking under the pressure of sleep deprivation?

The answer is no, you can not function without sleep – and this is why I am writing this post. You should not have to suffer and “just get on with it”. My partner and I have been through exactly what you might be going through, and I hope I can offer some help.

You need to rest not only to retain your positive spirit, wellbeing and mental health, but also to be able to devote yourself to being a brilliant parent to your autistic child.

First Things First – Getting the Right Support

If you have a child with a disability you are entitled to support from your local authority for something termed “Short Breaks”. Although this might sound like you’re being offered a weekend for two in The Lakes, it is in fact a form of funding that should provide you with regular breaks from your caring responsibilities. What is great about Short Breaks is the aim is to not only give you a rest so that you have a chance to do something you enjoy, but it should also provide your child with an opportunity to do something they can enjoy, safely with the appropriate care.

So, whilst you are working on strategies to enhance the sleep routine of your family, you should first enquire with your local authority about your entitlement to Short Breaks.

Short Breaks come in many forms, from having a trained carer take your child out to the park once a week, to funding towards clubs or paid-for activities that your child can partake in whilst you have a break. Funding can also cover overnight care if you are comfortable with your child being looked after away from home, or perhaps if your child is young and not of school age, funding can be put towards nursery sessions.

For more information and support regarding Short Breaks please look at this page on the Contact website.

Creating the Perfect Sleep Environment

Ensuring your child has the correct environment to sleep in is no mean feat, especially if your child has autism and is non-verbal. As a parent of a non-verbal child, you spend most of your day in a tizzy of confusion and shared frustration trying to guess what the basic wants and needs of your child are.

If your child has sensory issues, it is so important that you confer with your Occupational Therapist to clarify the underlying sensory needs of your child.

Children with autism and other disabilities can often be over (hyper) or under (hypo) stimulated by not only the obvious sensory inputs, such as sound, light and touch, but also two less frequently talked-about senses: vestibular and proprioceptive.

Sensory issues are in themselves almost as complex and personal to the child as every other dimension of their autism, and this is why you should ensure that your child has been seen by your local OT so you can make the right decision about changes to the bedroom and any aids that might benefit your child in their sleep.

Proprioceptive and Vestibular Issues and How they Might Affect Sleep

The Proprioceptive and Vestibular senses are not talked-about very often, but if they are not functioning quite as they should, they can cause some very confusing and upsetting sensory experiences for our children.

The vestibular sense relates to your movement and balance – it is the sense of bodily balance, the speed at which you are moving, a sense of overall gravity and how you know which direction your body is in.

The proprioceptive sense is even more tricky to explain, as it is how your mind computes the position of one body part to another, and also, how much pressure you need to employ for certain tasks, such as writing or gripping a cup.

We have discovered that our daughter is mostly hyposensitive in regards to both her proprioceptive and vestibular senses – therefore, she is under-responsive. We have found that this often translates as poor coordination and seeking more fulfilling physical sensory feedback (such as running, lying on the floor or enjoying the most terrifying of rollercoasters and amusement park rides!).

We have found an excellent website that can clarify the signs of hyper/hypo sensitivity to the proprioceptive and vestibular senses here : http://www.developmentalpathways.com/services-sensory.html

Bedtime products that might assist children with poor proprioceptive and vestibular senses are as follows:

1. Base Layers

If your child is under-responsive to the touch of clothing and bedding, they might not be getting the correct feedback about their position in bed whilst lying down. One excellent way of providing your child with a more constant source of sensory feedback is to try wearing base layers for bed time, or even just very tight-fitting pyjamas. The feel of the closeness of the base layers against the skin will give constant and consistent feedback, which may hopefully allow your child to relax as they are more aware of their position in bed.

2. Weighted Blankets

Again, for children whom struggle to have a true sense of their position and their relation to the bed and their own limbs, they might benefit from a weighted blanket. The pressure from the blanket can provide great comfort to many children, and give them not only a sense of security, but fulfil those sensory needs. Weighted blankets come in various weights, and you should contact your OT to get the correct pressure ratio depending on your child’s weight and height.

Other Sleep Aids and How they Relate to Sensory Issues

1. Lighting

Lighting for your autistic child’s bedroom is rather tricky – as it definitely depends upon where they sit in terms of sensory issues. Although we assume that an entirely blacked-out bedroom is most conducive to sleep, if your child is under-stimulated visually, you may find that the darkness of their bedroom offers only opportunities of pure confusion for them.

Every person will briefly wake in the night, even if we don’t remember the event come morning. However, for most of us, we are naturally very aware of our surroundings even when in a sleepy haze. Yet, if your child is not processing sensory input from their surroundings correctly, during that tiny moment of wakefulness, they may become scared, confused and anxious as to not only their bodily position, but also the obvious – where they are!

This may cause them to wake fully, and then you’re all back at step one!

I have found the best method to clarify your child’s lighting needs is to first try the obvious – make the room as dark as possible, then slowly work on introducing small light sources to see if this has a positive impact.

It took us 8 years to discover that our daughter is “afraid” of the dark. She can not explain why or what she doesn’t like about the dark, but by her own actions we now know she prefers a small light source whilst sleeping – and most specifically, she likes to be able to hold the light as she falls asleep.

So, to ensure the bedroom is as dark as possible we suggest:

Blackout curtains – ideal for keeping daylight out and also benefit by keeping the warmth in/cold out! (Be aware of patterned curtains though, as no matter how much you may like them for your child’s room, they can be over-stimulating visually.)

Groblind – Portable blackout blind with suction cups, eradicates most light by being attached directly to the windowpane. Fits any window up to 130 cm x 198 cm.

Bed Tunnels – these are fun whilst also being functional! In effect, you are safely bringing the ceiling closer to your child whilst they sleep, which may help them process their position in bed a little easier, whilst also adding a little more darkness and cosiness.

As for lighting – well, there are a number of therapeutic lights available, but sometimes it might just be best to choose a low-level light that specifically appeals to your child’s interests and likes!

Groclock – Many children with autism have learning difficulties and/or language delay, and this can make the ability to convey the difference between night and day almost impossible. We will cover more on this specific angle in the Sleep Hygiene section, however, the Groclock may offer a quick-fix in terms of trying to establish the difference in your child’s mind.

The Groclock will turn blue and display a ring of stars once it is bedtime, with a large sleepy, smiling star central to the clock during the nighttime. As morning approaches, the ring of stars slowly disappear, one-by-one, until finally, at a time of your choosing, the blue light will fade to orange, and a smiling sunshine will appear. My only issue with the Groclock is that it has been proven that blue light is actually not the best colour light for sleep issues, as it can mimic daylight. The best colour, confusingly, is orange or red – however I still think the Groclock is worth a go, especially if your child is starting to understand the passage of time, and it also comes with a lovely little illustrated book about farm animals to help your child understand the function of the clock.

Battery Operated LED Lights – If you feel your child would benefit for their own little light that they can hold, touch and operate themselves, then thankfully the internet offers a whole plethora of lovely designs and shapes.

I would suggest not going for a colour-changing LED night light, as this might offer too much stimulation and would stop your child falling asleep/being stimulated if waking in the night. (Also please ensure the light you purchase has a battery compartment which is secured with a screw, and preferably uses AA/AAA batteries rather than cell batteries – as these can be extremely dangerous if swallowed).

My daughter has a lovely little LED light in the shape of a cloud, and she will hold it close to her face as she falls asleep. It is battery powered and also has an auto-off function after 5 minutes, making it ideal for her to keep in her bed all night long. On top of this she also has a piece of LED wall art, which is battery powered, upon her wall just a short distance away from her bed. This is left on all night, but due to being battery powered it gives-off just the right amount of light.

2. Decor and Bedding

Again, although each child has very different needs, one aspect I believe is common for all young children with autism is that they will benefit from having a low-stimuli bedroom. This is important in a way that lowering visual stimuli applies to all children of a certain age – if there is nothing in their room to distract them, then it is obviously very difficult for them to be distracted!

This was one aspect that really touched upon a nerve with me when my daughter was younger – on learning I was to become a mum, one of my first realisations was how much fun it was going to be to decorate my child’s room in an exciting way! Lots of lovely pictures and colours, pretty ornaments and oodles of toys for them to enjoy.

However, as time progressed, and we started to realise that our daughter needed extra help with something as simple as sleeping, it occurred to me that I needed to relinquish my hold on my previous dreams of a fun bedroom for her, and concentrate on making it functional and calming.

Very pale pink, green and cream are proven to calm both boys and girls with autism

I suggest that choosing very calming colours is the first-and-foremost important step. Colours such as very pale green or cream are proven to calm. It is imperative that you stay away from not only bold, bright colours on the walls, but even more importantly, patterned wallpaper. The patterns in the wallpaper can be visually arresting to even adults (ever stared for too long at an abstract pattern, that you become convinced you see something relevant in it?!)

For our kids, patterns in wallpaper can be actually quite unnerving for them (or for some they might be overly engaging), and may completely occupy their thought processes, meaning they can not relax or go to sleep.

The same applies to bedding – keep everything simple in terms of calm, pale, plain bedding and not too many accessories, such as throw-cushions etc.

Next, is toys. As I mentioned previously, I initially wanted a little safe-haven for my daughter when she was born, but it didn’t take long to understand that having a bedroom brimming with toys and therefore, distractions, was ultimately not ideal in terms of getting her to sleep.

This doesn’t mean that your child has to have an entirely desolate bedroom, devoid of anything of comfort – however, I would keep articles to that requirement – only items that are simple, and will provide your child with comfort.

If you can experiment with making your child’s room low-stimuli for a trial period, and you find this has a positive effect, then once they are a little older and (hopefully) sleeping better, you could slowly reintroduce a few fun items.

My daughter has a cabin bed, and below it is a set of storage drawers/boxes that contain her toys – whilst she is sleeping, she can not see them, and I think that helps a lot.

Sleep Hygiene – What is it and How Will it Help?

Something of an odd term if you’ve never heard of it before, “sleep hygiene” relates to all the activities and processes involved in the approaching period before bedtime (and even during the nighttime, when your child should be sleeping). There are a number of key guidelines that should always be followed before bedtime to ensure that your child is relaxed and calm before even attempting to put them in bed.

Visual Aids and PECS

If your child is non-verbal or has SEN it can be almost a surreal experience trying to convey to them that they need to sleep at night. Not only do they need to sleep, but mum and dad really, really need them to sleep. If they don’t sleep, well, everyone is very sad, because they’re very tired. That is putting it mildly.

It is difficult for parents of typical children to truly get this point across to their kids without simplifying the subject, and even more so if your child struggles with new or abstract concepts.

Hopefully, depending on age and the support you have received so far, your child may be able to understand simple symbols and may even enjoy reading short picture books. If so, then I would enquire with your SLT to see if not only do they have visual aids and “Now and Next” boards you could use with your child before bed, but also they may have on file a “social story” regarding sleeping.

The PECS and visual aids, used alongside a Now and Next board, or even a time-line, can help you map-out exactly what is expected of your child before bed. Having a good routine and simplifying this in a way that “speaks” to them more easily using pictures, may help alleviate some of the frustration and confusion when it comes to getting ready for bed.

Bedtime Prep and Calm-Time

Bedtime prep should be started an hour before the actual desired sleep-time. The first important part of this prep is to stop all high-stimuli activities – no iPads, TV, games or loud music. There needs to be an obvious stop to the usual daytime activities so they can understand that soon, it will be time for sleeping. Personally, we have found that moving our daughter upstairs in the hour before bed works well – now she is older she can potter around for a while in her bedroom whilst we watch her, and then we move on to having a bath. We make sure all the lights are low-level, curtains closed and that every night we do all prep (other than the bath!) in her bedroom – so she knows for sure that this is the room where sleeping happens, and hopefully (!), will stay in there during the night.

Please keep in mind that your GP may be able to prescribe melatonin for your child – melatonin is a hormone that is released by the body as daylight levels fade, allowing you to relax and helping your body and brain understand that sleep is soon due. Although we did try this with our daughter, unfortunately it made no difference to her sleep issues. It can not do any harm to naturally ensure that your child’s circadian rhythm (body clock) is ticking over correctly though, and the best and natural way to do this is to ensure lots of outdoors/sunshine in the daytime, and dark, calm time before bed.

Night-Waking

Just as ensuring the time before bed is simple, predictable and calm, it is just as important to carry-through these concepts if your child wakes in the night. I know first-hand how difficult it can be to retain a sense of control in your role as a parent when woken endlessly, night after night. You may get to a point, after weeks or months of sleep deprivation where you feel like giving in to whatever you feel your child wants when they wake early.

I have shared support groups with parents whom understandably, yet ultimately counterproductively, did things like offer their children juice and biscuits upon waking in the night, put the TV on for them (in the child’s bedroom nonetheless) or even let them play with an iPad. I am not judging anyone who feels like this is what they need to do to get a few extra minutes sleep, but as I said previously, you are ultimately creating a nighttime environment that will never be suitable for sleep. If a child (with or without SEN!) learns that they will receive treats or partake in fun activities in the middle of the night, they will probably keep waking for that exact reason.

Lying on the sofa, 3am, I have many-a-times been roused from my swirling, semiconscious nightmares of dense, seemingly idyllic woodland being trampled upon by giant, ballerina-skirted girl-monsters – because I too, have given up on trying to make my daughter sleep and given into her watching In the Night Garden, because I just didn’t know what else to do.

Further Help and Support

However, hopefully, even if that does sound like an average morning for you, I hope that if you can follow some of the tips we have offered here, we can help you and your family get the sleep you all deserve.

Writing to you directly as a mum who has been through the depths of sleep-deprivation despair, I understand that these tips we’ve offered you today might just seem too much to organise and change on your own. This is why I would like to reiterate that no matter how bad the situation may seem, or how difficult it is to keep on-top of everyday life whilst having such substantial caring responsibilities, it is imperative that you seek assistance and respite for you and your child.

It is so important that you take the time to care for yourself – as important as the care your child needs. Remember – contact your local authority to discuss your entitlement to “short breaks” respite, and if you are ever so tired that you are “just not yourself” or feeling very unhappy, I implore you to see your GP to discuss support, or for you to contact one of a number of disability charities that offer fantastic advice and emotional support.

Contact: 0808 808 3555
https://contact.org.uk/advice-and-support/our-helpline/

National Autistic Society: 0808 800 410
https://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines.aspx

Cerebra: Sleep Service 01267 244210

https://w3.cerebra.org.uk/help-and-information/sleep-service/

Many thanks to Chris Bonnello who helped with the editing of this post:

Chris Bonnello (Autistic Not Weird)
Site: http://autisticnotweird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticnotweird
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AutisticNotWeird

Twitter: @AutisticNW

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A special educational needs setting

One thing you’ll notice about Special Educational Needs is the sheer number of abbreviations and acronyms you have to learn. What’s the difference between ASD and ADHD? What’s an EHCP? Should you be afraid of a COP? This guide should help you navigate…

(note: Where an abbreviation is written in initial lower case, it is usually pronounced as a word, for example it’s Senco, not ess ee en see oh).

ABA – Applied Behaviour Analysis is used to help children with autism, it looks at patterns of  behaviour and tries to find causes, and ways of dealing with them or preventing them.

AD – attachment disorder (sometimes attachment behaviour disorder, or ABD). This is a range of conditions believed to be caused by trauma in early childhood, which can lead to behavioural problems in childhood and adult life.

ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is a range of symptoms including impulsiveness, restlessness and finding it harder to focus than your peers. Because of the setting of school it is most often diagnosed during primary school age.

AR – Annual Review. All children with a statement of special educational needs (now an Education Health and Care Plan) have this provision reviewed once a year, to ensure it still meets their needs, or to see if it is no longer required. If progress is being made and the plan is right for the child without amendments, there may be a No Change Review (NCR).

APD – Auditory Processing Disorder – a child can hear ok medically, but is unable to process the meaning of words. Sometimes they can repeat words but without knowing what they are saying.

AS – Asperger Syndrome. A type of autism that generally involves higher functioning individuals who perceive the world in a way that most people would see as different. It is not associated with the learning delay or disabilities of other kinds of autism.

ASC – Autistic Spectrum Conditions. Many professionals now use the term “condition” instead of “disorder” to promote the idea that autism should not be a barrier to living a complete life, with necessary adjustments. See ASD.

ASD – autistic spectrum disorder, aka autism. This is a different way of perceiving the world around you. People with ASD often have difficulty reading emotions, making relationships or understanding social situations as easily as their peers, as well as a degree of learning difficulty. But as the word “spectrum” suggests, it covers a number of different levels of need, and conditions of varying severity.

ARE – age related expectations. If a child is working Below Age Related Expectations (BARE) they may have special educational needs.

BARE – see ARE

BESD Behaviour, Emotional and Social Difficulties (also known as SEBD or EBD) is a ‘catch-all’ term  used for any condition that affects behaviour, emotions or social interactions. It
is used for a wide range of conditions and children.

BSP – Behaviour Support Plan. These are usually put in place by schools for children who have behavioural issues to assess their progress and outline expectations over a set period of time, for example a school term.

Camhs – Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

CIC – Child in Care. A child who is being looked after by (for example) a foster family after they have been removed from their parents by social services.

COP (or Cop) – Change of Provision. This is where a child moves from a special school to a mainstream school, or vice versa, because their needs (or the assessment of them) has changed.

CPAP (Cee-pap)- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is a fan and a face-mask, that blows air at the child increasing the air pressure to open the airways of the throat. It is used for breathing difficulties such as heavy snoring, asthma, low blood oxygen levels (SATS) and sleep apnoea.

EAL – English as an additional language. This generally means young people for whom English is not their first language, who may speak another language at home.

EHCP – Education, Health and Care Plan. This is a plan to help a child who has special educational needs in school. They are replacing statements and will have entirely replaced them by April 2018. There is a good post here on navigating that process.

EP (or Ed Psych) – Educational Psychologist. These experts help assess the needs of children who may have special educational needs by observing children in their educational setting.

EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage. This is school or nursery-based education from birth to the end of Reception, when a child is five years old.

G Tube
A Gastronomy tube way of feeding a child who has swallowing or difficulty eating. There is a tube through the stomach wall (known as a PEG) so that food and medicines can go directly into the stomach. It is a longer term alternative to NG Tubes.

HI – Hearing Impairment (or Hearing Impaired).

IEP – Individual Education Plan
An IEP is a plan or a program built to help a child achieve the targets outlined in an
EHCP. It is built around the curriculum that the child is following and uses strategies
tailored directly to the child.

KS – Key Stage. Education in England is divided into Key Stages – KS1 from 5 to 7 years old, KS2 from 7 to 11, KS3 from 11 to 14 and KS4 from 14 to 16.

LA – Local Authority.

LAC – Looked After Child. More common term nowadays is CIC or “child in care”.

LSA – Learning Support Assistant. These education professionals often work one-to-one with a particular child with SEN to develop a relationship and help with their learning, which may be particularly differentiated to their needs. They may also assist with physical needs eg toileting.

MLD – moderate learning difficulties.

NCR – No Change Review. See AR.

Neet (or NEET) – Not in Education, Employment or Training. Young people without qualifications are at risk of being Neet – where their options for work or education are limited.

NG- tube – A thin (often yellow) Naso-gastric tube that can be used short term for emergency food and drink when a child cannot eat. It goes through the nose, down the throat and into the stomach and requires trained use as there is a danger that the tube is in an airway and not in the stomach.

OT – Occupational Therapy (or Therapist). Day-to-day physical therapies for children who have disabilities or who may require recuperation from eg surgery.

Pecs (or PECS) – Picture Exchange Communication System. This is a way of using pictures to represent words, to assist children who have communication issues and autism.

PMLD – Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. These are children who require the most support in an educational setting.

PRU – Pupil Referral Unit. These are institutions which take “hard to place” children who may have severe SEN or behavioural issues, with the latter resulting in exclusion from a mainstream school.

SALT (or S&LT) – Speech And Language Therapy (or Therapist). These are professionals who help children, especially those with communication difficulties or autism.

SATS – oxygen saturations, often with ‘SATS monitor’ as seen on hospitals wards, they show a percentage indicating how much oxygen in the the blood. They can be small and portable or bigger when used for overnight monitoring. A home sats monitor can be bought here.

A typical SATS monitor used in NHS hospitals but can also be given to parents for overnight monitoring

SLT – Senior Leadership Team. At a school, this comprises the head teacher and assistant heads (plus principals, if it is an academy).

SEMH – social, emotional and mental health. This is a range of needs that can include behavioural problems and anxiety.

SEN (or Sen) – special educational needs.

Senco (or SENCO, or Sendco, or SENDCO) – Special Educational Needs (and Disabilities) Co-ordinator. These are qualified teachers who organise and co-ordinate a school’s SEN provision by working with other professionals, organising EHCPs and interventions etc.

SEND – special educational needs and disabilities

SWAN – Syndrome without a name
Children who doctors have been unable to diagnose with a specific condition are
often referred to as SWAN. These are usually children with a genetic disorder. A support charity called SWAN is here.

TA – Teaching Assistant. These professionals have a couple of roles: in the classroom they support the work of the class teachers, and they also teach small groups of children, particularly with interventions.

VI – Visual Impairment (or Visually Impaired).

Some of this information was taken from a printable glossary created by the Little Miracles charity which is available to download here

Little Miracles is a charity that supports children with disabilities and their families and siblings in the Peterborough area of UK.

Please suggest any acronyms or abbreviations that you have encountered in the comments.

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Do Fidget Spinners help Children Learn?

You see them everywhere, a colourful blur right across the country, wherever there are children. Where once it was marbles or loom bands or bottle flips, the fidget spinner has become the craze of 2017. But how did this toy, designed to help children who have issues with concentrating, become the go-to gadget of our times? And have we lost sight of what they’re really meant to be used for?

The classroom can be a daunting experience for some of us. A number of conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), attachment behaviour disorder (ABD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mean that it’s harder to be “ready to learn” than your peers.

While most children (and adults) find it possible, if not always desirable, to sit in silence and focus on one other person talking, for others it’s more of a challenge. The sensory deprivation can leave some of us feeling agitated, on edge, with nervous energy that’s hard to keep in check. In a classroom environment this can manifest itself in all kinds of (for the educator) unwanted behaviour which are (for the learner) an aid to concentration. From calling out and interrupting to flipping rulers on desks or folding paper, educators find that learners’ self-therapy can be distracting and take away from the flow of a lesson. So is there another way of coping?

The theory of fidget toys is simple: if you have difficulty concentrating, it gives you something to occupy your senses. The pleasant whirr of the spinner as its outer spokes whirl around the central hub creates a light vibration. Watching the spokes slowly come to a halt – they run on ceramic or steel bearings – is a strangely satisfying experience, as it takes just that little bit longer than your brain expects.

In a classroom environment it can be easy for an educator to mistake this behaviour for disruption, whereas it is in fact an expression of unfocused energy or repetitive behaviour that the child finds useful in order to concentrate and be ready to learn, particular when around others. While some children with special educational needs find it more stressful to be in a noisy classroom, others find the silent “teacher talk, you listen” sections of a lesson to be the most challenging.

Fidget toys provide an outlet for the energy these learners – adults as well as children – need to dissipate, in such a way as to be a minimal distraction for those around them, and teachers too. It allows a child to express their needs and be as stress-free as possible, without hindering the learning of others.

Educators, learning mentors, learning support assistants and play therapists will be familiar with “busy boxes” and sensory equipment for children who have special educational needs. Traditionally, sensory toys have been cobbled together from other toys and ordinary household items, for example – but the fidget spinner, and its cousin the fidget cube, were specifically designed to help learning.

Whether that means they are more effective than what professionals have been using for years is up for debate. And whether it’s more helpful to have fidget toys to be used in the classroom, rather than during specially timetabled sensory breaks, is another issue. But there’s no debating how popular these toys have become among all kinds of children – and their purpose has changed, from their original mission to all-round craze and, as we see them now, a phenomenon.

Now you can find not just three-pronged spinners but two and four-pronged spinners, glittering colours, even with LEDs to sparkle underneath a desk or in a dim room. And so have come the tricks that have elevated these toys from their purpose to something entirely different: as the hula hoop of our times. With that popularity has come cheap imitation, of course, leading to German authorities seizing millions of potentially lethal spinners and planning to crush them.

The prevalence of spinners has led to some schools banning them outright, and others making them disappear from the classroom, allowed during breaktimes. This policy, while understandable, might be a little hasty, since the benefits of these toys are not yet fully understood. As an educator, I have seen them being used effectively already with children who have additional learning needs, to give them something to keep their hands busy and their minds occupied during teacher input. So while it might be irritating to see that blur out of the corner of our eyes, it might be best to consider they really might have a positive value to learning after all.

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Stay Up Late Gig Buddies

Enjoying Music with Stay Up Late

Stay Up Late relies on volunteers who want to enjoy live music and are happy to go along with someone with learning disabilities to ensure they get to enjoy the same experiences as everybody else.  Stay Up Late clients are matched with volunteer gig buddies with common interest so they can attend gigs together which might mean live music concerts but could also be football matches, church services and festivals.

Many people with learning disabilities live independently of their families but they are supported in their daily life by staff. This makes late night events difficult as many staff are tied down to rotas and therefore, if they finish their shift at 10pm, staying on at a gig until 11pm is very unlikely and the individual in question may need support in getting home and therefore would have to leave too.

Leaving events at around 9pm has become the norm for many people with learning disabilities according to Stay Up Late and this is clearly an example of the unfairness and inequality people are living with, simply due to their additional needs.

Live your Independent Life

Stay Up Late wants all its clients to know they can stay up late however they wish. Their Facebook page shows a wide range of events which have attracted people with learning disabilities across the country as well as those local to the charity’s base in Brighton.

Stay Up Late also assert that in addition to their voluntary scheme, support workers should be employed flexibly and be able to work different hours to allow late night events, going out in the evening and therefore ensuring people with learning disabilities can live the lifestyle they choose. Many support workers are happy to work different hours as long as they know in advance but red tape issues often stop companies from allowing this and this is something Stay Up Late want to change.

Share Passions and Interests

Music crowd with Stay Up Late

In a radio interview the man behind Stay Up Late, Paul Richards, explained the importance of the shared passions in the success of his charity. Discussing events he had attended purely because someone was needed to go, he realised just how important it was to attend events with likeminded individuals rather than just someone who’s available. Gig buddies are chosen because of their close matching interests to the clients and therefore long-term friendships are formed as well as simply someone to take along to events.

It’s also important to note that all individuals who are selected as volunteer buddies are fully checked and vetted to ensure they are safe to accompany with vulnerable adults and Stay Up Late ensure safeguarding practices are followed to the letter.

Stay Up Late and Do What You Want

Stay Up Late exists to further independence. In the interview again Paul explains how rarely you see a person with learning disabilities out at night and how Gig Buddies was setup to try and create a natural and organic process of forming friendships through shared interests and push forward the message that people with learning disabilities have every right to be out enjoying an active social life of their choosing, integrating into their chosen communities.

We think the work at Stay Up Late are doing is commendable and think their efforts should be spread nationwide to allow even more people with learning disabilities to live the lifestyle they wish, unconfined by rotas and management.

All photographs courtesy of the Stay Up Late website.

Video Transcript

The video was created using the NZ Radio interview and the mp3 can be found here http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thiswayup/audio/20152929/stayuplate-org

A transcript of the video is available below but has also been added as captions to the you-tube video.

Simon:  Stay up late is a charity in the UK that promotes the rights of people with learning disabilities to live the lifestyle of their choice. They match clients and volunteers with common interests and then they attend gigs together everything from musical concerts to sporting events and church services.  Paul Richards is the man that set up Stay Up Late and Gig Buddies.

Paul:    I don’t know what the situation is like in New Zealand, but the UK there is lots of people with learning disabilities and autism who don’t get huge amount of funded support. So what happens is they end up spending a lot of time at home in social isolation. Loneness leads to all sorts of things around you know poor mental and physical health and it’s bad for communities to have people who are you know, lonely. And so, gig buddies is basically trying to deal with that problem by hooking social isolated people with learning disabilities up with a volunteer who loves the same music so they can go out to main stream gigs or whatever tickles their fancy together. For some people that is to go play sports, watch sport, somebody wants to go to church; doesn’t really matter. Say what your gig is and we’ll find someone later to go. But, generally it’s around about music.

Simon: And the critical bit here is having some sort of shared interest in that type of music because I guess you’ve got so many genres of live music happening that matching that up it would be problematic. There would be nothing worse than I guess one music fan having to go and sit for 2 hours through some other type of music performance that they actually hated and wouldn’t’ come back for more.

Paul:    Exactly! Last year some of our advisory group and they are made up of people with learning disabilities, they decided that they’d like to go see the dancing on ice extravaganza at the Brighton Center [00:02:01] and I said to our project manager ‘oh do I have to go? I absolutely hate that kind of thing”. Because, I know that if you love that kind of thing the energy rubs off and if you don’t you just sort of sit there zapping everyone else’s energy away from them. So I would go and I would try to be professional and I would try to be enthusiastic, but isn’t it better to go with somebody who truly shares you passion whatever that is? And your right, that’s the hook. It’s about a shared interest but also from that it’s also finding new experiences as well. So if you think about the sort of thing you sit in a pub and you are sort of chatting with a mate and you tell him to check out an artist I’ve never heard of, you know, and it’s that stuff that you go back and you buy the record and you listen to it and it expands your horizon and so that’s part of it as well, but within what people are comfortable with.

Simon: So how do you find the volunteers, the buddies that are taking people out to these gigs because as I mentioned you have to be I wouldn’t say careful, but there must be some sort of selection criteria?

Paul:    Yeah absolutely. We advertise in a variety of different places so, universities, venues themselves, a lot of word of mouth, we sort of go to events you know sort of around social care and things like that and put the word out, but also people like social workers sort of spread the word as well, but everybody gets interviewed and find out more about them. Then we do, well we are required by law to do criminal background checks on everyone, and we also give them some training. During that process some people do drop out and they realize it’s not for them or they come back with a colorful police record, and if you’ve got a police record it doesn’t mean that you can’t be involved; it does depend on what it was and when it was for to be honest.

Simon: I am sure, I am sure. Now the Gig buddies is part of a broader charity that you set up called Stay Up Late which is essentially about reclaiming the night isn’t it? For I guess as you say this community of people that are a large proportion of them don’t tend to get out at night.

Paul:    There is so much stuff going on you know but I sort of sit at the pub every evening, and still where we live very few people with learning disabilities out in the evening and you know the pub is where you, well I met my mates and watch music or chat the night away and those sort of things; those natural sort of things. So that’s what we through Gig Buddies are trying to create is natural friendships so they sort of go on in their informal and hopefully they last for a long time. But yeah, stay up late started because we were frustrated, I was in a band with 3 guys with learning disabilities in a punk band it’s called Heavy Load, and we were frustrated that people were leaving our gigs just as we got on stage and it was classic spinal tap because we never ever thought that was a reflection on the quality of our performances which were an acquired taste and quite chaotic and hilarious. It was because typically people do have support, have staff who are this ridged router systems that finish at 10 o’clock at night so everybody leaves at 9 so they can be home tucked up in bed with their cup of cocoa and the staff go home, and we started challenging that saying ‘look people with learning disabilities have every right to be active social lives that we all enjoy and the stuff that defines us and makes us part of a community and they are being denied it.’ So that’s why we started it and it sort of all grown from there.

Simon: So as a Gig buddy I would join the organization and I would go through the vetting process and then I fill out some form and say ‘hey look I am really into Reggae’ or I like a bit of this or that and you would then say ‘okay look we’ve got someone over here who is interested that.’ What do I then go and pick that person up and then I am responsible for them for the evening?

Paul:    Yes, well what we do is we have sort of a matching process. Our project manager she’ll be thinking when she meets people, she’ll be looking at their musical interests also where they live because a lot of the areas we work outside of Bright and it is quite rural and we pull public transport link. So it’s looking at do people live in the next village or town along and do they have a car and that sort of thing. And then, then it might sometimes be around sex or sexuality, age, it’s a whole range of things go into the mix in time which work out as well as their musical tastes which is quite a complicated thing. But then we’ll always go and support the first night out so that they get to meet at first. And then we’ll go support the first night out. So it’s sort of set up in that gentle way, and then they can go on and develop their friendship, but we sort of, we guide people through that because we are fully aware that people have anxiety around going out with somebody with a learning disability and most of our volunteers are new to supporting people with learning disabilities. So you know we talk through maybe a few of the potential support issues. There might be that someone is anxious in crowds and noisy situations and things like that and what you do in situations where somebody’s experiencing anxiety and different things like that. Yeah, so we don’t just leave them to it we sort of… – and then we offer them ongoing support as well so if they are having some doubts or problems we’ll meet with them and chat through things with them.

Simon: Paul Richards is the founder of Stay Up Late and there is more information on our website right now.

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World Toilet Day

World Toilet Day takes place on November 19^th and focuses mainly on the sanitation needs in developing countries. It highlights how important toilets can be and how they can truly make all the difference in the battle against disease and widespread infection. However, we’re looking at a campaign closer to home and one which has a huge impact on the lives of people living with disabilities in the UK. The Changing Places campaign is staging an event as part of a worldwide awareness raising efforts called ‘The Big Squat’.  

Changing Places

Changing Places is a campaign which is pushing for the installation of accessible changing rooms in a range of public places across the UK. There are many reason why properly accessible changing rooms are essential and many people living with different disabilities need more support and space to be able to toilet in public places comfortably.

Currently standard disabled toilets do not meet the needs of all people living with disabilities and their carers or support staff. People living with profound and multiple disabilities including learning disabilities, spinal damage and acquired brain injury often find themselves needing additional facilities to be able to comfortably utilise public toilets.

Changing Places toilets are different and provide initial facilities and apparatus to allow for easier usage.

Changing Places Toilets

Changing Places toilets provide the right equipment, enough space and a safe and clean changing environment. The equipment provides will either be a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench and a fully functional tracking hoist system or mobile hoist where this isn’t possible.

The changing areas will also have enough space for the disabled person as well as up to two carers and the toilet will be centrally placed to allow for support from carers on either side. Curtains or screens are also fitted so the disabled person and carer can have some privacy during the change.

The safety and cleanliness is provided by tear off paper roll to cover the bench before use and a large waste bin to allow for the disposal of pads. The floors are all non-slip to avoid any other accidents or risks.

Where do we want them?

The Changing Places campaign want to see their unique and potentially life changing toilets installed in all large public places. Their list of places includes:

• city centres
• shopping centres
• arts venues
• hospitals
• motorway service stations
• leisure complexes
• large railway stations
• airports

They also highlight that these new changing facilities should be installed in addition to pre-existing accessible toilets and not as a replacement. We definitely agree and think accessibility to comfortable toilets should be a basic right for all. Below is a case study looking at one mother and daughter who definitely see the need for accessible Changing Places toilets in every possible location.

Bethan and Lowri – A Case Study

Bethan is the mother of two daughters, Elin and Lowri, and the youngest, Lowri, lives with Retts Syndrome. Retts Syndrome means Lowri needs support with all her daily activities as she has no independent mobility. She uses continence pads for comfort and Bethan, Elin and Lowri were all pleased to have the chance to enjoy a happy family day out thanks to a Changing Places toilet.

The mum and daughters were able to enjoy a day out in Nottingham City Centre including shopping, lunch and a show at the local theatre. Nottingham City Council had the initiative to install a Changing Places toilet which allows for Bethan to help her daughter with her toileting needs without stress or difficulty, utilising the specialist hoist and changing equipment.

Bethan highlighted that without the Changing Places toilet there days out were very different as they had to plan their days out around specific times, ensuring to be home for mealtimes as Lowri would need to go to the toilet and they simply wouldn’t be able to change her comfortably in regular disabled toilets, as it would involve lying her on the floor. My own son Joe, has Dravet Syndrome and cannot be changed in most toilets. We had our vehicle specially adapted with a bench, curtains and a small hoist because of this issue.

Changing Places have taken Bethan and Lowri’s story as a great positive and use them regularly in their campaigns to show the importance of their toilets for whole families as well as individuals. This video tells a little more about their story:

(Full Transcript Below)

Take Part In the BIG SQUAT for World Toilet Day

The Big Squat event will be at 12 noon on 19 November

As part of World Toilet Day activities on the 19th November, the World Toilet Organisation (WTO) has launched The Big Squat- a movement for the toilet-less

To help raise awareness of the 2.5 million people worldwide who do not have access to sanitation, the WTO is asking people to squat for one minute in a highly visible location at 12 noon. Download the WTO toolkit for organising your Big Squat and don’t forget to share your photos via the Big Squat flickr group or by emailing them to WTO

The squatting exercise is highly symbolic of the problems faced by many people in the developing world, where a lack of toilets forces people to squat in fields, in the bush, along train tracks, or in other open places. Open defecation is a major problems: it spreads disease, resulting in over 1.8 million deaths from diarrhoeal disease every year. It also affects women’s wellbeing and safety: in many developing countries, women are forced to relieve themselves either before sunrise or after sunset, causing them immense discomfort and inconvenience as well as putting them at risk of rape and other attacks.

In the UK the Changing Places campaign will be using the Big Squat to help highlight the need for Changing Places toilets in public spaces in order to meet the needs of the 230,000 people who need additional support and appropriate facilities in order to use the toilet.

Some of their campaigners in London will be heading to the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park in Stratford to do a very public mass squat.  We also think this is a great opportunity to celebrate the availability of Changing Places facilities at the park and the accessibility legacy left behind by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralymplic games.

World Toilet Day Aids

The Uriwell Family

At Living with Disability we regularly discuss the importance of dignity and independence in personal care and toileting. We have highlighted some of the many useful gadgets and aids on the market which can help in those awkward moments and reduce anxiety and fear for people who may find toileting problematic.

One of our favourite products comes from Uriwell as they cater for every member of the family and can be a great aid to keep to hand if you often find yourself in situations where your bladder gives you little warning. It’s also very valuable for helping young children who are learning to use the toilet.

On the theme of toilet training for younger children we also rate the Game of Pee which adds a bit of fun to the process. The game includes a Happy Pee and the game comes with different faces for the Uriwell as well as an educational booklet that can be coloured in. A wall chart allows you to mark your child’s progress and help them feel a sense of achievement as they move up the steps. The range has even expanded to include the Happy Poo and so toilet training really can be simpler than you thought.

World Toilet Day and the UK Changing Places campaign needs your support and we’re hoping after reading this you might take part in the Big Squat! (#BigSquat or contact  @CP_consortium on Twitter)

 Video Transcript

00:06 Speaker 1: My name is Bethan, and this is Lowri who is my 10-year-old daughter. Lowri is profoundly disabled. She has a condition called Rett syndrome. And she is completely dependent on us for all her activities of daily living. Lowri wears incontinence pads or nappies and so obviously, we have to change her during the day and in an ordinary disabled toilet that involves putting her on the floor because she is getting a big girl, and it’s no joke to manhandle that. You’ve got to keep her hands off the dirty floor ’cause the next place they’ll go is to her mouth. So, that’s why we need Changing Places toilets. We’ve got to get her onto this height adjustable table, so that’s either lift but ideally you want some kind of an equipment to help you with that because really you do far too much lifting. So, a ceiling track hoist is really ideal. It’s changed our life in the sense that coming to Nottingham for a day out, we can come here, we know it’s here, we can plan our whole day.

01:06 S1: When there’s a Changing Places toilet, it just increases the length of time that you can spend somewhere, and it means you are not time limited, you haven’t got that worry about how long am I going to be out? Where do I go next? If you know that there is a decent facility, then you can build that into your day, and it just takes the pressure off you. The Changing Places campaign is really important for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their family. I see it as being the next step. We’ve got standard accessible disabled toilets everywhere these days, everybody expects them. We’ve got baby changing everywhere and it’s expected. I think that having Changing Places toilets is the next step.

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Weighted blankets come in many colours and patterns and look very much like ordinary bed coverings

Weighted blankets are heavy, specially made bed coverings. They use sewn-in bags of sand or other dense materials to make the covering heavy. They are mostly used for children with autism but be used to calm people with dementia or for other neurological conditions. They help children sleep and can help with tics and involuntary movements and conditions like restless leg syndrome.

This is another post inspired with thanks to @touretteshero. One of her fab blog posts led us to this product which we really believe deserves a mention on Living with Disability. The product in question is the use of weighted blankets, a simple invention which provides a carefully determined amount of pressure during sleep to help control any involuntary movements. They can improve the sleeping patterns and experience for those who have a number of different conditions.

Like the post on wrist straps, Tourettes Hero’s blog post, describes a product that has helped her get on with her life. She discusses how it helps provide some resistance to her tics but also mentions how the product was already on her horizon as she had seen them in use with autistic children. People who have an autistic spectrum disorder can have extreme difficulty sleeping due in many cases to proprioceptive imbalance and even experience insomnia.  A weighted blanket can significantly improve these problems and they can also help in the day time to help control the stimming that is related to autistic spectrum disorders.

Tourettes Hero with a heavy sleep aid…sorry, wrong pic, I mean with the marvellous Stephen Fry

So, what does a weighted blanket do?

Many of us have experienced the comforting feeling of heavy eiderdowns or blankets, maybe at grandparents as a child or the feeling of being ‘tucked up tightly’ with sheets.  A weighted blanket provides what’s described as ‘deep pressure’ which is found to be calming and comforting especially for children on the Autistic Spectrum as research suggests they seek this deep pressure and want to be covered under several layers. With a weighted blanket, several layers aren’t needed and there is no risk of suffocation etc.

A large specially made heavy bed covering can be used at night to aid sleeping. Many families have said that using weighted blankets has given their child the first uninterrupted night’s sleep of their lives. They can help the child relax and feel comfortable in their bedroom. As well as large blankets there are a range of smaller products and lap pads which are designed for day time use, even in classrooms and at the dinner table. A weighted lap pad is designed to promote calm behaviour, enhance focus and concentration and also allows for further learning and comprehension if used in schools.

This video shows reviews on brand of weighted blankets and shows their uses:

For more info about the weighted blankets for sale on Amazon, click the box above.

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Searching for “Disabled Shoe laces “? Greeper laces are always tied, useful for top sportsmen and people with disabilities a truly universal design.

With the Paralympics coming up we thought we would feature a neat gadget used by top athletes like World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington MBE.

Shoelaces as used by top sportswoman Chrissie Wellington MBE

At Living With Disability we were really excited when we first heard about greeper laces as we realised the difference they could make to so many lives. You see, Greeper Shoe Laces carry the tagline ‘One Applied, Always Tied’ and you can adjust, loosen or do anything you need with your shoe laces without every needing to tie and untie them. This really is an innovative, yet simple creation which we had to share.

There are many groups of people living with disabilities who can significantly benefit from Greeper Shoe Laces. Firstly, we thought of those living with a range of learning disabilities which have made tying shoe laces very difficult. In the past, many people living with certain learning disabilities were seen only wearing Velcro shoes but with Greeper Shoe Laces, the range of shoes to choose from is wider and more accessible. Secondly, Greeper Shoe Laces are a great idea for children with autism who frequently remove their shoes, as there’s no need to retie and they can be put back on in seconds. We also believe Greeper Shoe Laces would be a great idea for anybody living with painful conditions such as arthritis which make bending and stretching difficult. You can simple slip your shoes on and off and the laces remain tied. People who are overweight or have back pain can also benefit as the laces remove the need for bending of reaching down to retie them during the day.

Once applied they stay on all day long

Greeper Shoe Laces require a little initial fitting but once it’s done, they’re there to stay. They come in a huge range of colours and two different lengths, so you can fit them in your trainers or boots. The really ‘inclusive design’ wow factor is the fact that they can be used in any shoes or training boots, removing the need to find expensive specialist footwear and allowing athletes to choose the absolutely most suitable shoes for the event. They’re a great help and remove one more of those pesky daily tasks which can become a difficult chore. This informational video shoes exactly how Greeper Shoe Laces work:

Range of Greeper Laces

There are several styles in the Greeper lace range. No matter what the occasion or task, there is a Greeper lace in a style and colour to fit your needs and tastes.

Sports Greeper laces in Neon Pink

Sports Greeper Laces

Greeper Sports laces are ideal for all types of sports shoes. Whether you enjoy tennis, running or golf; the Sports range are an oval type like the ones usually included with running shoes. They are also perfect for school shoes such as smart footwear or plimsoles used for gym.

Sports Greeper Laces are available in the following colours:

• Neon Green
• Purple
• Red
• Neon Orange
• Yellow
• Blue
• Black
• Neon Pink
• White
• Grey

Beige and Brown Hiker-style Greeper Laces

Hiker Greeper Laces

Greeper Hiker Laces are ideal for outdoor hiking and walking boots. They are longer than any of the other styles (150cm). This allows for the extra length needed when threading through the eyelets of boots. Greeper Hiker Laces feature a durable yet lightweight nylon toggle with high tension springs. This ensures that your laces will stay tight no matter the incline or conditions.

Hiker Greeper Laces are available in the following colour combinations:

• Purple/Black
• Brown/Black
• Beige/Brown
• Black/White
• Pink/Purple

Smart and stylish – Black Greeper Execs laces

Execs Greeper Laces

The Execs range of Greeper Laces are a stylish and formal option for smart shoes and occasions. Perfect for classic men’s shoes, business footwear and both girl’s and boy’s school shoes.
Execs Greeper Laces are available in either Brown or Black.

Modern and Fresh – The Greeper Flats range in Orange

Flats Greeper Laces

The Flats range of Greeper Laces are most popular amongst younger sporting-types. They are 10mm wide, flat laces that are usually found in less-formal sports footwear. They are ideal for pumps and “Converse” skater style footwear, and are available in with either the SureGrip or Sports toggle.

Flats Greeper Laces are available in the following colours:

• Pink
• Black
• White
• Red
• Purple
• Orange
• Brown

Thomas the Tank Engine Greeper Laces for Children

All children will struggle to learn how to tie their own laces, however for a number of children with fine motorskill issues, SEN and autism – this can be a frustrating new skill to learn, and may cause a lot of stress to both the child and care-giver when it comes to putting on their shoes. Greepers are ideal for children who struggle to fasten their own laces, and Greeper have designed an extra-special fun pair of laces featuring the most famous train in the world – Thomas the Tank Engine himself!

Officially endorsed by the NAS (National Autistic Society), these Thomas-themed Greepers are perfect for children who often remove their shoes when out and about, as the “stay tied” functionality means shoes can be quickly placed back on feet without having to retie the laces. For every pair of Thomas the Tank Engine laces sold, Greeper make a contribution to the NAS.

At Living with Disability we are particularly excited about this product because it really is a brand new idea and something we think thousands of people could benefit from. If you’re interested in making a purchase, please checkout the range of Greepers available from Trabasack.com

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Silk-like style clothes protectors – new pashmina from Bibetta

The Bibetta range of clothes protectors has recently come to our attention and we think it’s a brilliant product range, which allows for safety, comfort and dignity whilst eating and drinking. The Bibetta range includes both Tabard and Pashmina style clothes protectors which allow the user to feel comfortable and safe whilst eating or drinking, with no risk of spills or damage to clothing or bare skin. Lightweight and easy to put on, the Bibetta range is great for use in the home or whilst out and about and makes eating and drinking in public a less anxious affair, if you live with a disability which effects chewing and swallowing for example. Along with other items like the Hydrant and Liquid Level Indicator, Bibetta Clothes Protectors go along way to ensuring your comfortable and secure whilst dining, as this lady says in a tweet:

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/Jentay61/status/243302296186929152″]

@trabasack @amazon If I needed a clothes protector this is infinitely better than any other-Why did no one think of it b4?!

— Jenzo Pleb Taylor (@Jentay61) May 13, 2013

Tabard Style Clothes Protectors – Functional and Dignified

A Functional Bibetta Tabard put to great use

The Tabard Style Clothes protectors from Bibetta are designed with functionality and comfort in mind. Available in a range of sizes for teenagers and adults and made from strong, long-lasting materials. To aid with eating and drinking the tabards are 100% waterproof, almost impossible to stain and can be popped into the washing machine and tumble dryer and remain in perfect condition. They’re soft, flexible and easy to wear and their durability means they last a lot longer than traditional clothes protecting bibs.

As the photo shows, the product is designed with an over-the-shoulder shape which means they look much more like a tabard than a traditional bib, just without the back so easy to put on and take off. This makes a change from traditional bibs which can look uncomfortable and less dignified. Their ergonomically shaped design at the front allows for completely free arm movement, allowing for easy access to drinks and food. Made from flexible Neoprene, the tabards are easily fold-able and can be stored without difficulty.

Pashmina Style Clothes Protectors – Elegant and Practical

The Bibetta Pashmina is attractive and practical

As the photo shows clearly, these Pashmina Style Clothes Protectors offer a completely discrete and dignified solution for avoiding drips and spills onto clothes, keeping them entirely clean. It combines the fashionable elegance of an attractive scarf with the functional protection you may need from a bib. The pashmina is designed with style and dignity in mind and comes in a range of colours to complement any outfit beautifully.  It’s made from a soft and luxurious feeling silk-like fabric which adds to its attractiveness and the front is absorbent, keeping away moisture from the skin and allowing for more comfort. It has two further layers, the middle layer is also absorbent whilst the back is waterproof, allowing your skin and clothes to remain completely dry, even if spillage does occur. Like the other products, Bibetta Pashminas are extremely durable despite their delicate appearance and therefore can be machine washed and tumble dried and remain in great condition.

The Bibetta team pride themselves on offering top quality products with durability and dignity at the core of their ethos and both these products deliver that and much more. To find out more and make a purchase, please visit the Disability Horizons Store.

UPDATE

We know wearing a clothes protector can be an awkward social experience and were pleased to see the issue tackled in this blog post from Simon Stevens,  an Independent Disability Issues Consultant, Trainer and Activist:

 A bib is a covering of the fact worn to protect clothes during mealtimes or from drooling. It is generally seen as something  as normally worn by babies but as someone with cerebral palsy, I wear a bib at home all day because of my own drooling. Am I a baby? Not at all, just someone using something I find useful.

10 years ago, bibs for adults were a taboo subject but now I feel that it is more accepted for many disabled people to wear bibs if they wish to do, as well as use a whole range of specialist equipment which were previously less acceptable. I feel this is all due to an improved inclusion of disabled people on their own terms.

People with significant impairments often find things that some regard as babyish as useful to their chosen lifestyle and I am clear the pressure to act normal is less than what it used to be.

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Helping your child understand toilet training

Having an older child who suffers from bladder weakness and needs more support in their toilet training can be a very testing and difficult thing to live with. However, this new product, exhibited at Naidex’s New Product Showcase has been designed with education and sensitivity in mind. EnuSens is an enurises monitor which has education and support as its main goals, helping to guide children into waking up when nature calls without having to be attached to a noisy buzzer or rely on uncomfortable training underwear, that never ever feels good. This new toilet training alarm system is designed to work on your child’s confidence, understanding their own body and their self-esteem.

Working with your child to understand their body

High Tech sensors make this system discrete and reliable for detecting enuresis

EnuSensTM can be used to help educate children to wake up and use the bathroom. Some children can respond faster than others to this type of training, depending on age and other various factors. What’s more this product also helps children understand how their body works, if they have the capacity to do and it also can be used in a number of healthcare settings. Receiving positive feedback from the Convention has seen the product easily available online and the soft cotton sensor means all chances of being uncomfortable can be eliminated. What’s more, you could use these product in conjunction with Brolly Sheets or the Uriwell range to create an even less clinical atmosphere.

Used by Adults

This product can also be used by adults, either in bed or perhaps whilst out and about in a wheelchair. The hardwearing sensor allows for comfort as well as easy positioning in the correct position in the chair and if you have a support team or carers, it allows them to respond immediately to any accidents or leakage. Even better, although there is an alarm option this can be silenced so there is no need to feel undignified or embarrassed by any little accidents and they can be handled safely without any need for upset.

If you’re interested in this product, click in the below box:

image
title	DRI Sleeper Bed Wetting Alarm	Wet-Stop3 Bedwetting Alarm-Green	TensCare Dry Night Trainer Bed Wetting Alarm	Rodger Wireless Bedwetting Enuresis Alarm – NEW 2012 Model	The Astric Dry Bed Bedwetting Alarm
Weight	0.22 pound	0.1 pound
Binding	Personal Care	Personal Care	Personal Care	Electronics	Electronics
price	37.14	32.95	25.99	98.95	104.00
reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
link	More Info	More Info	More Info	More Info	More Info
Brand	DRI Sleeper		TensCare	Rodger Wireless Bed Wetting Alarm	Astric Medical
Feature	DRI Sleeper is effective in upto 90% of Children over the age of 5 Night dryness is achieved in most cases within just a few weeks Highly acclaimed and Affordable Safety Electronics Small & Easy to use
Label	AnzAcare Limited	PottyMD LLC	TensCare	Rodger BV	Astric Medical
ProductGroup	Health and Beauty	Health and Beauty	Health and Beauty	CE	CE
Title	DRI Sleeper Bed Wetting Alarm	Wet-Stop3 Bedwetting Alarm-Green	TensCare Dry Night Trainer Bed Wetting Alarm	Rodger Wireless Bedwetting Enuresis Alarm – NEW 2012 Model	The Astric Dry Bed Bedwetting Alarm
Warranty	60 Day Warranty on the Alarm Unit & 30 Day Warranty on the Sensor			Manufacturer warranty for 1 year from date of purchase – non transferrable
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info	More Info	More Info	More Info

The post High-Tech Helpers: EnuSens Toilet Training Alarm System appeared first on .

When you’re dressing yourself, one particular complication can be fasteners. Whether you have poor manual dexterity or the use of only one hand, it can be virtually impossible, for instance, to fasten the buckles on your belts. Or you might be able to manage the buckle with a struggle, but then have problems if you have to rush to the toilet.

Easy Belts are the answer. They have a velcro strip that simply goes through a D-shaped buckle and folds back on itself, holding the belt securely in place – easy to operate single-handedly.

Colourful designs and styles

Easy Belts come in both adult and child sizes, adjustable of course, and can be made to measure if required. They are slightly elasticated, a boon for people with conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome which can cause painful bloating.

You can choose your Easy Belt from a range of colours, from pink stripes to black. Why not buy several, so you’ll always have one to match your outfit? It also means there’s bound to be one to match your child’s school uniform. Easy Belts can be machine washed, and come out looking as good as new every time.

Existing users are very positive about their Easy Belts. A man with Parkinson’s Disease was no longer able to manage normal belts and this caused distress. Easy Belt made it so easy for him to do up his belt. A teenage girl with learning disabilities could manage most things herself but struggled with belt buckles. Once she had an Easy Belt those days were gone: no more fiddling to find the hole, just one pull and fasten and it was done.

Easy Belts are highly recommended as a functional and fashionable aid to independence. With their excellent choice of sizes and colours,  there’s bound to be one to suit you. And at their very reasonable price, how can you lose?

Visit the Easy Belts webshop for more info about these practical velcro-able belts. http://www.easybelts.co.uk/

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