Special Needs

Articles

...levers instead of pushing wheels, which generates more torque and makes it easier to navigate hills and rough terrain. These work well for users with upper body strength but require significant effort on long or steep trails. Hiking-specific adaptive chairs like the AdvenChair are designed to be pushed...

...hockey with minor adaptations for sled contact. If your child can maintain upper body control and hold two sticks, they can play sled hockey. Programs exist...children if they can sit upright independently and hold equipment. There's no upper age limit. Adult leagues exist, and many players continue competing...

...alternative positioning options that don't assume a standard seated hold, and lighter weight construction that opens instruments to students with reduced upper body strength. Individual adaptations look like this in practice: piano keyboards with raised keys elevated above the base, making individual notes...

...best when: Walking causes fatigue that limits participation in activities Distances in school or community settings exceed your child's endurance Upper body strength and coordination are reliable Speed and efficiency of movement matter for keeping up with peers Some children use both. A walker at home...

...strategies support them, and which milestones are realistic given the child's CP type and severity level. A child with spastic diplegia who has strong upper body control may feed themselves independently by age three but need adaptive equipment for toileting well into elementary school. A child with athetoid...

...where distance or terrain would tire a child who can walk short distances. They're common for children with conditions that affect endurance more than upper body function, or for those who are still developing the strength and coordination needed to propel themselves reliably. Transport chairs are typically...

...(prone position) and uses their arms to push themselves across the floor. It's low to the ground, simple, and designed for children who can use their upper body to propel themselves but can't yet crawl, walk, or use a wheelchair. A prone cart is different. It's also a wheeled platform where your child lies...

...(VSD), and atrial septal defect (ASD). Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is the most common. It's a hole in the center of the heart where the upper chambers (atria) and lower chambers (ventricles) meet. In a typical heart, these chambers are separated by tissue. In AVSD, that separation didn't form...

...the Decision Turns On. Not every child with a mobility impairment needs both a manual and a power chair. The choice depends on three core factors: upper extremity function, cognitive readiness to operate a control device, and the family's day-to-day environment. Manual wheelchairs work well when a child...

...with intellectual disabilities, defined as an IQ under 75-80 combined with significant adaptive behavior challenges Open to anyone age 8 and older No upper limit on the number of...

...(4th to 6th grades) Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy BlumeThe Bad Beginning by Lemony SnicketThe Indian in the Cupboard by Lynn Reid Banks Upper Grades (7th to 9th grades) Both Sides of Time – by Caroline CooneyFranny and Zooey – by J.D. Salinger The Hobbit – by J. R. R. Tolkien One thing to...

...the water. In shallow water, your child can use water aerobic weights or other floating toys to play with and work on muscle building in his or her upper arms. Your child can also wear an old pair of sneakers into the shallow end and practice walking around in the water. The added weight adds a challenge,...