The Special
Olympics is now taking place in New Jersey until June 20th. The Special Olympics is an empowering event
for all participants, it allows the world to see the extraordinary talents
these individuals have and how they are not limited by their physical or
intellectual disabilities. The event
has grown to have over 3,500 incredible athletes participating in 16 different
sports this year. The Special Olympics
is not only an amazing experience for the competitors but it also enriches
their lives physically, mentally and socially.
Take time this week to support and watch these athletes as they compete
with their peers. For more information
on the 2014 Special Olympics click here.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Summertime Fun!
The
school year is ending which means summer is finally here and it is time for
some fun summer activities!! Summer
vacation is a perfect time for a child to continue learning through fun. Exciting adapted water toys, arts & crafts,
and outdoor devices, allow special needs children to work on increasing different
skills while they enjoy the warm weather. Here are
seven great devices
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
APE
APE is a physical education class
that has been modified appropriately for students with disabilities. It helps
develop a child’s motor skills, flexibility, balance, endurance, strength and
confidence.
The benefits of APE for students with disabilities include:
- Increased independence
- Increased independence
- Participation in age appropriate activities
- Strengthening of the core
- Development of listening skills and teamwork
- Learning strategic planning and implementation
- Improved health from physical
activity
- Increased coordination and cognitive functioning
We spoke with Mr. Donald C., an APE teacher
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
May 14th- Apraxia Awareness Day!
Today is Apraxia Awareness Day. Apraxia is a motor speech disorder where a person has trouble forming specific movements of their tongue, lips, jaw, and palate making it difficult for them to speak. Children with apraxia understand language but they have difficulty in transmitting their thoughts to create the correct muscle movements that would allow for speech.
Some early warning signs of apraxia in young children may be, but are not limited to:
- The child's first words are delayed
- The child may be leaving out sounds in the words they are trying to express
- The child has difficulty in combining sounds
- The child does does not babble at all as an infant
(More information about childhood apraxia may be found at www.asha.org)
It is important for your child to be evaluated by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) if you feel they may have a speech problem. Children who are diagnosed with apraxia receive therapy to help them learn the correct muscle coordination they need to speak. Initially or in more severe cases, children will rely on other sources to help them communicate, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devces (AAC) or sign language.
An AAC device such as a 7-Level Communication Builder, is a transitional communicator which allows for a child to express themselves. The 7 Level Communication Builder gives them the opportunity to grow with the device since it can be programmed from one message to sixteen messages on different levels. Another communicator that may be used is the Visual Speech Trainer which not only allows a child to hear a pre-recorded message but it also allows them to use the attached mirror to see and imitate the movements for formulating speech.
Communication devices are helpful tools not only for children with apraxia but for any individual who needs help expressing themselves.
Some early warning signs of apraxia in young children may be, but are not limited to:
- The child's first words are delayed
- The child may be leaving out sounds in the words they are trying to express
- The child has difficulty in combining sounds
- The child does does not babble at all as an infant
(More information about childhood apraxia may be found at www.asha.org)
It is important for your child to be evaluated by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) if you feel they may have a speech problem. Children who are diagnosed with apraxia receive therapy to help them learn the correct muscle coordination they need to speak. Initially or in more severe cases, children will rely on other sources to help them communicate, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devces (AAC) or sign language.
An AAC device such as a 7-Level Communication Builder, is a transitional communicator which allows for a child to express themselves. The 7 Level Communication Builder gives them the opportunity to grow with the device since it can be programmed from one message to sixteen messages on different levels. Another communicator that may be used is the Visual Speech Trainer which not only allows a child to hear a pre-recorded message but it also allows them to use the attached mirror to see and imitate the movements for formulating speech.
Communication devices are helpful tools not only for children with apraxia but for any individual who needs help expressing themselves.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
10 Products for Your Child's Sensory Diet
Sensory diets are activities that help a person stay focused and organized. These are designed by an occupational therapist who specializes in sensory processing disorders. Here are a list of 10 products that can help with your child's sensory diet at home!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Halloween: Some helpful tips on having a safe and healthy spooky-fest!
Halloween is a fun exciting time where kids get to be kids; dress-up, eat lots of candy, stay out till after dark... sounds fun right? For special needs parents this can be a major task that takes lots of planning, organizing and patience.
Have you picked out a costume yet? There are many great ideas for costumes that involve wheelchairs. Here is a very creative costume of an ice cream truck! Carter, a little boy with spina bifida has one awesome dad! Not only does he get to participate in all the Halloween festivities, but he also has the coolest costume!
Have you picked out a costume yet? There are many great ideas for costumes that involve wheelchairs. Here is a very creative costume of an ice cream truck! Carter, a little boy with spina bifida has one awesome dad! Not only does he get to participate in all the Halloween festivities, but he also has the coolest costume!
Here are some other creative costumes!
If your child has Halloween anxiety make sure you show them your game plan before you head out trick-or-treating. Practicing the process is a great way to get them adjusted to the night ahead. Also, always remember that you can choose to have your child help you pass out candy. They will get to dress-up and still be in the comfort of their own home.
There are also many other fall traditions that can help ease into the "Spooky" season, like pumpkin carving, apple picking, hayrides and arts & crafts that can be done at home!
What are your plans for this Halloween? Have a costume you want to share? Email us enablingdevices@gmail.com!
Monday, January 28, 2013
iPads, Tablets, Accessories & More! Back by Popular Demand, Plus Much More!
Last August we interviewed Vinny our Tech Support Manager/Product Specialist. He enlightened us about all the wonderful tech products that are available. To see the post from last August please click here.
Today Vinny is going to share with us some more new products and he is going to answer questions about adapted electronics.
Enabling Devices Blogger: I know that you sell a touch screen stylus, but do you carry a stylus option that doesn't require hand movement?
Vinny: We recently developed item 9098 Adjustable Touch Screen Mouth Stylus. It adjusts from 8½" to 15". This stylus is controlled by your mouth and does require some head control. The plastic bite has rubber sleeves which allows the bite plate to fit firmly and comfortably in your mouth. We do include an extra set of thermoplastic rubber sleeves with the product.
Today Vinny is going to share with us some more new products and he is going to answer questions about adapted electronics.
Enabling Devices Blogger: I know that you sell a touch screen stylus, but do you carry a stylus option that doesn't require hand movement?
Vinny: We recently developed item 9098 Adjustable Touch Screen Mouth Stylus. It adjusts from 8½" to 15". This stylus is controlled by your mouth and does require some head control. The plastic bite has rubber sleeves which allows the bite plate to fit firmly and comfortably in your mouth. We do include an extra set of thermoplastic rubber sleeves with the product.
EDB: Do you carry software or hardware for the iPad that will control a TV?
V: Similar to item 1041 Switchamajig, we have a brand new product 1042 IR Switchamajig. This interface works in conjunction with a free app and can control anything that uses an infrared remote control such as; TV, stereo, DVD and Blu-ray player or a camcorder. You can select the remote control buttons that you want displayed on the iPad, you can also adjust the size. This is a great item that can give independence to many individuals.
We also sell item 5161/5162 Mounted TV Remote Control. This remote is universal and compatible with most TV, cable and satellite systems. What I like about this product is that it can be mounted to any wheelchair, tabletop or bedrail.
EDB: What other adapted electronics do you carry that can either be mounted on a wheelchair or places on a wheelchair tray?
V: We actually just released a brand new item: an adapted DVD player. This item is flying off the shelf! We sell this two ways- 1578 Adapted DVD Player and 1579 Adapted DVD Player w/Mounting Arm. We adapted two functions so the user can select pause and play using their switch. It has a colored LCD widescreen display, integrated stereo speakers, headphone jacks, multiple languages, subtitles and parental controls. There are 2.3 hours of playtime and the device is rechargeable. This item can be used anywhere; school, home or even in the car. We had one customer tell us that this product was perfect for lunch time in her classroom.
Lastly I want to mention item 5900 Sony CD Control Center. This is a great tabletop CD player. We added six 2½" gumball switches on the device so a user who is visually impaired can use the product. The switches control volume, forward and backward, play and pause, and stop. There is a built-in speaker which has excellent sound quality and also a jack for headphones or ear buds which are included.
EDB: Thank you Vinny for your time today and for all this great information.
If you have any further questions about anything we discussed please feel free to email Vinny at customer_support@enablingdevices.com.
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." - Vince Lombardi
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