Looking for equipment for a child with disabilities? These parents took up the challenge to come up with their own solutions. They've taken what worked for them and marketed it to help other parents. Could you follow in their footsteps?
Ability Station
Image courtesy of Matt McGhie
Propietor/Parent: Matt McGhie
Business Description: "Special Toys for Special Needs is the slogan," says McGhie. "We like to think of it as a safe zone for parents of kids with special needs. Each toy has some value and can help develop some motor skill or satisfy a need. Each toy is also approved by a licensed therapist as bringing value to a child's development. If it isn't productive, we don't carry it." On the site, shoppers can search for toys by brand, category, disability, price, motor area, age, and type. ... Read more
DreamCatcher Weighted Blankets
Photo courtesy of Dreamcatcher Weighted Blankets
Business Description: DreamCatcher "specializes in custom weighted products for those individuals that benefit from them," according to Jackson. Among the items offered are lap pads, lap blankets, wrap blankets, crib blankets, and blankets for twin-, full-, queen-, and king-size beds. Most are custom-made with fabrics and weights specified by the customer. ... Read more
Fun and Function
Photo courtesy of Fun and Function
Business Description: "We create and sell affordable and cool therapeutic toys, educational resources and clothing to facilitate each child's development and fullest potential," says Weiss. Categories on the site include Sensory, Perception, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Speech/Oral, Incentives, and Equipment. ... Read more
KeepingPace
Photo courtesy of KeepingPace
Business Description: KeepingPace has been called the "new generation of orthopedic footwear designers," Watson reports with pride. "Our company regards themselves as a catalyst for change by innovatively designing and providing specialty footwear solutions for children wearing braces/AFOs." ... Read more
My Button Buddies
Photo by Kori Gedris Photography
Proprietor/Parent: Sophie Szilagyi
Business Description: According to the My Button Buddies site, "ButtonBuddies are cloth pads designed to be worn around the gastric feeding tube (G-Tube) also called a 'button.' They are used in place of medical gauze for anyone who uses a gastrostomy feeding tube (Enteral feeding tube). Each cloth pad is about 2 - 2.5 inches across (diameter)." In addition to being absorbent and re-usable, they're also more fun for kids than medical gauze. "ButtonBuddies look less like a bandage or a 'boo-boo.' With ButtonBuddies, children with G-tubes can have something special for themselves in a happy and positive way." ... Read more
Ready, Set, Bloom
Photo courtesy of Libby McClain
Proprietor/Parent: Elizabeth (Libby) McLain
Business Description: "Ready, Set, Bloom, LLC is a family-owned and -operated company based out of St. Louis, Missouri," says McLain. "The company was developed after Matt and I worked to find a solution to keep our autistic son in bed during the night. We soon realized families of other autistic and special-needs children might find the bed tent useful as well, and Ready, Set, Bloom, LLC and the Nickel Bed Tent were created." The tent, which sells for $124.99, fits over a twin-size mattress and allows three points of access. There are safety straps to keep the tent from slipping, and it transports easily for travel. ... Read more
Ross Daniel Adaptive Apparel
Photo courtesy of Susan Kleiman
Business Description: "Ross Daniel Adaptive Apparel's slogan is 'Fashionable Solutions for Special Needs.' Though the product line right now is limited to socks, Kleiman plans to expand into a variety of 'easy to put on, stylish clothing for special-needs kids and teens.'" ... Read more
Sensory Playthings
Photo courtesy of Sensory Playthings
Business Description: Sensory Playthings offers "unique, handmade developmental toys and accessories for babies and special needs children," Brown explains, listing such items as "multi-sensory tactile playmats designed to be used on trays of wheelchairs, high chairs, play tables; Veltex vests that you can velcro toys or sensory items to for the child with limited use of arms or visual impairment; sensory quilts, handknit tactile balls, bibs, and baby blankets." ... Read more
The Special Needs Store
Image courtesy of The Special Needs Store
Business Description: "We are an online retail store which offers a wide variety of resources and products for children with special needs and developmental delays," says Savage. "Our goal is to make the lives of parents, therapists, and educators of children with special needs and developmental delays easier by enabling them to find a wide variety of resources in one location." ... Read more
Steps4Kids LLC
Photo courtesy of Lucile Hooton Lynch
Business Description: The primary focus of Steps4Kids, according to Lynch, is "the design of DVDs using video modeling, priming, and self-modeling to teach and support children. We also provide products to supplement the skills being demonstrated in the DVDs. Our goal is to provide persons responsible for teaching children with positive, effective visual tools, so that children can be successful in handling their academic, social, behavioral, and physical tasks." ... Read more
