Four Ways to Help Your Special Needs Child Be As Independent As Possible

Having a child with special needs requires you to do some things differently than other families do. You need to be sure that your child can be as safe as possible at all times, without making them feel different. Use the guide that follows to learn how to keep your child safe without singling them out any more than you absolutely have to:

Ensure Your Child Can Be Independent Within Your Home

When your child is confined to a wheelchair or has limited use of their legs, traveling up and down stairs can be very difficult. Consider having one of the Easy Climber stairlifts installed on your staircase for your child to use to get up and down the stairs with ease. The stairlift will work at all times, even if the power goes out. It is easy enough to use that a child can operate it on their own. It requires the person sitting in the seat to be buckled in to keep them safe.

Ensure Dangerous Rooms Are as Safe as They Can Be

Things that come as second nature to many kids can be difficult for children who have limited mobility in their legs. Installing grab rails in the bathroom will allow your child to be able to use the restroom on their own. The rails need to be installed properly for them to be as secure as they can be. It may take some time for your child to get used to using them, but once they do, they will appreciate being able to have some independence during times when they should be able to have some privacy.

Make Traveling a Breeze

When you travel with your child, having a chair lift installed on your vehicle will make traveling easier. You want to be sure to choose a lift that is easy to operate. Also, when you are traveling by plane, train, or even by bus, a great idea is to check online or on an app to find out if the check-in line is delayed. It can be difficult for someone in a wheelchair to navigate through busy terminals and knowing if the terminal is backed up will help you to be able to prepare your child for any chaos that they may have to experience. You may also choose to delay going into the terminal until the lines die down a bit.

Make Getting in and Out of Your Home Easier

As your child gets older, they will become heavier. Carrying them in and out of your home will more than likely become impossible for you in the future. Having a ramp installed on the outside of your house will allow your child to go in and out of the house on their own. There are many options when it comes to ramps that can be built against your home especially if you are using a self-propelled wheelchair or other wheel assistanced to move around. If you are not planning on staying in the home forever, you may want to choose to have a metal ramp added because it is often installed independently so that it can be removed and taken with you to the new house so that you can use it for years to come.

It is important to talk to your child on a regular basis about how they feel about their independence. Children often have great ideas for ways that they can be more independent or give you ideas for items that you can look for to make them feel more comfortable with doing things on their own.