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These tips have all been sent in by other parents, carers and professionals in the learning disability community. We hope they will give you plenty of ideas to try, but please remember Netbuddy is not responsible for the information provided or any of the activities suggested.
Use a sledge
Carrying boxes of supplies up stairs? Use a plastic sledge and rope instead. Much better for your back!
Stain & odour remover
Due to my son's reflux he is sick quite often and as he is getting older and eating normal food the smell its harder to get rid of. I've found an amazing product that really works, called Simple solutions stain & odour remover. It's actually for Pet accidents but it works for human accidents too, including wee and poo.
Vanishing Gogh!
To get pen marks off wood furniture try putting hair spray or nail varnish remover on it and just wipe off
Changing your environment
The National Autistic Society has got some good advice on simple changes that you can make to your home that may benefit people with autism: www.autism.org.uk/18450
Digital photo frame
A digital photo frame is a great way of enabling someone with physical and/or learning disabilities to go through their snaps. My mother in law has very little fine motor skills and loves viewing her favourite old photos like this.
Carpet fitting
If you are having a new carpet fitted and there is a wheelchair user in the house, ask about double sticking. Its a way of sealing the underlay to the floor and the carpet to the underlay. Prevents stretching and bobbling of the carpet and much better with the wear caused by wheels
TV alternative
If you're worried about your TV getting smashed/thrown you could always try installing a high wall-mounted projector instead.
Cheap tough furniture
For a cheap alternative to expensive Tough Furniture for special needs. Put plastic crates (beer crates) under a bed to give the slats extra support. They can be strapped together.
Love velcro
Liz enjoys pulling curtains down, which was a pain for us as it was such a fiddle to put them back up. So we hang up the curtains with industrial size Velcro, which makes it much easier to put them up again.
Using what you've got
We covered our solid wood coffee table in a sheet of foam and a plastic table cloth to make a big therapy bench for John to stand on and play without hurting himself on.
Padding the edges
We bought foam pipe lagging which already has a split down it to put on the edge of the glass shelves on our TV stand.
Magic Whiteboard
This is great for all sorts of uses around the home - write-on, wipe-off sheets of static plastic. Creates a whiteboard from a roll - anywhere in seconds. I use it for visual timetables. Magic Whiteboard
Visually impaired
When we decorated Natalie’s flat we made sure to use contrasting colours so items such as plug sockets, door frames and sofas all stand out. For example if you have a dark carpet or flooring have a lighter coloured sofa/arm chair so the sofa/armchair doesn't blend into the carpet making it difficult for her to see it.
Special address book
We keep a separate address book for all Jordan's information and contacts.
Keep the car clean
We bought a mattress protector which we cut and hemmed to shape to fit the car so that when Jonny’s pad leaks we don’t have the trouble of cleaning the seat as well.
Soft covers
Use foam or rubber tubing (available from Fledglings) and cut to make soft chunky handles for holding musical beaters or utensils www.fledglings.org.uk
Protect your knees
Kneeling mats (wilcos etc) cheap gardening mats to protect knees. Keep in bathroom and anywhere you find you are on your knees .
Magnetic locks
We put magnet locks on the cupboards around our flat so they cannot be easily opened. http://bit.ly/fBlYU2
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