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Accessible Countryside for Everyone
Accessible Countryside for Everyone is a website that highlights accessibility to the countryside and green spaces, for leisure, recreation and sport. It lists wheelchair walks, buggy walks, easy walks, support organisations, disability sport info, camp site with disabled facilities and more. www.accessiblecountryside.org.uk
Autism alert card & bracelet
I am getting our son an autism alert card and bracelet with a contact number in case he goes wandering off in a crowd. You can get them from the National Autistic Society website. He has a badge to wear too so people understand if the child has an anxious moment and also it makes a day outing far less stressful. You can also get badges, T-shirts, ID cards etc on ebay.
Settling in
Give your child time to settle into a new enviroment, for example a new playgroup. Don't rush them. Allow them time to adjust. Find a nice quiet spot where you can sit allow your child to be at ease with the surroundings and other children and adults to be there.
Free cinema tickets for carers
Does everyone know about the CEA Card? It allows people with disabilities to obtain one free ticket for a person accompanying them to the cinema. CEA card
Ask your OT for a buggy
If you have problems with days out and crowds, and your child getting tired and anxious, ask your Occupational Therapist who can supply a large maclaren buggy so you have a stress-free day out. The buggy is given out on loan till you need the next size up and will save you buying your own.
Photo your visual timetable
If you use a visual timetable but can't take it out with you. Use your phone and take a photo of it.
Call ahead
When you are going to places like the hairdressers, dentists, doctors, theatres, restaurants etc, let them know ahead of any issues and work together. Be prepared & let them be prepared too. Makes a more enjoyable time for everyone involved.
Car safety
Here are some useful car safety items when you are out and about with people who have learning disabilities.
Car safety (619.1 KB)
Distract with a trabasack
A trabasack on the lap with toys will distract children from unbelting in cars or car seats. www.trabasack.co.uk
Keeping warm
If you are caring for someone in a wheel chair or push chair who won't keep a blanket on in the cold weather, put long johns or even girls tights on under their trousers.
Picture it
If you are planning a day out try showing your child pictures of the place you are going to. Maybe even print the picture out, so they can look at it for reassurance, so it won't be such a shock when you go for your day out.
Changing places rooms
Changing Places rooms are fantastic when you're out and about. They include Closomat Toilets, full hoist, electronic beds, moveable sink etc. We have managed to get three here in Southampton. See their map for Changing Places rooms. www.changing-places.org
Free trip to Legoland
For a free day out to Legoland and other places check out website Merlins Magic Wand who, with supporting evidence of your child's disability, will send out free family tickets and will also pay for transport in some cases.
Buddi personal safety & tracking device
If you want to give someone you care for their independence, but you also want to know they are safe and you can locate them if you need to, you could try the Buddi personal tracker devide. Buddi has an emergency support button, which is really useful for peace of mind.
Queue's
My son can't cope with standing in line in queues. I always go to the front of the queue and asked nicely if we could come to the front. Nobody ever minds when I do and it isn't fair to him to make him queue.
Wetsuit in the pool
Our son has poor body temperature control, swimming pools are far too cold, so we adapted a wetsuit to fit him that made ordinary swimming pool temperatures acceptable – they are affordable at Lidl. You can try talc to ease putting it on. Helps with floating too!
Blue tack
Carry a small piece of Blue tack or similar for some one who is fidgety and needs to touch and play with something. They can make little men and characters or just roll it in their fingers.
Portable dvd player
Eating out is really difficult for my son, who is sound sensitive and has food issues. We take a portable dvd player. Thought other people would think us terrible parents, but pleasantly suprised people complimented us on our boys' behaviour and remarked what a great idea a portable dvd player was. Would highly recommend. Quite cheap from Argos!
Mobile distraction
My son has lots of behavioural issues, especially waiting, getting back into the car when a favouite activity has ended, hospital appointments etc. I have recorded myself on my mobile reading his favourite stories. I have also put some nursery rhymes and theme tunes on there. I always have my mobile with me (remembering the earphones of course), and it's got us through some very sticky situations. It's a great distraction, and allows me to get where I need to go.
Time Tracker Device
I want to recommend a Time Tracker Device - Autistic Visual Aid.
A bright visual electronic timer and clock. Easily programmed so that coloured lights and unique sound effects alert them to the passage of time and time remaining. Features 180° viewing, volume control and pause feature. Many uses for home, school & play...we currently use it so that I can talk to people on the school run or at hospital appointment as our son wants 24/7 attention and does not like me talking to anyone except him!
Electronic tagging
The autistic young man I care for is an escape artist I just heard about personal GPS systems. The best one I have found is a watch and you can set geographical limits which will alarm if he goes out of the boundary. It is supplied by a company called http://www.personal-gps.co.uk/
Ipod Touch
When I bought myself an Apple Ipod touch, I never realised how useful it was going to be. You can download apps, games, stories and whole episodes of TV programmes. So I downloaded two of my sons favourites, Teletubbies and Thomas the tank engine. I also downloaded an app. called ‘Tap to Talk’, which turns the ipod touch into a communication aid. I take it with me wherever I go, it is great for keeping him amused waiting for hospital appts. etc. I purchased a silicone case for it, so that if he accidently drops it, it doesn’t get damaged.
ID
Beth is prone to wandering off when we are out, so we put a wristband with our mobile phone number, and also write her mobile number on her arm in case she loses the wristband.
To buy ID bands etc look up:
- www.iceideas.co.uk . including some temporary tattoos.
- www.travellingwithchildren.co.uk to get some cool Velcro bands for £3.99.
- www.familysafeplus.co.uk or call 08700 62 49 14
- Identity Tag www.medicalert.org.uk/
Panic alarm
For holiday peace of mind with little escape artists, get a child locator. The child can press a panic tag if they lose sight of you, or you can activate it and it will locate them. Look up www.loc8tor.co.uk for more details. The Loc8tor Plus costs £99.99 and includes a panic alarm that the person can activate if they find themselves lost in a supermarket or on the beach.. You can find alternatives on the web e.g. www.child-tracking.co.uk/
Practice beforehand
It’s a good idea to role play with the person what to do if he/she gets lost, making sure they know where to find and how to present their identification card and what to say.
We can see you
When we go out to busy places with Lilly she wears a bright coloured cap for us so we can quickly see where she is at all times.
Planning ahead
Mary Poppins back pack
I think it's important to always have little snacks and toys when you go on an outing. John loves his special Mary Popping back pack where we keep his favourite things which I use to comfort and calm him if it all becomes too stressful or noisy for him. I put in his Nintendo, a toy, a book, drink, snack/treat and also a walkman so he can listen to a story or music.
Separate outings bag
I keep a separate outings bag always packed and ready to go with a change of clothes, pads and wipes etc I just need to add snacks and off so then I'm not flying around at the last minute when going out.
Bendy straws are handy
Sue finds it comforting to twirl objects in a new situation, so I keep some bendy drinking straws in her handbag for trips.
Fidget toys
Keep a handbag full of fidget toys for those times when you’re going somewhere new or waiting in a queue. www.sensorytoywarehouse.com/ are a good source for this.
Snap it
I always find it really helpful when I am going to a place for the first time with Jason to take a photo first so he knows where he is going. You can use the camera in your mobile phone !
Timelines
Visual timelines are really important during the holidays, as every day is different. Get a calendar for the holiday and use photographs of who is visiting and where you are going. Try and stick to some kind of routine e.g. visits out are always in the afternoon, or a soft play centre is always on the same week day.
Disability friendly park equipment
Many public parks offer special integrated play equipment. There is a wheelchair friendly roundabout (Called the Mobility Whirl) in over 200 British parks. If not sure where, contact GL Jones who designed and built them, on 01248 600372.
lunchtime concerts
Most big cities have lunch time concerts – we live in London and find there are quite a few free ones if you look out for them.
Sensory trails
If you put sensory trails in your search engine you might well find one local to you.
Cue cards for shopping/travel
If you use visual cues to communicate - have small versions of the pictures laminated and attached to a belt ring so that "toilet" "stop" " drink " signs or whatever is most important to the child is readily and quickly available. These could then be taken out when shopping etc.
Remembering days out....
Make it easier to communicate about days out – use a camcorder or camera phone and scrapbook to record special moments that you can look at together at the end of the day. Use a scrapbook to tell other people about favorite days out.
Access guides
Most places have access guides – best to check it out on the internet or phone before hand: ie theatres, airports and London underground produce them.
Give me a role too
We try and give Laurie a focus when we go out - shopping is better when we give her a task - i.e. she has her own shopping list or we make a game of it and get her to find certain items.
Radar keys for toilets
Get a radar key!! These cost just a few pounds and are usually available from town halls and tourist information centres. They save us from queuing at public toilets, and are often cleaner and of course more spacious!
Supportive booster seats
My daughter has cerebral palsy and for ages had difficulty in sitting up. We liked to eat out but it meant we either nursed her in our lap or she sat in a stroller. Then I found the Safety 1st recline and grow booster seat that reclined because she couldn't sit in the highchairs in restaurants and our lives changed. She was a lot happier too. When her head control improved we got her a bumbo (moulded seat) and she could finally play in the sand-pit by herself.
Safety travel vest
If you struggle to keep seat belts in place have a look at this www.safetravelsystems.co.uk .
Keep penknife handy
Disabled toilets can be opened with a flat blade screwdriver (you can try a penny) in the centre of the lock
Integrated swimming costume
Poppy wears a tankini when she is swimming, which I bought from
www.fledglings.org.uk it has special knickers inside in case she messes in the
pool. They do swimming trunks for boys too.
Borrow equipment
If you need equipment ask your school/college or day centre if you can borrow equipment from them, rather than hiring it.
Help outside term
If you need help or a carer ask the school/college/day centre staff if they would like to work for you over the holidays.
Clean changing area for older children
Changing pads on older kids can be challenging. They are too big for change units & the floors are too dirty to lay them on. I take a plastic tablecloth out to lay on a dirty floor & just wipe clean afterwards - its small & portable.
Double buggies that take the weight
We struggled to get a double buggy for our special needs son 5, and his newborn brother. Most buggy manufacturers expect children to be walking by age 3 so don’t give enough leg room or weight allowance to carry an older child. We found a double buggy made in the US called Baby Jogger (we found an online baby shop that imported it into the UK). Each seat has a 50 pound weight allowance, there is plenty of leg room for my older son. The Baby Jogger also do single pushchairs for older special needs kids - we will be looking into that soon when we outgrow this one
Concessions
Always ask the venue what discounts are available for disabled people and their carers. I always ask in a tone that suggests that I feel that there should be a concession. i.e. "what discounts do you have?" rather than "do you have any discounts?". Some major venues have generous discounts. Internet booking for theatre tickets is a waste of time as the websites do not allow for concessions. Always ring the theatre and ask, or call in personally if possible
Football fans
For Arsenal fans: If the person you care for receives DLA then apply for a Disabled Supporters Card as this allows 1 carer to go free and for 1 discounted ticket. I am sure other clubs do the same
Cinema card
If you enjoy going to the cinema and the person you care for receives DLA then apply for a CEA card (cinema exhibitors association) as this allows the carer to go free. The application is on their website. www.ceacard.co.uk
Films - cheap daytime screenings
Vue cinemas do a Kids morning screening which is £1 per person (so long as you have at least 1 child with you). So cinema need not be expensive (assuming you have a Vue cinema within reasonable distance.)
In the car
Lots of places have reserved disabled parking in their staff carparks. Phone ahead and try and book yourself a spot.
Fold up wheelchair
Have a back up foldable buggy or wheelchair for when you have to use an ordinary car. The Zippy wheelchair folds.
Houdini proof buckle up
Toby was always unbuckling his seatbelt. We just turn around the buckles on the car seat which stops him. In the event of an accident, firemen just cut the belt, they never undo the buckle, so there is no problem with getting out in an emergency.
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.
On the plane
We used a V-shaped pillow the kind mothers used to breastfeed to help support Milly in the airplane seat. We simply turned it upside down, sat her on the open v and the sides cradled her.
Transit seat
We have a transit seat which can be purchased for around £100. We use it to transfer Beth when we are on holiday. It makes transferring Beth on/off the plane and rides much easier and is more comfortable for Beth than handling her all the time. It is also good for use around the house. Ask your local OT to help you find a good one.
Holiday/travel insurance
We managed to find one - www.freedominsure.co.uk- who seemed to be very helpful for family’s with complex needs.
Decant those medications
One trick we have for Andy’s medication is to decant them into small medicine bottles, (free from any nice chemist and ours prints off extra labels for us too) buy a small zip up bag, two zips are better. We find it so much easier to take out for the day or overnight than taking full medicine bottles.
Powder carriers
Joanna needs a powder diet supplement added to her bottles, which I put in a baby formula container with separate compartments, so if we are out for the day I don’t have to take the whole drum with me.
Healthier snacks for out and about
When we are out and about (at the hairdressers or shopping) a good way to keep Amy occupied is to keep a supply of shreddies (or similar) breakfast cereal (diet permitting of course) and hand them out one by one. Not quite as bad as sweets or crisps.
Travel friendly Bolus
My son is gastrostomy fed by bolus feeds every 4 hours. To ensure we are able to carry on with everyday life we feed him wherever we go. We try not to let it stop us but found that asking for hot water was a problem for some restaurants. We use a waterproof washbag and keep his bottle of feed, a flush, tubes and a baby bottle warming flask from Mothercare, heat up his milk wherever we are and do the feed. Voila!
Sharing hotel rooms
Our youngsters soon turn in to adults. I found out Travel Lodge, Premier Inn and Jury Inn allow 3 adults to share a family room. Ideal if you need to supervise the person you are caring for. Great for cheap short breaks.
Tracking device
This is a small waterproof wrist bracelet that alerts you when the wearer goes out of a predetermined range of up to a quater of a mile. A display then directs you to their location. It is expensive but looks good - I haven't used it just saw it advertised.www.Isseeka.co.uk
Hydrotherapy pools
Many hydro therapy pools in local special needs schools have out of hours sessions but they aren’t really publicised.
Emergency info card
We made an E-card the size of a credit card for Sam to keep in his wallet. We have put his photo on one side and emergency contact information on the other – including his name and stating his syndrome.Got a tip to add to this page? Tell us
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