Allison Kanaly, Jayme Corry, Emily Nadolny, and Julie Girard
Children with disabilities face challenges daily, often limiting their ability to partake in regular occupations of their daily life. Play is a large representation of a child’s typical occupation. With many off-the-shelf toys being designed for typically developing children, those with disabilities aren’t always able to engage. With this in mind, the Adapted ExerSaucer was created for a three-year-old client with several medical considerations, including cerebral palsy (CP), cortical visual impairment (CVI), developmental delay, and chronic lung disease, which all prevent him from engaging in typical activities for a child of his age. The prototype of the Adapted ExerSaucer stemmed from the idea of creating a backrest that could attach and detach from a standard, off-the-shelf, ExerSaucer. The extended backrest and strapping system supports individuals with low tone and strength during upright play, encouraging weight bearing through the lower extremities, and ensures continued safety. Significance of creating an adaptable exersaucer is far-reaching for many families who have children with physical and/or cognitive disabilities who aren’t able to engage in typical, age-appropriate play activities. The adaptable portion added onto an existing piece of equipment permits the child’s brain to concentrate on playing rather than staying upright.