Water Therapy Life Jackets for Infants

When Kai was about 18 months old, I made arrangements with the local therapy pool to let me work with Kai once a week in the water. When I first took Kai for water therapy, I was very disappointed with the equipment they had for him. They didn't have any life jackets he could use, because none of them supported his head (Kai requires equipment and devices that support his head, as he can't support it on his own), so we tried to use big mats. The mats also didn't work, because he couldn't move his arms and thighs in the water. I wanted him to be able to move easily through the water, which was the whole point of being there. 

 I have finally found a life jacket that works great for Kai! I don't have a link for the exact vest I found, but I've provided one below that is of the same style; it just has a different design on the front. I posted a video of Kai and Joey working in the pool. The video is a great example of what I love about the vest. The vest gives Kai the freedom to move his arms and legs around in the water, while also giving us the ability to work with him using toys. When I tried using other products I was so afraid of Kai's head dropping in the water that I couldn't let go of him to be able to work with him.  The vest comes with a big collar under the head for head support and an elastic band goes through the crotch. It also has a strap that goes around the abdomen.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn - Learning Puppy

This little puppy is so cute. I bought it for Kai thinking it would be great. The puppy sings songs and speaks sayings when its paws, belly or ears are pressed. I really thought Kai would be strong enough to activate it and would really love it. Unfortunately, the toy didn't really work out for him. The toy is easier than most to activate, but the puppy itself is really stiff.  This makes it hard to work with Kai. The paws were to big for Kai to hold onto too. He isn't strong enough to hold his arm up and push the buttons; he needs something to hold onto. Kai also loves really soft toys, and this puppy isn't very soft. I think it could work with a child that has a little more strength than Kai and can move bigger toys around. It might also work for a child in a high chair, you could put the puppy in front of them and they could push their arms forward to activate the feet.

Easy to Make Activity Basket

One of Kai's favorite toys is one I made from supplies mostly from a dollar store. It is inexpensive and works really well. I just bought a rectangular basket to start (you'll note from the pictures that it should be small enough to cross the child's lap, but big enough to accomodate things hanging from the inside). 

I always have a couple sets of beaded necklaces so I added those. Beaded necklaces come in handy all the time. I also use them on mirrors while Kai is sidelying. They make a great clanking noise when against things, and it's a noise that Kai can make when he moves them just a little bit. He loves it. For the basket, I started by stringing a wiffle ball and then hanging the ball next to the beads on the inside of the basket (with the basket on it's side). Kai manages to hit the ball and make all kinds of noise. Then I thought bells might work too. So during Christmas time I bought a few sets of bells and hung them in the basket. He worked well with the bells too.

This is a great toy that gets Kai's arms and hands moving without frustrating him, and its really easy to make. You can put whatever you have around the house that is light and makes noise when bumped. Also, you might want to take a look at the pillows Kai's elbows are sitting on. Those were made for him with just a little foam with a fabric covering. If you aren't the sewing type or would like to see what dimensions you would use to make them, you could take a look at some foam yoga blocks. I have not used them, but I think they would work the same way. They are very handy to keep Kai's arms up and out so he can move his hands around to play.

Dumbbell Rattles

These dumbbell rattles work great for Kai. He uses them everyday. They fit perfectly in his hands and don't fall out and are really light, so he is able to move them around easier than most toys. He is able to use them while side lying or on his back. We got our set from Toys R Us but I was unable to find them on their website.  I found a similar set on Amazon at the following link, but they are a little different. The center looks thinner but overall looks basically like the same product.

The Primo EuroBath

Kai is currently using a bath chair that we received from a medical equipment company at home. Before we got his bath chair, I had a really hard time giving him a bath.  He slips right out of my hands, and he’s gotten quite heavy! Then I found the EuroBath, and it worked great. It keeps him from sliding around, and you can take your time washing and rinsing. There is still enough room for Kai to splash his feet and hands through, which is really nice. I still use a tub like this one when he has longer stays in the hospital. Kai is two years old and luckily is still able to use the tub (though not for much longer!) I purchased mine from Toys R Us but if you go to their website they have a list of distributors that carry it.

The Hugga Bebe!

The Hugga Bebe is a great product for children with motor delays. It is a pillow in the shape of a clam shell with Velcro straps on each side. You use snaps in the center to adjust the size. I used this all the time with Kai…  I was able to put him in a saucer, walker and a Johnny jump up.  I think it would also work great for restaurant high chairs.  They are really soft so Kai could practice his head control but when he got too tired he just laid his head on the pillow.  It also leaves room to still be able to play with toys.