bed solutions for kids with developmental disabilities?

[walkena]

Hi there,

Our 10 year old DS has a developmental disability (physically and cognitively impaired) and currently sleeps in a regular bed with a high head and base board of the bed and with a mesh guard rail along one side (with the third side against the wall). While he cannot roll out of bed with this arrangement, he is getting big enough and active enough that if he bounces around in bed etc we are worried about him being top heavy and falling over the top of the rail or banging his head against the headboard etc. I am wondering if any folks out there have any experience with creating a safe and secure sleeping environment for kids with similar needs? Temporarily we have everything padded with pillows and towels however we are trying to come up with a good longterm solution? Any suggestions?

 

[alizesmom]

I don't know how you feel about it but had you considered a hospital type bed? There is a brand out there Sleep Safe beds that are costly but protect your child. Alize is 4 and we are hoping to get a hospital crib (these go up to 72 in long) which can be padded and are made by Pedicraft. The Sleep Safe are nicer looking wood and electric with full rails. Alize is also developmentally delayed, both physical and mental (early infant stage) and has a seizure disorder so padding is important for us too. Karen

 

[KPeveler]

i know people have made their own headboads by covering padding with a decorative cloth... maybe you can take him to a fabric store and have him pick out his favorite fabric, and then you can just cover a piece of plywood or MDF with a bunch of padding (you can buy this at a fabric store - get the foam kind that you use for pillows), and cover it with the fabric... that way he gets into it, but you can pad the headboard and footboard. it may not be as nice is what you have now, but it may work

 

[walkena]

Thanks again....

 

[winniethepoohsmom]

When my ds was coming out of his crib and into his first bed, a friend gave us a bed that was a mattress on a board instead of a boxspring I believe it was the type of thing you would use on a platform bed or bunkbed. Anyhow it was much closer to the floor which makes for a shorter fall if it happens. Thats a great idea with the padding on the head & footboard. It sounds like a combination of these things could work. Also some padding on the bed frame might help. Good Luck. Linda

Another possibility could be to put the mattress & boxspring on the floor if the other things did'nt work. Desparate times call for desparate measures. Linda

 

[WildGrits]

Does he use a wheel chair?

If not what about a trundle bed? That way if he rolls out of bed, he not that far from the floor.

Kind of like the mattress on the floor but a little neater looking.

Murphy Beds are very close to the floor also.

 

[KPeveler]

walkena - also if he has sensory issues, you can have him pick out the cloth, so it does not irritate him. in fact, you may even be able to find a soothing cloth...

also, if you put sides on it and build your own headboard/footboard, you can also make a "canopy/roof" for the bed... i also know some kids (regardless of developmental abilities) like having a "safe" closed in area. i know some autistic kids feel better with a towel over their stroller at disney... this may be helpful if he gets upset - plus you can make it his pirate fort/race car/whatever he loves at the moment... you can create a canopy with some cloth and a rope to slide it down or something....

 

[walkena]

Yes, DS does use a wheelchair and has motor planning issues and so we need to be sure that he is safe and secure. Doing some online searching this week I have found a great twin sized bed at Ikea that has three high sides (sort of like a Day bed or a Captains bed) that will be high enough to ensure that he does not "escape" and I plan to pick this up on the weekend. For the 4th side, we will get an extra high guard rail.(found this also on a website) To provide additional padding for the inside walls of the bed I will use the great ideas suggested posted here and we will find some great fabric to make my own padded side panels. Hopefully by the end of the weekend we will be in action

Thanks again for your help

 

[winniethepoohsmom]

I'm so glad you found something that works for you! Linda