For Your Child With Special Needs - Have You Considered This?

For Your Child With Special Needs - Have You Considered This?

I think children who have special needs such as ADD, ADHD, ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and other sensory processing disorders can be a bit like Tigger and they are absolutely wonderful! They bounce everywhere in life, with such an abundance of energy that their enthusiasm is contagious!

These are children who can make use of various devices/activities that help them to keep expelling the energy that they really need to, on a continual basis.

Enter in, 'school' - sitting, working, sitting, recess, sitting, phys-ed... sitting. Schools usually do what they can to ensure kids get activity on a regular basis. Parents and caregivers also pitch in on their end from home. Kids like Tigger are not the only ones who need to expel energy. Let's face it, most kids are never ending bundles of energy.

One thing that some schools have incorporated into their classrooms are large inflatable balls that the child can sit on and move around on during school lessons. It's my understanding that children who are constantly on the move may not look like they are paying attention... as in, at all. You'd be surprised though how much they soak in, and how much better they can process the information being given to them when they are not stuck sitting so still at desks.

I think of it as a mind running on different tracks. Unless one track is in motion, the other track finds it harder to operate as effectively. These kids are intelligent, and the additional motion helps, rather than hinders.

There's a bit of a catch to this though - if your child is the only one with a ball for a seat, it can point a finger - (but at what? That this child works best with additional movement? That your child is different? Every child is different.) Most kids - the vast majority today seem to be extremely understanding of the various differences that can take place among students today.

In any event, whatever the schools and you decide will be in the best interests of your child and that's great. If you want to have a ball at home for your child to sit around on and roll around on, these are on sale now at Best Buy for only $29.99. These ones have 4 little pronged feet that look (unsurprisingly) like the udders on a cow. Be prepared for a discussion with your child about that when you inflate it. You can select to purchase this ball in a cool lime green, or a pretty pink that looks like a giant gumball (with udders.)

This balance ball is also fantastic for core strength for anyone. Don't be surprised if everyone in the family takes a turn with this ball. (Keep it away from your cats and dogs. You have my word on this, they like these things.)

Shipping is free on this item.

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  • Anastasia06

    one thing most people with children with special needs like ADD, ADHD and  ASD don't is if you take a disability tax certifcate  form to you're family doctor or specialist  and send it into revenue canada and once it's approved you can get an extra $218 a month on  the child tax benefit. Also there is assistance for children with disabilities in ontario.

    • Linda H.

      Yes! "They love it!

      • Eryn

        Thank you both, for your comments! The T2201 form is the form that Anastasia06 is speaking of, and info. on it is available here: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/rc4064/README.html Glad to hear, Linda H., that your kids love using them!

        • BookieMonster

          Eryn, thank you for including the link!