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eSpecial Needs offers a large selection of adaptive equipment for children with disabilities and other special needs.

This article describes our current education system of one that is inclusive to students of all abilities while at the same time struggling to find money to support students who need assistive technology to learn. There are a few technologies that can be used in the classroom that are a little cost or even free. Included are 8 tools that can be used by students with disabilities that can be used in the classroom or in online classes. A link was supplied that will help you find out exactly what is needed for the individual student and a group that helps provide technologies to students. Overall, a great resource.

This youtube video by Markerbot and Robohand shows how two men use a 3D printer to design and make prosthetic hands.  The 3D printer allowed them to make cost effective mechanical hands for boys born without hands.  The mechanical hands work due to 'tenodesis grasp'.  The video specifies the need for an OT to strengthen the wrist for better use of the hand and a need for an OT to fit the gauntlet and hand cap.  Is this the future of prosthetics?  The possibilities of 3D printing are limitless when being used to make not only prosthetic hands but various adaptive equipment solutions for all populations.

Great video Kellie!

The National Association of Home Builders offers information on creating a safe, accessible home for those people wishing to age in place. As people get older many find it important to be in familiar surroundings. Included are questions the home owner should ask like what things are needed in the home in order to age safely. There is a checklist provided on how to choose a remodeler. Additional questions are included that the homeowner should consider asking in order to get exactly what they need. There are Certified Aging-in-Place specialists that are trained in this specific area.

Print out our checklist to use with your patients to help them develop individual stress management strategies. Click here to print now! Stress is a commonly under-recognized, untreated dimension of recovery, rehabilitation and medical intervention. While all patients seeking medical care experience stress, for individuals with disabilities the dynamics are not the same.

The checklist Richard mentioned is a great resource! Thanks Richard. I plan on using this in the future. :)

Great article about how to help our patients with chronic conditions manage stress that impacts their daily activities.  Personal stories of stress management coping skills and how to help our clients identify their personal triggers. This article has some great questions for patients to ask themselves when identifying their personal stress management techniques.

This is a great resource for travelers with disabilities. There are many travel tips including talking to the service providers before the trip and be specific about your needs. It reminds you to be prepared and to know your rights. Embedded in the article is a guide to the rights of disabled travelers. Included is a list of resources and websites with a short description that really was helpful and easy to navigate. At the end of the article there was a place where one can share their own travel tips.

I really thought about this website when I was checking out of a hotel yesterday and saw a woman coming out of the hotel in her wheelchair and her husband was carrying all her adaptive equipment to make travel easier for her. Travel is something as OTAs that we need to think about when we are identifying clients 'occupations'.

"What if we took a totally different approach to recess instead? A therapeutic approach that values the needs of the whole child and views recess as a form of prevention instead of simply time to get "energy out." What if we let children fully move their bodies during recess time, let them get dirty, and even test out new theories?"

This infographic can be helpful to caregivers and clinicians alike as it focuses on the psychosocial needs of the client (which can often be overlooked). For health practitioners it is frustrating to see clients not being compliant with their medication or maintaining a healthy lifestyle but sometimes there is more to this than just plain stubbornness. This infographic discusses possible reasons as to why client's are not making the progress we hope for them and it emphasizes the importance of client-centered care. Asking clients WHY and working with them to adjust and adapt their care to reach the best fit for them as individuals is very important.

This blog posting is not from an OT-specific source, but rather is a posting from a movement/dance coach who offers a unique perspective on the specific sensory needs of aging men. Reading this posting reminded of something my dad has always said about the importance of men having a space where they can work and be "themselves." Whether or not you agree with that sentiment, I think that it is important to remember that men/women/people all have different needs and oftentimes it takes different approaches to meet those needs.

this was a good instructional video for taking a clients blood pressure. I found it interesting that the stethoscope actually has an off position that you need to be aware of, I did not realize that.

This is a really good video on how to take blood pressure. If you need to brush up on it, I would advice viewing this. It is a good one to reference back to if you don't take blood pressure often and need a review.

This catalog is packed with cool stuff

Being able to motivate a client will be an important skill for us to learn and strengthen. This article discusses some great tips to use. Undoubtedly, we will need them one day! ;)

No doubt this will be needed! Motivating a client is another vurtue we will have to master. Maybe our southern charm will help? :)

The relaxation response: bringing your nervous system back into balance Stress is necessary for life. You need stress for creativity, learning, and your very survival. Stress is only harmful when it becomes overwhelming and interrupts the healthy state of equilibrium that your nervous system needs to remain in balance.

This was some interesting information on adapting toys, and the enviornment.

This sight has some great ideas for those who know they or someone they love will need assistive devices in the future. It shares ideas for planning and recognizing needs that may arise. It even has info and links to various suppliers that could help with all kinds of adaptive equipment.

This website has a HUGE list of equipment that can be used for people with special needs.

I love this sight because it explains children's occupations, and the need for children to receive OT in plain terms that all can comprehend. If you click on the word occupational therapists in the definition, it further defines OT. Thank you Kids Health for promotion occupational therapy! This sight has all kinds of answers for families with questions about illness, OT, age related concerns etc. It has everything from puberty issues by gender to what is a coma. You even have the option to listen to their examples and explanations instead of just reading them.

Ablenet covers 100 countries in an effort to put assistive technology in the hands of those in need. One just has select his or her country and their are connected. Personnel also offer various letter templates focusing on medical necessity.

My supervisor during last semester's fieldwork told me that she had seen people wait up to a year to obtain funding for devices they desperately needed to improve their quality of life. This was due mostly to red tape and hoops you must jump through to obtain these funds. I feel it is extremely important to familiarize ourselves with all of the available resources in order to expedite this process.

This article is about how you to choose the correct monitor and what you should do to get the best reading. There are a couple of things that you need to check before you take your BP or it could affect the way your BP reads. The main thing that I think that we need to know is that there are certain cuff sizes and they could affect the reading if its to small or big. There are some other neat tips to make sure you get the right reading.