Adaptive Tech Solutions, Ideas, Information

When working with young children who have limited understanding of cause and effect, finding ways to engage them in physical therapy can be a challenge. A particularly effective strategy involves using positive reinforcement, such as activating a switch-adapted toy, to motivate the child to perform specific therapeutic activities. Unilateral weight-bearing exercises, which are essential for building strength, coordination, and motor skills, can be made more fun and rewarding through this approac …

As parents, teachers, and therapists, we all encourage the children we work with to practice good hand hygiene by washing their hands for 20 seconds. This is especially important with Covid-19 and flu season. Individuals with disabilities often have more difficulty completing multi-step tasks, and they often are unaware of how long 20 seconds is! But, the more we provide direct prompting, the more dependent they become on us. (This is called prompt dependence.) Using an inexpensive talking butto …

According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson’s Is second only to Alzheimer's as the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the United States. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s can lead to frustrating experiences while typing or using a computer mouse. There are, however, some adaptations and accessibility settings that can make these tasks much easier. These same accommodations can benefit those with tremors and diseases such as MS. Keyboard ControlA common symptom …

Adaptive Tech Solutions featured in Issue 3, 2019 of MDA's Quest MagazineDenise, speech therapist and owner of  Adaptive Tech Solutions, discusses the importance of play to develop skills that are crucial for language development. For children with disabilities, play can be difficult due to motor impairments. Through the use of adapted toys, kids with disabilities can experience play to enhance their understanding of cause-and-effect, object permanence,  and other precursory skill …

Communication devices come with two types of speech. One is digital, the other is recorded. Devices with digital speech should be in the user’s language and have a keyboard in the native alphabet. Messages are made by typing words/phrases (represented by a picture) that are then spoken by a digital voice in the chosen language. Most, but not all devices with digital speech in the US are going to be English, with some having the option of Spanish as well. Usually you cannot mix languages, m …