Turtle Bath Support
When we were asked to assess an older child to support his bathing needs, our expert team was on hand to find a solution for the user – after all, bathing is an essential part of day-to-day life, and we knew we needed to find the right piece of equipment to suit his needs and not the other way around.
Understand the user’s needs
The user has moderate learning disabilities, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He has impaired verbal communication, can only understand simple instructions, and struggles with significant anxiety. He also has vestibular and proprioception sensory issues which affects his sense of motion and his awareness of where his body is in space.
Gathering the information
During the assessment, it was clear the user was highly sensitive and didn’t like water pouring on his head or face - this immediately ruled out the use of a shower. However, he also found bathing uncomfortable and it made him feel unsafe, which resulted in him supporting himself on his hands and knees. This would then make it difficult for his mother to wash his hair, due to reasons previously mentioned. Every time it came to needing to bathe the user, it was always a stressful experience for both the user and his mother.
One important factor we picked up on during the assessment linked to the users vestibular and proprioception sensory issues. Lying on his back in the bath meant he didn’t get much sensory feedback from the bath surface. This was due to his body naturally floating and bobbing in the water. This lead to disorientation and the user not knowing where his body was in space, resulting in him turning onto his hands and knees, and making himself stiff to feel safe.
Finding the solution
With all this information gathered, we knew just what the user needed – a Turtle Bath Support. Our bath support allows the users body to be in constant contact with its surface, giving him the sensory feedback he needs and lets him know where his body is in space. His body’s surface area can also be increased on the bath support by loosening the straps behind the webbing - supporting a comfortable bathing experience.
Our Turtle Bath Support
The Turtle Bath Support is a simple and innovative solution for bathing paediatrics and small adults. With adjustable pads and support belts for the head, pelvis and lower limbs, the Turtle ensures comfort and safety. Its key features include:
- Waterproof
- Easy to use
- Sits low in the bath
- Very adjustable
- Range of sizes available
- Up to 80kg weight capacity
From stress to success
A couple of weeks after the user received his new Turtle Bath Support, we caught up with his mother to see how he was getting on – and the results were just incredible!
The user is now comfortable and feels safer in the bath, and the whole experience is much more relaxing and enjoyable for him – allowing his personal hygiene needs to be met with ease. However, the most amazing part was hearing that the user now feels so comfortable that he will even let his mother wash his hair.
It’s case studies like these that fill us with pride and make us love what we do even more.