Assistive Techology used in Hospitals for Children
What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive technology devices and services were first defined in federal law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-476). These definitions remained unchanged until 2004 with the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Public Law 108-446) when an exemption to the definition of an assistive technology device was added to clarify a school system’s responsibility to provide surgically implanted technology such as cochlear implants.
http://www.gpat.org/georgia-project-for-assistive-technology/pages/assistive-technology-definition.aspx
Assistive technology devices and services were first defined in federal law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-476). These definitions remained unchanged until 2004 with the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Public Law 108-446) when an exemption to the definition of an assistive technology device was added to clarify a school system’s responsibility to provide surgically implanted technology such as cochlear implants.
http://www.gpat.org/georgia-project-for-assistive-technology/pages/assistive-technology-definition.aspx
How is Assistive Technology used in the Hospital?
In addition to assisting pediatric patients who may have a disability and need their assistive technology for learning or communicating purposes while in the hospital there are many children and adults alike who benefit from assistive technology as a way to aide in completing their ADL's.
Activities (for)
Daily
Living
These are the Self-help aids for use in activities such as eating, bathing, cooking, dressing, toileting, and (for younger children) to aide in their development in various ways.
Activities (for)
Daily
Living
These are the Self-help aids for use in activities such as eating, bathing, cooking, dressing, toileting, and (for younger children) to aide in their development in various ways.
Devices in the Hospital
Most pediatric hospitals will have a variety of assistive technology options available on site or can order them for use there or working with the family of the patient or order for them to use while hospitalized then bring home. Here is a list from a catalog site with some of the categories of assistive technology devices.
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Some Specific Examples
Oral Motor Devices
Oral Motor Devices
Hand/Finger strength
Junior Mechanic
Junior Mechanic
Pop Mouth
Motor Planning
Ducks on a Pond
Ducks on a Pond
Footprints Game
Wheelchairs and Technology for Mobility
An important part of the assistive technology used to aide children and patients of all ages are mobility devices. There are more and more innovative designs for these devices as time passes. Here are some examples of what is currently offered from a prominent company.
Assistive Technology and Child Life
What is Child Life?
"Child life specialists are trained professionals with expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events.Armed with a strong background in child development and family systems, child life specialists promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization. Because they understand that a child’s well being depends on the support of the family, child life specialists provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. They also play a vital role in educating caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children under stress."
https://www.childlife.org/The%20Child%20Life%20Profession/
What kind of Assistive Technology do they use?
Hospital and Play room development with technology
Hospital environments are being redesigned most of the time with the use of technology to create innovative and stimulating environments for pediatric patient
Technology use with Individual Patients
IPads
As well as being used for communication, education, and just for fun technology. especially tablets and IPads server an important purpose to the children a Child Life Specialist is working with.
One of the things they are coveted for is for having programs that create virtual environments for pediatric patients.
The most common is the interactive surgery and surgical environment application.
This enables a child who is playing to explore and manipulate the things in a surgical environment on the screen without the obvious dangers of an actual operating room. This allows the child to become more comfortable with the surgical environment before their own procedure to ease their anxiety and give them insight as to what will happen to them once inside.
IPads
As well as being used for communication, education, and just for fun technology. especially tablets and IPads server an important purpose to the children a Child Life Specialist is working with.
One of the things they are coveted for is for having programs that create virtual environments for pediatric patients.
The most common is the interactive surgery and surgical environment application.
This enables a child who is playing to explore and manipulate the things in a surgical environment on the screen without the obvious dangers of an actual operating room. This allows the child to become more comfortable with the surgical environment before their own procedure to ease their anxiety and give them insight as to what will happen to them once inside.