Team invents special chair to help boy with autism concentrate and calm down

Patrick is a young boy who struggles with autism and has difficulties with sensory overload. He is constantly moving, and he needed to have a place where we could just sit and focus on his homework. This calm place would also enable him to enjoy some screen time, concentrate and relax, performing repetitive calming behaviours.

So Patrick’s family and therapists asked for help, and they got it from Bob Woolf, a volunteer from the charity May We Help (an organisation that develops gadgets to increase the autonomy level of disabled people).

“We are limited with a comfortable place for our son to sit and quietly do homework and have screen time for play. We do not have a desk as space is limited. The table is very hard for him to focus as there is a lot of distraction and noise. His bed doesn’t work because he cannot complete work without a proper space. He is in need of a rocking vestibular motion which is a big issue for our son. He is in constant motion making it hard for him to focus”, the parents explained.

The solution turned out to be the Sensory Chair, made by using plywood and fabric. It provides a safe space where the boy would be kept from the outside distractions and have his physical space limited. This way, he can focus and settle down.

Adapted from: https://bit.ly/2IfIaGv