Children With Autism Helped By Bean Bag Style Furniture From Comfy Sacks

Nov. 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Autism prevalence figures are rising rapidly according to the foremost advocate for the disability, Autism Speaks. It’s the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the nation, with more children diagnosed with the condition in 2011 than with AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. Autism now affects 1 in 110 children, and 1 in 70 boys, costing the U.S. over $35 billion annually.

It’s not known why the condition is increasing in occurrence, but as it becomes more common there are many parents searching for solutions to help their autistic children communicate, feel more comfortable in their environments, and make the most progress with their therapy as possible.

Luckily there are innovative ways to improve the lives of autistic individuals with recently developed software tools. There are now new iPhone apps that are specifically designed to help those with autism.

One type of newly released app assists children with verbal communication, and sell for a fraction of the cost of the cumbersome equipment that has been previously available. One such app is Proloquo2Go, which uses icons that autistic kids can touch to voice basic comments or questions, such as "I want a cookie" or "I'm angry — here's why."

Many parents caring for autistic children also know their child’s bedroom and common areas in the home present some real practical problems. Anything that makes things a bit easier in the home is embraced, with something as simple as investing in the right furniture making a big difference.

Repetitive fidgeting, rocking, slouching, or sliding off the chair are typical behaviors for children with autism. Children may have much difficulty in becoming comfortable and content when sitting or resting, or cannot sleep in a standard bed. This makes many pieces of traditional household furniture impractical. Simple activities for others can be complex and wearisome for children with autism and other disabilities, as they use their bodies and minds in a unique manner. The concept of adaptive furniture centers around using different shapes, sizes and materials than those found in standard furniture, and can lead to a much happier child, because their homes have become a more comfortable place to be.

With many schools now catering to students on the severe end of the autistic spectrum and others with various behavioral, emotional and social difficulties, this furniture is also becoming common in classrooms.

The typical learning environment can be hard for children with special needs, with adaptations necessary to provide an environment conducive to learning. Recognizing these unique needs and challenges enables teachers and therapists to provide solutions that can greatly impact the educational experiences of the student. Adaptive furniture provides an alternative to the “rows of desks” configuration of standard classrooms, a set up that creates difficulties for many special need children.

Tyler Shearburn is the owner of www.comfysacks.com, one of the companies leading the way in adaptive furniture with their large bean-bag style chairs and other similar offerings. These options help provide the right surroundings for learning, playing, resting or even sleeping for autistic children. Their foam-filled chairs conform to a person’s body, which can have a very calming effect on those with autism.

“These furniture options are built with autism in mind for both the home and school setting, but you’d never know it,” said Shearburn. The chairs and loungers sold by Comfy Sacks are designed with aesthetics in mind, and have become quite popular with other students and household members in addition to those with special needs.

“We create furniture designed to provide feelings of contentment, comfort and safety for autistic kids, something that every child deserves,” said Shearburn. Cheri O’Day of Indianapolis says that her autistic son Casey immediately felt at home on his large bean bag chair, adding “It's a great piece of furniture that relaxes Casey. He even slept on it the first night we had it, a very welcomed development for our entire family. It has helped create peace of mind for me and my husband."

Shearburn added “we’ve been flooded with positive feedback from enthusiastic parents touting the benefits their disabled children received from their new furniture. It makes us feel good to know it made a difference.”  Similar to the new Apple apps, adaptive furniture can provide benefits to children with many other disabilities or conditions, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or ADHD. Some adaptive furniture may also be covered by some health insurance plans.

Today there are more options than ever for autistic children, allowing them to communicate and enjoy experiences just like other children. As the numbers of children with autism increase, finding new solutions such as these is becoming more and more important.

For more information on adaptive furniture and the many choices available, you can contact Tyler Shearburn at Comfy Sacks directly via email at: adaptivefurniture@comfysacks.com.

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Comfy Sacks is a leading online retailer of foam bag furniture, including chairs, loungers and other home furnishings. Comfy Sacks has the highest quality bags and the best warranty in the industry, and yet are more affordable than the competition.