Clean Cooktops – OR – Managing Situations Without Creating Crises

After a leisurely dinner Saturday night, I carried our plates back to the kitchen to discover a small tragedy on the top of our glass cook top stove. In all its dying splendor lay a melted plastic bread sack that had been inadvertently placed on top of a still-hot burner. Printed side down. The stove is less than a year old; the bag looked to be about a hundred years old in its shriveled, melted state. Not a happy combination for a mother who takes great pride in the spit-polished appearance of her new stove. The rest of the house may be a mess, but this is one thing I am meticulous about.
I froze momentarily as my heart dropped to my stomach. This freeze was nearly instantly replaced with a sense of urgent panic to do something to get that plastic bag off the stove while it was still warm. Then, better sense grabbed hold of me. I took a deep breath, remembering how easily glass cook tops can be scratched, and headed straight for my dear friend Google. After typing in a question about removing melted plastic bags from glass cook tops and quickly looking over half a dozen links to get a general consensus as to the best method (which I will share with you at the end of this post), then I was ready to act.
I wish I’d taken a “before” picture of that melted bag (I wasn’t imagining at that point that I’d be writing this out). Trust me when I say that it was impressive! It extended beyond the edges of the largest burner. Now, thankfully, the cook top looks brand new again.

Look Ma! No plastic!

There is a lesson in all of this. Panic doesn’t help.
If I had given in to my gut-reaction, I would have immediately grabbed up our razor window scraper and scratched off that plastic with gusto, leaving behind permanent scratches looking like pine needles after a windstorm. I would have been a sad, sad woman every time I looked at the stove top. Instead, a deep breath and a little research lead me to a safe and effective solution…and gave me knowledge that helps me relax when if we ever have such a mishap again.
Deep breaths and researching our options apply to managing our children’s situations as well. Panic doesn’t help here either. In fact, in a critical health or educational issue, it can be damaging.
Of course, there are times to act quickly. Sometimes we need to get our child to the emergency room right now. A flaming pan on the stove top would need to be addressed right now.

Not every situation is a crisis either, and it is critical to learn the difference. The melted bag on the stove top was not a crisis; there was enough time (even before the burner cooled) to get advice on how to correct the problem without causing more damage.
When we overreact to situations without taking a breath or getting the facts, we can set our kids up for complications that might have been avoided.
My daughter has suffered from intractable seizures for nearly twelve years. Of course they a bad thing and we want them stopped. But her variety does not compromise breathing or cause immediate brain damage. They are critical, but they do not pose a crisis.
When she first began having seizures, we panicked. We wanted them stopped right now. We raced her to the Emergency Room (endangering ourselves and every other driver along the way) where she was given unfamiliar medications that caused dangerous reactions. She’s a unique case; I’m not suggesting this is how anyone else’s child will react. But in our panicked state, we had trouble sorting out what was going on with her seizures and how the rescue drugs were actually feeding into her problem.
It took standing back, breathing, and collecting information over time (in this case, data on how the rescue drugs actually triggered and prolonged her seizures) to understand the Big Seizure Picture. Our panicked, knee-jerk reactions were creating an avoidable crisis; we needed a calmer approach to managing her seizures. Since that time, we have learned to step back and assess the situation before we intervene. This method of managing her seizures—and other health issues—has prevented some dangerous situations for her.
The same principles apply to situations at school that go awry. About the only crisis at school requiring immediate action is removing children from a burning building. After that, other situations most always allow time for breathing, for getting facts about what is happening, for researching the appropriate way to handle the problem. Pam and Peter Wright, special education advocates, have written an entire book on this very issue, From Emotions to Advocacy. Having taught special ed myself, as well as being the parent of a child receiving services, I can tell you that this deep-breath approach benefits everyone…parents, school teams, and especially the child. Knee-jerk reactions seldom solve problems. Instead, they make enemies (your child is the one who loses most then), they confuse the real issue at hand, they make you look reactionary and unreasonable (and a parent who maintains credibility will be taken far more seriously than one who is perceived as reactionary and unreasonable).
Is it easy to sort out the crises from critical situations? Of course not. That adrenalin rush makes us want to act right now. But there is usually at least time enough to inhale deeply and figure out which you are facing. I have not once regretted taking that deep breath; many times I have regretted not breathing deeply and acting without thinking instead. It’s a learning process. The melted bag gave me good feedback that I’m s-l-o-w-l-y coming along. Much as I don’t want the practice, it does help.
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And now, as promised:
How to remove melted plastic bags from a glass cook top (summary of a number of great websites!)…
1. Remove the unmelted plastic from the cook top and allow the glass to cool.
2. Peel away any large chunks that you can.
3. Spray the cooled melted plastic with WD-40 and allow to sit 10-15 minutes.
4. VERY CAREFULLY scrape up the dissolved plastic with a utility knife or razor scraper. BE CAREFUL not to scratch the glass. Wipe off with a paper towel.
5. In the likelihood there is some residue left, wipe the leftover plastic and/or ink with acetone nail polish remover on a cotton ball to remove it.
6. Use a green scrubber pad and dish soap to scrub any residual. I used trusty old Cerama Bryte first, then just dish soap on a wet cloth. Voila!
7. Remind your dear ones to throw plastic bags into the trash or recycling next time, please.
May you never need these instructions...but they are a lifesaver if you do!

Acting quickly does not equal panic. We can perform swift actions without allowing our senses to take leave. Panic robs us of the ability to think clearly; we need a clear head in an emergency.

Building Communication Through Play

Who doesn’t love to play? It’s nature’s way of making learning fun! Kids with severe speech and motor issues need to play just as much as the next kid. In fact, since they may not be able to access play activities by themselves, it’s that much more important for us to provide opportunities for play.

Photo courtesy of drewnew at Flickr Creative Commons

Smart therapists have known the value of play for a long time. My daughter had the world’s absolute BEST physical therapist from the time she was three until just last year. Mr. Tom is magic. He could turn hamstring stretches into a delightful rowing trip across a mountain lake. The tilt board might be a bucking bronco or a spaceship dodging meteors. His fantastic games transformed work into play and physical therapy became a highlight in my little girl’s week.
We can follow Mr. Tom’s lead by creating play in our children’s days. An imaginary story line can turn dull routines into an adventure; it can distract a child’s mind from discomfort. It doesn’t hurt mom or dad to take a walk on this lighter side either. Take it from a mom who tends to be a wee bit too serious at times…
Play is the work of children. In play, they work out social patterns. They exercise their minds and their muscles. They discover scientific principles. They develop language.
It is language development we want to look at today. Those story lines Mr. Tom used exposed my daughter to rich language. Regardless of a child’s expressive ability, she needs to be filled up with wonderful words. I hang tight to the hope that one day my child will have a means of self-expression (just look at how rapidly technology is advancing to accept unconventional forms of input). When that day comes, she will already have in her possession a powerful vocabulary. We need to fill, fill, fill…through talk, through reading, through play.
We also need to give our kids an abundance of opportunities to express themselves. Play is a chance for them to try out vocabulary and language structure. There just isn’t a lot of opportunity for rich expression during some of the mundane tasks that fill our kids’ days. Taking medicine, changing a diaper, and brushing teeth just don’t pull in many colorful words. But play…wow! Think of all the rich words that come as cars and trucks race along a carpet roadway. The play kitchen is ripe with actions and descriptions of smells and temperatures. There are play sets for Little People on the farm, in a doll house, on a bus, in a school that lend themselves to tremendous vocabulary.

Photo courtesy of John-Morgan at Flickr Creative Commons
Children who lack the physical skills to act out the play themselves may learn to direct the play. They can tell you what to do, how to move the characters, what dolly needs. When my daughter was preschool age, she and I spent countless hours on the floor acting out play with Little People (we owned way too many sets, but they were purchases I could justify as being “therapeutic,” right?). She loved caring for her favorite dolls by telling me what to bring her for them or what songs to sing them at naptime. These were activities she would have done for herself if she had been physically able; instead, she developed a large vocabulary to let me know how I could help her act out the play. Because it kept her in charge and involved, she didn’t seem to mind me acting as her hands.
The only down side to this was the time it took me. Playtime was a commitment, as was the prep time for creating the vocabulary symbol cards. But I look at it as an investment in my child’s development. Is there any more important use of my time than spending it with my children? Besides, it gave me an excuse to act like a kid.
Those of you whose children might be interested in directing play with dolls will want to keep checking back. Over the next few days, I am posting a giveaway for a symbol notebook for doll play. Stay tuned…
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you living in the United States!
Rose-Marie
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You might also like:
Playtime Communication Book...and GIVEAWAY!


EDucational Website: SET-BC

The Special Education Technology Centre in British Columbia is a wealth of information for teachers and parents as well. Their website is a treasure of resources just waiting for you to use in your classroom or home.
One fabulous thing I’ve observed about special needs parents is how enthusiastically they tend to take on the roll of providing instruction to their children at home. The biggest limit seems to be availability of expensive resources…but the SET-BC website can help fill that void.
So, roll up your sleeves and let’s take a walk through the website.
The most useful tab to those living outside British Columbia is the Learning Centre. These resources are free to anyone to use. Four main headings under the Learning Centre tab will take you to some incredible gems.



At the Learning Centre home, you will find an extensive collection of articles, webcasts, software trainings, and other resources. The collection is searchable or can be browsed by category through the tabs across the top. Honestly, I could lose myself at the Learning Centre homepage for days on end. There is just so much there!


The Accessible Books page provides you with both premade stories for the computer (circled in red) and instructional handouts and videos (circled in blue) that walk you through the process of creating your own books.


Take a look at the CurriculumSET page for premade activities to support instruction in the classroom. Activities are divided into content areas (science, language arts, health, math, etc.) and age level. There are low-tech handouts for students, as well as onscreen activities for Boardmaker, Clicker 5, Classroom Suite, Kurzweil, Solo, and more.


A great help for families is the PictureSET page. Downloads include both Boardmaker files (which can be customized in Boardmaker for individual users) and .PDF files for families who do not own Boardmaker. There are also some boards for specific communication devices. Symbols are organized by topic...

...and purpose (activities/games/songs; support stories; visual/vocabulary).


Families who want to get started with symbol communication for their non- or minimally-verbal children can find some extremely helpful downloads through PictureSET.
If you are a resident of British Columbia, there are even more fantastic resources available through SET-BC, so keep on exploring after you’ve checked out this section. There are local events you won’t want to miss, training opportunities, technology support, a lending library (much larger and more current than the one available in our state!)…
I hope you will have a bit of free time over the Thanksgiving holiday to browse through the SET-BC website. Even if you have visited it before, check for updated resources. There have been some wonderful additions made in the past few months! Check out the Assistive Technology Considerations for students with a wide variety of disabilities--good stuff!
There is so much to be grateful for this season. Happy Thanksgiving!
Rose-Marie



Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Ahhhh, nothing like a gentle hug to soothe and calm us! Weighted blankets can provide that same calming effect for lots of kids with sensory issues. They are not cheap to buy, though it’s possible to cut expenses by making your own at home. There are directions at several sites online, but the best tutorial I’ve found was written by Weeks Ringle. She includes the secret bit of information no one else will tell you—how to calculate the weight of a blanket based on the child’s weight! Of course there is the disclaimer that you should check with your child’s doctor or physical therapist, but at least you get a ballpark estimate so you can purchase enough filler for your project. She even includes a downloadable PDF of directions to follow as you sew (or to pass on to a sewing family member when they ask “what can I do to help you, dear?”).
The ideal filler material, both for washability and mold-resistance, is poly-pellets. I really like the ones made by Fairfield because they are smooth beads without any sharp edges to wear the fabric thin. They aren’t cheap, though, as a blanket that weighs 8-10 pounds may cost you more than $60 by the time shipping is added. Search around online for “Fairfield Poly Pellets” for the best price; the bargains and free shipping incentives change from one day to the next. [At this writing (Nov. 22, 2010), the best buy I found online for 10-lb bags was $29.95—free shipping within the USA—from BattMart.com].

Here’s a picture of the weighted blanket my daughter helped her caregiver sew (what better way for them to spend a long drizzly spring afternoon?). The caregiver operated the sewing machine while my daughter controlled the power using her switch and a power interrupter. Great fun was had by all. One side of her blanket is snuggly flannel for cooler days and the other is quilting cotton for warmer weather. I don’t advise sewing stretchy PolarFleece to quilting cotton unless you are highly comfortable with sewing…it’s kind of like mixing oil and water.
Without further ado, here is Weeks Ringle’s awesome tutorial for sewing a weighted blanket!

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An added tip I learned from Tracy M. at Dandelion Mama is to use a knitting needle or pencil to hold the poly beads aside while you sew. It makes it less likely for them to roll under the needle as you sew the rows. GREAT tip, Tracy!

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I’ve been working on several tutorials to share with you over the next few weeks. I can hardly wait to get them wrapped up to show you! A sudden freak snow and ice storm brought my work to a halt yesterday, however, and I’ve had to shift priorities. Our kids are home from school, so it will be a delightful day of holiday baking and board games. The fabric errands and sewing will have to wait for a warmer day…but do keep checking back!
Also, our young goats needed coats—NOW—for temperatures dipping into the teens with a wind chill driving those numbers even lower. I spent yesterday afternoon whipping out a couple coats for our little hoofed buddies. If anyone else needs a great “goat coat” pattern, check out Pat Hendrickson’s pattern and instructions . I love this pattern because it stays in place without a belly band…which anyone who owns goat will appreciate.

Everyone stay warm...goaties included!
Rose-Marie

The Fumbling Things People Say

Any time a group of special needs parents gets together, the topic of conversation will eventually turn to The-Stupid-Things-People-Say. I’m not sure why this is such a popular topic; it ranks right up there with “poop” and “meltdowns.” We spend whole evenings sharing the most outlandish remarks made to us by strangers with regard to our situations. We try to outdo one another with the absurdity of a particular comment we've received. It's a curious pasttime.

And frankly, it bothers me that we assume the worst in people.
We need to give The Public a little more credit. Seldom are the comments intended to be mean or insensitive, they just come out sounding that way sometimes. I honestly believe (yes, call me Pollyanna) that the majority of people are trying to reach out to us. They recognize that we deal with plates heaped higher than the average parent. They are simply trying to offer some encouragement. What comes out of their mouths may be floundering or patronizing or downright ridiculous, but it is generally offered with a good heart.
We can choose to take offense at the words or to see past the clumsiness to the spirit of the offering. It’s up to us.
Think how awkward it must be for strangers to speak up—they don’t know what to say, what would be helpful to us. They want to express empathy somehow and so they say the first thing that pops to mind. I’m sure plenty feel quite embarrassed as they hear those fumbling words stumble off their tongues, wishing they had eloquent words instead. But they tried and we need to appreciate that.
I like to think about the possible motives that move people to break out of their comfort zone to offer support to a strange. What drives them to speak?
·    They want to acknowledge that “this wasn’t our plan.” The wheelchair, the orthotics, the communication device, the cleft repair, the various tubes and cannulas, and the seizures are not part of the dreams new parents hold dear. Many strangers have shared these idyllic dreams and are probably able imagine that our expectations have been severely jolted. That recognition over the unfairness of disability strikes at people’s hearts. Out of genuine kindness, I believe, they hope to express their empathy. There are times I don’t want to be alone in remembering that things didn’t turn out as I had expected. For some warped and unexplainable reason, it just feels validating to have others acknowledge that I am surviving a pretty big adjustment…and am doing a doggone good job at it, too.

·    Our situation may make them truly uncomfortable. Words come out sounding especially ridiculous when we feel ill at ease (Remember being humiliated by the dorky things you said in front of your Middle School crush? How many blundering comments at a job interview have you wished you could suck back in?). We need to give people credit for moving one step closer to their source of discomfort instead of turning away. They are doing this for us so we won’t stand alone in a situation that they perceive, wrongly perhaps, as uncomfortable.
·    They may be a parent or relative of a child with disabilities themselves. These unknown insiders may genuinely relate to our challenges and want to make a connection. But what 3-second snippet can anyone offer a stranger to share the depth of all that goes into loving and caring for someone with disabilities? No single sentence can do that. What comes out instead sounds trite or patronizing even to the speaker. Of all our Public Commenters, these people probably feel profoundly embarrassed at their inability to create a meaningful comment.

We need to cut a little slack, extend a little grace. We don’t know the history of these strangers. I choose to believe that most comments are made from well-meaning hearts. And honestly, if the roles were reversed, I doubt I could say anything more tactful.
I appreciate when people make comments and ask questions. The connection is comforting to me, because I like that people are trying to come alongside me, however awkwardly, however briefly. Thank you, kind stranger, for walking my way.

Improved downloads, just for you!

I wanted to let you know I'm moving the documents here on Adapting Creatively over to a new host that is much more download-friendly. If you have been unable to access the downloads before, they are now up at Google Docs. This site is able to present them as written and free of charge (a problem with each of the other hosting sites I've tried).

The Best of the Best AT/AAC Websites

G-Tube Jammies

PLEASE let me know if you have any trouble accessing either document. Thanks!

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Update (2/9/11)--A reader brought up that the download to the PVC Assitive Technology Supports link had added a password requirement that wasn't there when I originally linked. This new link to the PVC book should take you there. Thanks for your patience!

Favorite FREE book: PVC Assistive Technology Supports



PVC pipe is an amazing building material. It's fairly inexpensive, easy to find and simple to work with. You can use it to make all kinds of equipment to help your child. It can be used to create adaptive writing aids, eye gaze frames, sand tables, switch stands...and so much more. The Assistive Technology Educational Network in Florida has compiled a wonderful book that tells you how. Not only that, they have made it available for free download online! Many, many thanks to the great folks at ATEN for their generosity!

If you have never worked with PVC pipe before, this book will make you an expert in no time. It explains differences in types of PVC pipe and when each is appropriate to use. It teaches you how to cut, glue and paint the pipe. Then--this is the especially terrific part--the book offers designs for making a whole host of adaptive equipment! Each design includes a parts list (with pipe lengths listed, so you can pre-cut all your pieces or have them cut at the hardware store), a list of equipment and supplies, and assembly directions with schematic drawings. It has plans for 22 projects, including easels and sensory equipment and toy bowling ball launchers and headswitch mounts. There are even suggestions for how to modify these projects to work with your individual requirements. I'm waiting for a funding approval for a computerized voice output device for my daughter, at which point I can make a desk mount to fit. Please join me with a project or two of your own!

Happy creating and a great weekend,
Rose-Marie

Update (10/27/14): It appears the links in the original post moved. Thanks so much to a reader for calling this to my attention! I have updated the link to another host and now you should be able to access it without any sign-in. R-MG

Learning Styles: 3 Critical Truths





Ah, learning styles! In the 80’s and 90’s, you couldn’t open an educational journal without finding multiple references to research on learning styles. We discovered some important things about how children and adults process and remember information. We experimented with ways to make the most of these individual strengths in our classrooms. Much of today’s learning theory grew out of what we learned in the 80’s and 90’s. Before we look at three especially important concepts about learning styles, let’s put learning styles into practical terms for parents and those wishing a review. Then we’ll look those three concepts as we consider children with disabilities of all types.
Kindergarten teachers are masters at putting learning style research into action. Consider how they incorporate four learning styles into one activity, learning the letters of the alphabet. The teacher points to the illustrated letters on the wall (visual) as students chant along (auditory) and trace the letters with their fingers in the air (kinesthetic) or on their buddies’ backs (tactile). Four different styles come together in one activity. Surely one style will resonate with a child.
The teacher supports letter mastery throughout the year with dozens of additional activities that expand each learning style. She draws on auditory learning as children listen to alliterative stories and recite theme-letter poems and songs. She provides visual input with student art that emphasizes the letter of the week. The teacher sets up tactile activities with bins of plastic letters to touch and unusual writing tools for students to draw out the letters. She offers kinesthetic learning with variations of beanbag toss and hopscotch games that build on letter knowledge. Each learning style is revisited over and over during the course of the year. Why? What three key truths about learning styles does this teacher know…and why are they so critical to our learners with disabilities?
1) Learning is easiest when we engage our strongest learning style.
When we want kids to catch onto ideas quickly, we need to appeal to their strengths. Students don’t have to work as hard when information is given to them in a form that matches their strongest style. The information naturally makes sense and they can focus on the content of the idea. If we present through a style in which they are weak, they may focus instead on making sense of the presentation rather than the content.
Quick learning has big benefits. It starts the ball rolling for deeper understanding; after all, you have to start somewhere! It builds self-confidence. It gives the teacher immediate feedback as to whether or not a child has grasped an idea, giving her a chance to intervene early on.
If we limit the styles in which we offer information, we might bypass a child’s strength. We might be creating a situation where she is working harder than she needs to. When that happens day after day, children become discouraged and may shut down.


Do your children have opportunities every day to learn in the style that is most comfortable for them?
2) Learning is deepest (therefore most likely to be remembered) when we engage in a variety of styles.
When we want learners to develop deep connections and memories about an idea, we need to give them opportunities to process that information in many modes. If children are going to remember a concept, they must build understanding across many neural connections. Asking them to stretch their learning of the concept through styles that are not their strength will develop those connections. This will give them fuller, richer understanding of the idea and the ability to call it up in a wider variety of situations. A child who can recall math facts auditorily or visually will have an easier time progressing to harder math concepts than the child who must calculate the answer kinesthetically on his fingers.
If we settle on just one style for presenting and practicing information, we deprive children of the opportunity to develop deep understanding. Their knowledge will continue to be superficial. Surface knowledge is quickly forgotten. We need to provide kids with chances to build rich networks that support memory.


Do your children have opportunities to strengthen their learning each day, pushing outside their preferred learning style?


3) We cannot make assumptions about learning styles based on disabilities.

A child's disabilities do not excuse us from providing learning experiences across all styles. We cannot assume that because a physical skill is underdeveloped that the brain does not crave the learning input it provides. We are responsible to offer the full variety of learning style opportunities regardless of disability. This way all children can benefit both from the ease of learning by their strengths and from the rich learning developed when they must explore an idea across all styles.
Let me share some examples:
  • A child who does not walk may still learn kinesthetically. He may learn counting order best to the rhythm of the swing in the physical therapist’s office. He may need assistance tossing a lower-case “t” beanbag at a capital “T” target, but all the letter-learning surrounding that toss may become focused in his mind as his body engages in the physical activity.
Side note:  I strongly suspect that the cadence in music mimics kinesthetic input for children with gross motor issues. Let’s use music to our advantage in teaching. It may actually support two learning styles:  auditory (of course) and kinesthetic.
  • Another example I can offer comes from my own daughter. As an infant and early toddler, she still had the ability to use her hands to explore the world. She did this all day long, scritching unique bumpy textures, rubbing smooth ones, burying her hands deep into soft fur. She was clearly a highly tactile learner! Fast forward a year and her hand use had deteriorated completely. She no longer has voluntary use of her hands. Does this mean she is no longer skilled at processing tactile information? No, it only means she cannot command her hands to perform; her feedback from her hands is unchanged. She continues to deserve the opportunity to learn information in tactile ways.
  • Students with learning disabilities benefit tremendously from learning through a wide variety of learning styles. It is not at all unusual for a subject to "click" when a traditionally visual or auditory subject (such as reading) is taught though tactile or kinesthetic activities. Once the basic understanding develops, then students can expand their learning through more traditional teaching modes.
Sometimes we can figure out a way to work around a physical issue, such as providing music with a strong beat to support kinesthetic input or giving deaf students the chance to feel--physically--the throb of a deep base drum. We can provide hands-on or equipment-supported physical assistance for kinesthetic or tactile input.
Sometimes students present challenges in teaching through a specific style that may be difficult to overcome. We can offer tactile alternatives to blind students, for example, but this does not address their visual learning. It may be that there are no visual alternatives we can offer. Instead of becoming discouraged, we need to think creatively and to insure that we are providing an abundance of opportunities in the remaining learning styles.
We do this because we want to insure that at some point every day, the child has a chance to learn easily through their strengths. We want our children to feel self-confident, regardless of disabilities. We must provide multiple styles of practice every day so kids can develop deep connections and lasting memory of an idea. Teaching across a wide variety of learning styles helps to level the playing field for our students.
Do your children have opportunities to learn through all styles regardless of physical or learning disabilities? If not, how can you expand those opportunitites?


I'd love to hear what you do in your home or classroom to support your child's learning style needs.

Split-back Wheelchair Jacket

With winter sneaking up on us in the Northern Hemisphere, the time seems right to show you how to adapt a purchased jacket for wheelchair users. I hope I'm catching you in time for the cold weather where you live!


Normally, I like to use dressing as an opportunity to stretch tight arm and shoulder muscles. I resisted adapting my daughter's coats for a long time just for this reason. However, rushing to catch the morning school bus is NOT the time to be hurrying stiff limbs! The split in the back of these wheelchair jackets reduces the amount of stretching and the risk of injury.

The split-back jacket opens up the back just up to the bottom of the collar/hood. The collar slips behind the child's neck, his arms go into the sleeves, and then the back is closed. Opening the front of the jacket makes it easier to slip arms into the sleeves, but it isn't necessary.

The sewing skills and equipment are very basic. You should be able to complete this project in less than an evening.

The fabric and filling of your jacket make a big difference in ease of sewing. Sweatshirt fleece and PolarFleece are very easy to work with. Denim is only difficult where multiple layers cross at seams. Quilted fiberfill batting is fairly easy but loose filling (such as down or the loose cotton fluff in the white jacket used in the tutorial) is more complicated (and therefore, more time-consuming).

First, the DISCLAIMER:  I recommend trying this technique on an outgrown sweatshirt or junker jacket before cutting into a jacket you value. You can use scrap fabric and skip both the interfacing and Velcro during your practice. The point is to see if the split-back design works for your child. It also builds your confidence with the sewing technique so you won't get sweaty hands during the actual project. I will
do my best to step out the process, but the final results are up to you.

Now, without further ado, the tutorial...

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You will need:

--Purchased jacket (it should be slightly generous in size to make up for the ½” you’ll lose around the chest)

--Sew-in Velcro, approximately 1 yard (you won't use the whole amount, but you will always have use for the extra, so don’t worry about buying more than you need for this project)
--Coordinating cotton fabric, 3-6” wide, prewashed and ironed
--Lightweight iron-on interfacing


1) Draw a line on the center back of the jacket starting 1” below the neck seam to the hem edge. Use a wash-away pen, disappearing marker, or for dark fabrics, tailor’s chalk or a sliver of bar soap to draw your lines.



Soap markings on purple PolarFleece, showing 1" below collar seam
 
Measure this line and write it down.



2) Prepare the underlap by cutting a 3” strip of fabric the length of the line down the center back minus 1.5” (line length - 1.5" = _____). Iron a piece of fusible interfacing to the back. At both short ends, fold right sides together and sew a ¼” seam just along the two short ends.


Turn right sides out, neatening the corners. Match the edges neatly along the length and press flat. 
3) Prepare facing using one of two methods:
            a. Cut a 3"-wide strip of coordinating fabric 3” longer than the line you drew down the jacket back (line length + 3" = ____). Cut a piece of interfacing the same dimensions and fuse to the back of the strip following manufacturer’s directions. Finish the edges by serging (my favorite), zigzagging, or trimming with pinking shears.

            b. Cut a 3.5"-wide strip of coordinating fabric 3.5” longer than the line on the back of the jacket (line length + 3.5" = _____). Cut fusible interfacing the same size. DO NOT fuse just yet. Lay the strips together with the fabric right side meeting the NON-glue side of the interfacing. Sew with a ¼” seam allowance around 3 sides, leaving one short end open.


Trim corners and turn right sides out, smoothing seam allowances and fuse interfacing down. Topstitch around all three sides. 


Turn under the unfinished edge ¼” and topstitch to hold it down. This makes for a neatly finished facing strip (my second favorite method, used when I’m too lazy to change thread colors in the serger).



4) Mark the back of the facing with a line down center, starting 1” below one end (if using the facing is sewn and turned, it should be the enclosed end rather than the folded one) and continuing to the other edge. For the purposes of the tute, I also marked stitching lines 1/4" on either side of this line...you can do this or not.
5) Lay the facing on the back of the jacket, right sides together, matching up the lines. Pin in place, spacing the pins 2-3” apart and running exactly along the line. At the hem edge, fold the excess facing to the inside. Make sure there is no slack where the facing folds under.


6) On the left side of the jacket back, slip the raw edge of the underlap between the facing and the jacket. Center it 1 1/4” below the top of the line and 3/4” above the hem edge. Butt the raw edge of the underlap tight up against the pins; the folded edge should come right to the finished edge of the facing. Pin securely.

7) Starting at the hem edge, backstitch and then sew ¼” down one side of the line.



About 2” from the end of the line near the neck, begin to taper towards the tip, shortening the stitch length (I've marked this with green marker in the photo). Pivot, gradually taper back to ¼” from the line, and sew down the opposite side of the line. Reinforce the tapered point by stitching over the previous stitching for the 2” that makes the taper.



8) Control the bulk from the seam allowances and strengthen the stitching by sewing a narrow zigzag on either side of the line, staying between the line and your previous stitching line. I especially like a double zigzag for this (takes an extra stitch in the middle of each zig and zag, making an especially flat and professional stitch). The stitching won’t fit in the tapered point, but that’s fine because you already reinforced it by stitching twice (you did, didn't you?). If the jacket you are adapting has a loose lining, be sure to check underneath regularly as you zigzag that you aren't catching the lining in your stitching (do you hear the voice of unfortunate experience speaking?).

9) Cut along the line from the hem edge to the tapered point. Cut right up to, but not through, the point. Turn the facing to the middle and press and  flatten the seam allowance with your fingers (don’t use any iron on any jacket unless you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it won’t melt).

10) Pin hook-side Velcro along “public” side of underlap (the side facing away from the child). If your winters are harsh, use a solid strip the full length of the underlap. Where winters are mild, you can increase the jacket's ability to move with the body by cutting the Velcro in 3" pieces. Place a strip at the neck edge, one at the hem, and 1-3 more along the center edge (the number is determined by the size of the jacket) with approximately 1.5 – 2” between strips. Stitch strips to the underlap with a zigzag.



Pin matching strip/strips of loop-side (soft) Velcro on the loose facing on the right side of the jacket, matching the placement with the hook-side Velcro. Zigzag in place.




10) Arrange the facing neatly to the inside of the jacket and pin. Lengthen your stitch to a 3.0-3.5 and topstitch along the fold.




For flat jackets, on the outer right half of the opening, stitch down the outer edge of the facing. If this side of the facing pulls when the jacket is worn, sew a third line between the topstitching and outer stitching, running right through the soft Velcro to anchor the facing even more firmly. For “puffy coats” with vertical quilting, topstitch along the inner edge of the opening as before. Then, instead of sewing the facing down along its outer edge, stitch vertically through the facing, going right through the quilting lines.




Hand stitch the open edge of the facing to the jacket lining on the inside.




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There you go! Now you have a toasty warm jacket that is quick and easy to slip onto your children as they head out the door in their wheelchair. If you have any questions about the directions, please don't hesitate to drop me a comment or a note. I'm happy to clarify!

Inside of cold weather jacket

My Wakeup Call

A few weeks ago I got a wakeup call. No, not the 6-o’clock-get-your-lazy-bones-out-of-bed call. This was a phone call from my new doctor to get my cholesterol under control…now. It came as quite a shock, as my cholesterol levels have always tested better-than-optimal in the past, and now this doctor wanted to put me on statins the very day she received my test results.


I’m a person who avoids medications like the Plague. You know the type—a diehard who chose natural childbirth without pain killers because I didn’t want to put any drugs in my body that might impact my babies. [Okay, to be truthful, I’m also a huge wimp when it comes to needles, and I just about passed out when our childbirth class instructor showed us an epidural needle]. I’d rather tough out a headache than take an aspirin. I’m mortified to admit how many medications my daughter has had to take in her lifetime for her health issues, but certain critical situations require that you give in. Not that I acquiesce without a fight and countless hours of research...
Needless to say, I refused the statins until I had a chance to bring my cholesterol down naturally, through regular exercise and dietary changes. I'm not sure why the doctor jumped straight to a prescription; it's possible she was considering the time I devote to my daughter’s care and figured it might be easier for me to commit to simply popping a daily pill. Any of us raising families know how hard it is to fit daily exercise and careful meal planning and cooking into our hectic days. Those of us raising kids with multiple disabilities become especially masterful at putting ourselves last on the priority list. We are so busy taking care of the health needs of our kids that our own fitness routines take a back seat…a dangerous place for the driver to sit!
We’ve all heard the airline safety spiel of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping your child with theirs. In fact, we’ve heard it so many times that the line has become cliché. The premise makes logical sense. Implementing the theory in daily life, however, seems nearly impossible. Our kids’ medical needs (and therapeutic and educational and social and fill-in-whatever-else-fits-your-child needs) loom huge overhead. They direct our days and keep us awake at night. The needs demand so much of our time and energy, there truly isn’t any left over for us to do the things we need to take care of our own health.
But…can we afford not to practice the habits that will keep us in excellent health? I had thought so. I let my habits slide (washed down by a decadent Pumpkin Spice latté grabbed on the way to physical therapy), reasoning that I simply didn’t have time to keep up an exercise routine or healthful eating. It was convenient to ignore the possibility that my health might deteriorate as a result. But when the call came that my cholesterol levels put me at risk of some very serious complications, it hit me with sudden, unexpected force that I had even less time to get sick. This seems obvious but it took a scare like the reality that illness—or worse—could happen to me to jolt me to action.
In the weeks since that phone call, I’ve been faithfully exercising each day and eating a healthful diet. I’m determined to lick this cholesterol without medications. Surprisingly, it hasn’t taken as much time from my schedule as I had believed it would. I just tear myself away from the computer half an hour earlier in the morning to work out. That isn’t so bad. Planning nutritious menus requires a bit of extra time, but cooking healthful meals doesn’t actually take any longer than preparing artery-clogging ones. I find that these healthy patterns give me increased energy in the day and blissfully restful sleep at night. Being more alert and less sluggish allows me to get more done in the same number of hours, so the time spent exercising and planning menus pays for itself…and then some. I find the stress relief of exercise to be a tremendous benefit as we deal with my daughter’s uncontrolled seizures and wade through extremely difficult treatment decisions. The silly thing is I’ve known all these benefits in my head as long as I can remember; why did it take this shock to rattle me into accepting them?
All these benefits from eating right and working out help motivate me to keep up these habits. What was prompted by fear of long-term consequences has turned out to have strong day-to-day rewards as well. I feel much better, have a clearer head and have more stamina to keep up with the daily demands. These perks alone merit continuing the changes in my behavior. And hopefully, when my cholesterol levels are rechecked in another few months, we’ll see a positive impact on these numbers as well.
I realize we are all insanely busy parents, trying to keep up with medical treatments and appointments and therapies and school meetings. Where in your busy lives can you carve out a bit of time to care for the person who cares for your child—yourself? Can you afford not to?

The Winner of the G-tube Jammies is....

The lucky winner of the g-tube jammies giveaway is Dawn! Congratulations! I hope your little one sleeps all snug and toasty in them.

Thanks to all who entered. I appreciate your interest very much and hope you will stay tuned for future giveaways. I'm hoping to offer some good things over the next months.

A great weekend to all!
Rose-Marie

Seizure Tracker: a favorite website

Let's face it, seizures stink. They really do. But when they are a part of your child's life, you do have to deal with them. One thing that has helped our family tremendously is the free online tracking and reporting tool offered by Seizure Tracker. It was created by a family in Virginia out of their need for a system to track their son's seizures. It beats any calendar or reporting form our neurologists have ever given us or that I've tried to put together myself.

Here's what the good folks at Seizure Tracker have to say about themselves:  "Free online tools to provide people living with epilepsy and their doctors with a better understanding of the relationship between seizure causes or triggers, seizure activity, seizure medications,  along with other seizure treatments. Users have the capability of logging seizure activity on their personal computer, on  any web enabled mobile device including the iPhone, or on paper forms that correspond to the online logging forms. Reports generated on SeizureTracker.com include detail graphing capabilities and are easily sharable with caregivers."

Here's what we've found...it's easy (and we love free!) to set up an account with Seizure Tracker. It's quick to fill in the checklists and create reports and charts containing the information that you and your child's neurologist find most helpful. They have added a new section for people using a VNS to manage their seizures. I have never used the tool on a mobile device, which is a VERY useful capability, so I can't comment on how easy or difficult that might be. Another cool feature we've never used is the ability to email the data directly to your neurologist. If anyone has feedback on either of those, please do post a comment for other readers. Overall, Seizure Tracker is a very valuable tool that I recommend to any family needing to track their child's seizures.

On a different note, tomorrow is The Big Day for announcing the winner of the g-tube pajamas! Be sure to let your friends know about the giveaway since there's only one more day to enter to win...

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A correction to my post earlier today...I was reminded that Seizure Tracker allow you to customize for seizure symptoms. My apologies! If you find Seizure Tracker useful, I hope you'll drop a line to the sponsors to let them know. We can all use a little encouragement now and again. Thanks!

Rose-Marie

Velcro--the $64,000 tip

Do you remember the TV show, The $64,000 Question? I wasn't around just quite yet, but following it's popularity, any imponderable was dubbed a $64K question. There's a $64K question related to Velcro--How do you cut a skillion little pieces for your communication cards without making hamburger of your fingers and gumming up your scissors?

Oooo, ouch!
The question fits well in the topic of communication as we think about the materials we use to make symbol communication materials. Families and classrooms that use communication symbols also use Velcro by the mile. We use it to adhere them to symbol boards, to store them on indoor/outdoor carpet, to stick them into books and to the ceiling of the van…and the list goes on. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford half-inch dots by the roll, you are indeed fortunate.
Gold!
The rest of us who have to economize by purchasing bulk Velcro-by-yard can tell you how much pain can be involved as we poke our fingertips with the sharp plastic covering the adhesive. Never mind how many hours we have frittered away trying to peel all those pieces and remove adhesive from our favorite pair of scissors.
Well, no more! Tender fingers unite! Enter the $64K answer to that pesky question about mastering Velcro. I want to share with you a system for handling Velcro that has saved me countless hours and kept my fingers pain free. It was taught to me by a wonderful speech therapist named Carol. She doesn’t remember who showed her, but I swear that person should be sainted. They have no idea how much time and finger pain they have saved me.
Here is the trick: Put away your scissors and trade it for a rotary cutter, the kind of “pizza wheel” device used by quilters and crafters to cut fabric. For this job, I prefer a smaller rotary cutter (18 or 25mm) and a small mat (6” long). Now rotary cutters are razor sharp, so you have to use a special cutting surface to protect your tables and counters. Also, keep them far, far away from little fingers and always retract the blade when you set them down.


There are self-healing mats intended for such a use, but you can use a plastic cutting board nearly as well. I find the Velcro peels off easier from the cutting board, but you will wear grooves in yours over time. Notice the faded markings on mine...lines with 3/8" hatch marks.


Lay your ¾” Velcro against the mat and cut a length.

Then peel the backing off (just this one time, I promise!) and stick it to the mat. It will peel off just fine later. Cut down the middle of the length of the piece, giving you two strips 3/8” wide.

Come back and slice in little stripes 3/8” apart, giving you a whole line of 3/8” squares. How easy is that? A 3/8” square is just the right size to hold firmly to the hook side yet release without requiring strength…an issue for some kids with muscle weakness.


The lamination on your symbol cards will influence how well Velcro will stick. Hot laminate films stick fine (just know that the edges will peel in time unless you allow a 1/8” border of film around each symbol), as will clear Contact paper or clear packing tape. I have never used lamination pockets, so I can’t tell you how well Velcro adheres to their plastic. Velcro does not stick to cold laminate films that are made with silicone, such as Xyron’s films for the wonderful old Brother CoolLaminator. If you have a treasured CoolLaminator as I do, do not fear! Duct tape does stick to the silicone-coated film, so haul out your trusty rotary cutter and mat and slice it into 1” squares. Stick one to the center of a symbol and adhere the Velcro to that and you’re good to go!
 









At risk of sounding like a broken record (does this generation even know the origin of that phrase?), I will repeat the Velcro mantra:  soft on the environment and hard on the card. Use the hook side on the cards; the worst that can happen if you rub against it is a small scratch. A 3/8” square stuck to your living room carpet won’t pull the carpet loops out of the backing. Use the soft loop side on everything else, so that when you brush against it you won’t feel any pain or snag your sweater. Trust me. Just do it.
One more thought...if you are a parent looking for a thoughtful holiday or teacher appreciation gift for an especially supportive, creative teacher or speech therapist that lives in a sea of little Velcro pieces, a mini rotary cutter and mat set makes a lovely gift. I promise, it will get used!