Published in the fall 2011 issue of MyLIFE magazine
PHOTO BY CHRISTY SHIPP
Young and fragile lives meet technology A.T. Southwest Human Development’s A.D.A.P.T. Shop in Phoenix. Those acronyms stand up to help any child, from birth to the age of five, who has special needs. The A.T. stands for “assistive technology.” The shop’s name stands for “A Device and Adaptation Program through Technology.”
The science of child development has proved that all children in their earliest years go through rapid, and very important, stages of growth. Those stages might be slightly different for a child born with a disease, disability or congenital issue, but with assistance provided through technology, they can get support to allow navigation of the sensory experiences that build neurons. The A.D.A.P.T. Shop is a place where items that support these children are built and customized for individual use. Literally, miracles happen here.
Recently, a child verbally silenced by autism visited the shop and picked up an electronic device that showed a picture of a bird. He pressed the button twice and heard “bird,” then “bird” again. The third time, the sound “bird” came out of his mouth.
Tina Martin, who has been the A.T. senior program manager for two years, said she gets rewards from her job “with every family we serve. When parents see their child using a device and learning to do things that they never thought possible, the words ‘hope’ and ‘success’ become part of their vocabularies.”
Who better to give an example of this than a mother of twins? Cassandra Byrd’s two 4-year-olds have spinal muscular atrophy. When she discovered how the customized foam chairs known as “floor sitters” work, she dubbed them “happy chairs.” She said, “It is wonderful, because the chairs are perfect fits to their bodies. They keep them at eye level and allow them to play on the floor with their toys. They are not ugly and institutionally designed.” The shop also provided customized tables that fit both the “happy chairs” and regular chairs. “We could have paid $30 to $50 for each one, but because they are custom fit, they are priceless.”
In addition to seating devices that allow little bodies support and freedom, chairs fitted with wheels (not your typical wheelchairs), electronic devices that support verbal communication and assist with reading, iPads equipped with apps developed for special needs use, and regular toys fitted with switches and joysticks that can be manipulated with ease are all part of the inventory at the A.D.A.P.T. Shop.
The A.D.A.P.T. Shop’s resident pediatric physical therapist, Gayle Wiens, has 28 years of experience in seating and positioning young children who need her help. She has visited countless families and teachers in homes and schools to learn about these children, their natural environment and how best to customize an item for their particular needs.
The shop consists of a few small office areas and a large workshop. Jim Craig is the carpenter on staff, although he makes so many items out of closed-cell foam (foam that is designed not to absorb liquids or odors or to foster germ colonies) that he calls himself “a foamer.”
There are more great things about the A.D.A.P.T. Shop. One is that it allows people to tap into their own creativity to see a need and then create an item to fit that need, with help from the shop. The uncle of one child found a perfect- sized chair at a store like Target and fitted special wheels on it to create something that a child would feel really cool in while sitting and rolling around. That little chair is all about the second great thing: When the child outgrew the wheeled chair, the family donated it back to the A.D.A.P.T. Shop for use by another child. “When things can be sanitized for re-use, we certainly welcome it!” Martin said. Through community, families raising children with special needs get emotional support.
It was a $100,000 grant from Humana Communities Benefits–Arizona that brought this place, and service, into being. Health insurance plans reimburse for some of the items, but donations and volunteer support keep it going. “We offer volunteer opportunities such as what Sylvia Torrez does—sewing removable covers for the happy chairs and foam sitters. People who have home workshops can take assignments to build items or wire electronic adaptations into toys,” Martin said. “Donations like Home Depot gift cards are really appreciated.”
For more information, or to donate, contact Tina Martin at 602-633-8686 or by email here.
