Jack, a 10 year old boy, suffers from complex epilepsy,
scoliosis and chronic lung disease.
Jack previously sat in unsafe chairs which offered him very little postural support and/or pressure management. This lack of support, and poor positioning, meant that he was in constant pain whilst sitting out during the day. Jack also had problems with falling from the chair, which was very dangerous and scary for both himself, his mother, and other family members. The lack of postural support in the chair, failed to accommodate and support his scoliosis, or provide a safe and comfortable seating position. Very often, Jack would slump over to the side, affecting his ability to eat, breathe, and rest in the chair, as well as hindering him from performing any basic functional tasks.
Jack was also unable to reposition himself in his chair, and relied on family members to constantly reposition him throughout the day whenever he fell into poor posture.
Once Jack’s mother arranged a Seating Assessment with Seating Matters, their local Seating Specialist visited the family, subsequently recommending a Kidz Phoenix for Jack to try. As standard, the Kidz Phoenix comes with inbuilt pressure management throughout, as well as adjustable neck, head and shoulder supports. All supports are padded with pressure management materials, which ended up offering abundant support for Jack’s scoliosis and catering for his postural and pressure care needs.
Since receiving his Kidz Phoenix, Jack, who lacks the ability to communicate verbally, is clearly much happier in his new chair, with his Mother reporting that he ‘talks with his eyes and smiles.’ It is widely believed by clinicians and his family that Jack’s chair has acted as a vital component in improving his quality of life and extending it beyond previous medical predictions.
Jack’s chair has now become his ‘safe place’, and he can now comfortably recline, tilt, and take a nap without the fear of falling, or his posture being compromised. Improved upright positioning has also increased his ability to perform some basic functional tasks and whilst in the chair, his breathing and digestion have also improved. Overall, the new chair now keeps Jack and his mother very happy and content.
** This post was originally published on http://blog.seatingmatters.com/jacks-story
