Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Standing Devices for Kids

One of the things Madi will need soon is standing "Danny". Because of the weakened muscles caused by SMA, Madi cannot stand. By using a device that helps her stand, her muscles will grow and she may have a chance of learning to stand on her own. I found a case study on the benefits of standing for children. In the article, Ginny Paleg- a physical therapist, talks about both the phsycial and emotional benefits of children learning to stand.

I also found a site called OttoBock that makes a variety of standing devices for children. I can't seem to find a standing "Danny" but they have a standing "Charly". I'm trying to find out if these are the same thing.

KidsMobility.org - The Kids Mobility Network is a cool organization in Colorado that finds Durable Medical Equipment (DME) like wheelchairs, standing devices, etc. that are no longer being used by the current owners. They re-condition the equipment and then donate it to under-insured or un-insured families in need.

InfinitecDME.org - DME stands for Durable Medical Equipment. InfinitecDME.org is an Illinois organization that provides equipment for children and adults with disabilities. Individuals can donate or sell DME at this site.

IowaCompass.org - is a used equipment referral service, similar to the one in Illinois. Individuals post classifieds here with used medical equipment they are selling.

I spent a lot of time tonight just researching where you can find the kinds of medical devices Madi will need - hopefully some of these resources will help!!!

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