Infant Seating Device Use and Language Exposure

Despite widespread use, we know little about how seating devices (e.g., car seats, jumpers) may shape infants’ experiences. The present study examined seating device use and language exposure in two samples of 4- to 6-month-old infants (primarily White, higher SES) with video analysis (Study 1; N=29; 13 girls), repeated surveys, and continuous audio recording (Study 2; N=60; 37 girls). Device use was associated with lower levels of concurrent language exposure compared to other locations (incidence rate ratio=0.59; 0.55, respectively). Further, infants who were more often in seating devices tended to experience fewer daily adult words (R2=.11) and less consistent adult speech (R2=.18). These findings indicate that seating device use has both within- and between-person associations with infants’ exposure to language.

More Than Just Assistive Devices: How a South African Social Enterprise Supports an Environment of Inclusion

Appropriate assistive technology has the potential to considerably enhance quality of life, access to health and education, and social and economic participation for people with disabilities. Most disabled people in the world live in low- and middle-income countries where access to assistive devices and other support is severely lacking. There is little evidence that describes contextually relevant approaches to meeting these needs, particularly in African countries. We provide a detailed description of a South African organisation which has manufactured mobility and seating devices for children with disabilities since 1992. The Shonaquip Social Enterprise (SSE) also trains and builds capacity among a wide range of stakeholders (caregivers, health workers, educators, government, and communities) to acknowledge and advocate for the wellbeing of disabled children and adults, and works closely with government to strengthen existing service provisions. Using examples from the SSE, we highlight a number of useful principles to consider when trying to provide for the needs of people with disabilities, particularly in low-resource settings. While access to assistive devices is important, devices have limited capacity to improve participation if the broader environment is overly restrictive and stigmatising. Improved access to devices ought to be situated within a range of broader efforts to increase the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities.

Prescription and development of adapted seating devices: learning from practice

Introduction: A significant part of the professional activity of physiotherapists and occupational therapists who assist people with motor disabilities is the prescription and sometimes the construction of adapted seats for wheelchairs. This is a complex task that involves practice, continued education, and material and technical resources. These work together to provide the patient's access to the adapted product. Objective: To understand how the prescription and adaptation of wheelchair seats occur in practice in a public institution. Methods: This study had a qualitative approach, applied nature, and exploratory objective. We utilized the case study strategy, conducted through semi-structured interviews, with seven professionals from a public state institution. The data obtained and analyzed were professionals’ practical experiences on seat adaptation for their patients. Results: We found divergences between practice and theory in the institution. The context in which the professionals operate, issues related to the institution, the production capacity of the adaptations, financial and time limitations, custom, lack of protocols and training in the area, and social and patient pressure are some of the causes of these divergencies. Conclusion: On the basis, we drew an overview of the prescription and construction of adapted seats by the institution and described the main elements that influence this practice. We believe that the training and updating of professionals, providing more resources, and a better process planning can reduce the divergences between practice and theory.

Remote Wheelchair Selection

Wheeled mobility and seating interventions have been considered one of the most important assistive technology devices in the field of rehabilitation. Telerehabilitation (TR) is an emerging field that has the potential to complement the current in-person assessment to select an appropriate wheeled mobility and seating device in underserved areas. Currently there are limited means for stakeholders to access comprehensive, reliable, monitored, and up-to-date information relative to wheeled mobility and seating devices including performance, coverage criteria, or research evidence as to their benefits and short-comings. The aim of this chapter is to review the current research works related to TR, wheelchair coverage policy issues, and the modern remote wheelchair selection paradigm. As an outcome of the ongoing-research of the authors, the Remote Wheelchair Selection Advisor (RWS-A) system, a knowledge-based decision support system to enhance TR processes, is introduced in this chapter.