This month's newsletter provides a few resources to help you experience a happy and healthy holiday season. Dr. Rimmer's stocking stuffer suggestions (i.e., wheelchair gloves, new Thera-Band products) can be used in conjunction with NCHPAD resources (i.e., NCHPAD minute video clips, http://www.ncpad.org/content/61/Video) to create an exercise program for a friend, relative, patient, or client. The information below provides suggestions on finding safe toys for children with disabilities, and the nutrition corner includes tips for handling stress. Also, the book reviewed on pediatric nutrition in chronic conditions and developmental disorders can make an excellent health-promoting holiday gift.
Safe Toys for the Holidays:
Holiday toy shopping has begun! The following resources include information about toy safety, appropriateness, and accessibility for children, particularly those with disabilities.
Unintentional injury is the number one cause of death for children. The National Safe Kids Campaign promotes child safety and the prevention of unintentional injury. Toy safety tips and recalls for children's products for the last 3 months are posted to its Web site at http://www.ncpad.org/685/3084/2004-12-01#1.
Toys R Us has posted its toy catalog for Differently Abled Kids at http://www.ncpad.org/685/3084/2004-12-01#2
The Toy Industry Association at http://www.ncpad.org/685/3084/2004-12-01#3 has many resources. Of particular interest is its Toy Safety Hotline. And, to help alleviate the apprehension of choosing toys for children with special needs, see the "Let's Play 2004: A Guide to Toys for Children with Special Needs," posted in pdf format at http://www.ncpad.org/685/3084/2004-12-01#4. This 32-page guide previews more than 100 toys which were tested by children with special needs. The guide, which emphasizes that each parent/caregiver knows his/her own child best, helps identify qualities to look for in toys that make them appropriate for children with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities. It also includes contact information for the Alliance for Technology (http://www.ncpad.org/685/3084/2004-12-01#5). A visit to that Web site (click on Accessible Toys in the ATA resources section on the left-hand side of the page) provides information about adapting toys for children with physical impairments.