Our ideas and equipment for a ‘floppy’ child…
When we first came home with our son Noah, it was difficult to know what toys and equipment would be useful for him because of his floppy muscle tone. However, we have made a few new discoveries that we would like to share with other families – they have really been useful for us and we hope that they can help other’s too.
Musical Toys that Stimulate
We would highly recommend the Baby Einstein range of toys. Firstly the play mat with Piano has been a real success for Noah. It is so sensitive the piano needs very little effort to work. Noah loves it and it really makes him work his legs. Their Smart sounds Symphony – Magic touch music stations are also fantastic needing very little force to get lots of stimulation – he literally only has to brush his finger over it for it to make a sound.
Butterfly Pillow
The butterfly pillow was originally suggested to me by the physiotherapist at Noah’s hospital, but they couldn’t manage to source where they were from. After some digging I have been able to find them on Amazon and they have been really useful for head support especially in the early days. We remove some of the stuffing – as they are quite bulky when they arrive.
Play Mat
We love Noah’s clip together playmat – it can be made any size which is really handy. Because he doesn’t move or roll, I have been been able to put it on the table top too, and this has helped me assist getting Noah to roll etc, as I find it hard myself to get up from floor level.
Donkey Bugaboo Pram
The Donkey Bugaboo has been fantastic for transporting Noah, but all of his equipment too. It holds up the weight for the vent, suction machine and saturation monitor. Even better, the suction machine can go into the side carrier so it is instantly accessible. Having this means we can go and explore the world confident that we can take all of Noah’ equipment with us.
See Donkey Bugaboo for more details.
(updated 2021)
For more information please visit:-
Family Lives Charity https://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/your-family/special-educational-needs/fun-things-to-try-with-disabled-children/
Or search in your browser for ‘Sensory Toys’
Important: Myotubular Trust hopes that this family’s personal perspective helps, but recommends you always consult with your usual healthcare team for advice, and for any specialist referral to other services.
