Hesperian Health Guides
Other Aids
Contents
EATING AND DRINKING AIDS
For more information on these aids, see the following sections:
- "Other Challenges"
- "Self-Care"
- "Alternatives for a Child with Amputated Hands"
- "Successful Feeding Involves the Whole Child"
- "Homemade Equipment to Help Eating"
- "Understanding Children with Disabilities"
TOILETING AIDS
For more information on these aids, see the following sections:
HOLDING AND REACHING AIDS
For more information on these aids, see the following sections:
- "Maricela's Story"
- "Prevention of Injury for Persons with Loss of Feeling and Strength"
- "Alternatives for a Child with Amputated Hands"
- "Suggestions for Dressing"
- "Understanding Children with Disabilities"
- "Adaptations for farm work and gardening"
fastener
SPIRAL HOLDING AID
Cut a piece of heavy rubber tube like this. |
Bolt it to a piece of plastic pipe or bamboo. |
Use it like this. |
spiral attached to washstand |
For larger objects such as a knife or ruler, the spiral can be made of garden hose. |
REACHING TOOL | ALL-PURPOSE TOOL |
sheet metal or heavy tin
From Don Caston and Joan Thompson. |
pole
comb mounted firmly on pole
This end serves as pusher, a collector, and for combing hair.
This end serves as a hook. |
WRITING AIDS
For more information on these aids, see the following sections:
- "Self Care"
- "Alternatives for a Child with Amputated Hands"
- "Prevention of Injury for Persons with Loss of Feeling and Strength"
- "Aids for Reading, Writing, and Drawing"
leather or thick cloth |
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pencil in a large gum eraser | loop of car inner tube | Velcro | bamboo or tube or hose | rubber or plastic tubing |
COMMUNICATION AIDS
(Also see *"Loss of Vision" and *"Hearing Loss")
page turner (for more information, see “Enrique's Story” and *"Aids for Reading, Writing, and Drawing"). |
aids for painting, writing, or pointing From Art and Disabilites, | communication board |
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, MEASURING AND RECORDING AIDS
INSTRUMENT FOR LEVELING HIPS
Cut 2 pieces of thin plywood like this. Fasten them together so that they slide back and forth. | To use, close instrument around child’s waist and push down against hip bones. Then raise or lower shorter leg until the instrument is level. | Cut rectangles of ¼ inch thick boards and bolt them loosely together at one corner. |
long, thin hole 25 cm. nut, bolt, and washer |
aid for measuring leg length difference (for more information see "Other things to check in a physical examination". |
flexikins for measuring contractures and deformities (see Chapter 5.) |
other methods for measuring contractures (see here and here) |
rib-hump angle measurer | aids for hearing examination | aids for seeing examination |
FOOT CONTRACTURE PREVENTION AIDS
Also see Chapter 59, "Correcting Joint Contractures," and Chapter 58 "Braces."
For more information on these aids, see the following sections:
EXERCISE AIDS
For more information on these aids, see the following sections:
- "Maricela's Story"
- “Will my child ever be able to walk?”
- "Progression of Exercises for the Child with an Arthritic Knee"
- "'Floating-in-air' Devices for Relaxing and Moving Painful Joints"
- "Correcting Contractures of Arthritic Hips"
- "Early Physical Re-education"
- "Prevention of Contractures" (Amputations)
- "There Are 3 Main Ways of Doing Range-of-Motion Exercises"
- "Strengthening Exercises to Get Arms Ready to Walk with Crutches"
- "Making Hand Exercises Fun or Useful"
- "Precautions in Providing a Child with Aids, Equipment and Procedures"