Comfy Sack Bean Bag Chairs » Autism Spectrum Disorder

Bean Bags Part of Every Day Therapy for Autistic Child

tshearburn — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:04:48 +0000

Mykenzie, Bryce and Madisyn Selof play a video game while Max looks on. (Photo by Jeff Krage)

In an article titled “Living Life to the Fullest,” Victoria Remback of the McHenry County Magazine reported on how a local family with an autistic child uses bean bag chairs every day to relax and focus at school and home. Studies have shown that children with autism spectrum disorders can benefit from sensory therapy using bean bags, and parents of autistic children agree. “His brain is always going, and sense is a huge thing for Bryce,” Christine Selof, mother of a 10 year old boy with autism says. “So sitting on a bean bag chair or playing with rubber bands at his desk with his feet help to calm him.”

Her son, Bryce, is lucky to be in a program at his elementary school that recognizes his sensory needs. The Greenwood Elementary School provided Bryce and other children with beanbag chairs to sit on during school to help him focus on his studies. Many elementary schools around the country have recognized the psychological benefits of bean bag furniture for children, and children with autism spectrum disorders can benefit at home as well.

Remback explains in the article that, “When an autistic child goes into a fit because of overstimulation, frustration or anger, soothing techniques such as holding the child tight or swaddling him or her with a blanket helps to calm the child.” One common way to swaddle autistic children is to squish them between two bean bags. This technique provides what psychologists call deep pressure stimulation that calms the child.

How Bean Bag Furniture Provides Therapy For Autistic Children

tshearburn — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:22:32 +0000

Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, affects one out of every 150 children, but there are many different therapies available to help autistic children enjoy better quality of life. One of the best therapies recommended for autistic children is called deep pressure, which involves putting pressure on children’s bodies in order to stimulate their nervous systems and promote calming feelings.

One of the best ways to provide deep pressure therapy for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder is with beanbag furniture. Bean bags can provide safe and even pressure all over a child’s body. Because they are filled with shredded foam, beanbag chairs are perfect for deep pressure therapy for autistic children because the foam conforms to the child’s body. The foam also is soft enough be safe for the child, even while providing the sensory input autistic children crave.

Children with some forms of autism disorders like to make violent movements, and beanbag furniture can offer a safe outlet for this behavior. Parents or therapists can purchase a large beanbag chair and allow the child to jump and flop onto the chair. This allows the child to control the amount of pressure they are receiving and provides them a safe place to move. Giving the child the opportunity to safely provide themselves with pressure stimulation can help control aggressive behaviors.

Another way to provide children with Autism Spectrum Disorder deep pressure therapy with beanbag furniture involves two smaller beanbag chairs or a beanbag chair and a beanbag pillow. Some children with ASD enjoy being surrounded or squished. You can allow the child to lay on one bag and press the other over the child’s body so that they are squished between two soft surfaces. This provides even pressure all over the child’s body.

Beanbag furniture can also provide autistic children with exercise and fun. Since bean bags are filled with shredded foam, they are light enough for a child to pick and move. A beanbag chair for this kind of activity should be small enough for the child to hug with their arms so that they can pick it up and move it around. With different beanbag chairs in different colors, you can make a game out of moving the chairs around or sorting by color or size.

In addition to providing children with Autism Spectrum Disorders a safe form of deep pressure therapy, beanbag furniture also offers several advantages to parents and therapists. Not only are bean bags affordable, but they can help save money on taxes. Any item used as therapy for a child can be a tax deduction, so parents and therapists who use beanbag chairs will save money not only when they purchase the chair but on their taxes as well.

How Bean Bag Chairs Are Used to Help Autistic Kids

tshearburn — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:58:57 +0000

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes three known variants with autism itself forming its core; asperger syndrome and atypical autism (otherwise known as Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) make up the other two-thirds of the disorder’s makeup.

Regardless of which one a sufferer is inflicted with, all share many common traits. However, often overlooked, is their need to feel safe. Autistic children possess a strong desire to be alone, to do tasks by themselves. Keeping company with no one offers them a position of safety. A disorder present in 1 of every 150 children demands heavy research in regards to easing the child’s discomfort.

When searching for a low cost option to help the autistic sufferer’s desire to feel safe, one should consider the option of bean bag chairs. Bean bag chairs offer an environment of security, with or without the presence of others. This sense of safety is of great importance for autistic children who are known for fits of rage as it calms them, lessening the chance of any violent occurrences to either themselves or others.

There have been many studies done to determine the effect of various colors on peoples’ behavior. Colors such as light blue and lighter tans are known to provide a more relaxing elementary level classroom. In adhering to knowledge gained through these studies, the usage of blue suede would surely suffice. There is synthetic suede that is produced from microfiber, a material known to be soft to the touch, durable, less expensive, and easier to sew than actual suede.

Decisions other than which color and material to use are also prevalent in the bean bag chair’s purchaser. Sizes vary from three feet to as high as eight feet in height. The size of the bean bag chair is obviously relevant to size of the child.

Bean bag chairs provide more than just a piece of furniture for an autistic child; they can also be used as an exercise tool. By picking up the bean bag chair and moving it about. Autistic children have been often seen as methodically moving toys, such as trains in a particular order. The bean bag chair allows them to carry more weight safely which is extremely important in maintaining the child’s motor skills. This exercise clearly illustrates the need to select the proper size and weight for you child. One should take caution as to choose a bean bag chair that is not too heavy or cumbersome.

Bean Bag Chairs Help Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

tshearburn — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:49:58 +0000

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a wide range of developmental disorders. It affects as many as 1 out of every 150 children. Parents of children with autism can employ many different strategies to help improve their child’s behavior and mood. One way of helping to treat a child with autism or with other intellectual disabilities is to make use of a bean bag chair. A bean bag chair is soft, comfortable, and is able to apply equal press across your child’s whole body. This can help to calm a child down when they begin to show signs of aggression or may consider harming them self or others. A bean bag chair can also be used as an exercise aid.

When choosing a bean bag chair, the first consideration is size. They range in size from as little as three fit all the way up to eight feet. One of the most popular sizes is six feet wide and allows your child to be completely immersed in it and is comfortable for them to use when watching television.

Bean bag chairs are available in a series of colors and textures. One of the most popular fabric choices is microfiber suede. It’s soft and plush which is great for all children, especially for children with autism.

There use extends past just being a piece of furniture. One exercise you can do is to allow the child to pick up the bean bag chair and move it from one room to the next. This is dependent upon the size and weight of the beanbag chair, but doing so will help to work out the child’s motor muscles. Another exercise is to allow the child to sit in the bean bag chair and apply pressure to the sides of the chair as to simulate a cocoon. This kind of exercise applies deep pressure touch which can be benefits for autistic children who are prone to violent movements (also known as “crashers”). It enables the child to become less sensitive to touch and prevents any opportunities for the child to hurt himself during the process. Regardless of the exercise, it is important to explain the nature of the exercise and doing it for a specified amount of time.

With the many features and benefits of a beanbag chair, buying one which provides the comfort and affordability necessary to meet your needs is crucial. Comfy Sacks has bean bag chairs in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Instead of being filled with beans, they are filled with a proprietary blend of shredded polyurethane foam. This guarantees that it will be soft and durable for years to come.