In an effort to help Grady be more independent at home, we're doing some things that we probably wouldn't normally do otherwise. And I'm looking for more ideas.

For example, in the shower, he's not able to open the lid on the shampoo and hold the bottle in one hand and squeeze. So, we got one of those dispensers you put on the wall so all he has to do is pull a lever.

I'm considering getting a pitcher or half gallons of milk so he can pour his own drinks. He can't control a whole gallon of milk yet.

There are lots of other things I'd like to do, but also have a 2yo at home we still have to keep some things child locked. Hopefully soon, we'll be able to put more stuff at his level.

_________________
~Kathy
Grady (DS 5/26/04)
Hailey 9/20/06
Evan 7/27/10

Here's what we've done:

Soap/shampoo dispensers on the wall

Preset shower/bath faucets (kids don't have to adjust water temp, it's preset)

We've moved dishware and glasses down to lower cabinets so the kids can reach their own dishes as well as empty the dishwasher.

We have a kids remote on the basement TV that only has 5 channels on it, preset to the kid channels.

We put in an induction top stove. I'd never heard of them before! Quite interesting! The controls are all digital, and to the front of the stove, but facing the ceiling (not forward facing which could be a problem having Asher here!) We are pretty much in love with it. Anyway, the purpose of induction top is not only energy conservation but significantly reduced burn risk.

There will be alarms going on the doors this spring! Asher has become a flight risk.

I'm sure we've done more that I'm forgetting about. You know how you see something every day you just stop seeing it? LOL

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

We have alarms on doors. We also have a hotel lock on the front door and a piece of wood goes across the very top of the patio doors. We moved the garage door button out of reach. He's not able to pile stuff up to get to it either. Sean can now get out of the patio and front door so we also have a policy of everyone knowing where he is at all times and telling eachother f one of us needs to go somewhere. Now that's the outside doors....

Inside we have keyed locks for all rooms that he can hurt himself or destroy like the furnace room, my daughter's room, media room. We walk around with keys on us at all times. Pain in the butt but if we leave them unlocked he really does get into trouble.

In the kitchen we pull the knobs off the gas stove and only put them on when in use. He started a fire once. Will have to look into Leah's stove.

Outside we have a high latch on the inside of the fence and the outside. We also got rid of anything he can climb on to get out. He tried that too.

Hope that helps!

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Kellie, mom to Sean 13 yrs with DS and Carly 16 yrs

Nothing is my first thought!
And then I think that might explain why I'm so exhausted policing him! LOL!

I like Leah's idea of moving plates and cups to a place where Robert can reach them and can also put them away!
He loves loading/ unloading the dishwasher but he gives the items to me cos they are stored in high up cabinets.

And the tap changes, I'll need that pretty soon!

Good thread!

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Linda & John
mom to Hannah Kate (Age 16 ), Robert (Aged 10 - DS)


First Communion Day

I love our stove, partly because we can lock the controls when we're not cooking! And, when you lock the controls it also locks both doors. (it has a small lower oven) Induction tops only conduct heat to magnetic materials (stainless steel, etc.) Water boils in 90 seconds. And it's blue inside. I love blue. Here are two videos. The first shows how induction cooking works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiIKq4RkZ1M

This one is the stove we bought.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/video-hub/appliances/kitchen/electrolux-wavetouch-range/16497315001/748834337001/

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

That was a good video! I love the way the controls are hidden.
Is the surface easy to clean?
Wonder if these are available in Europe?

I've replace dishwasher, washing machine and microwave/ combi oven all in the last 12 months.

I'm sure the stove is next in line for replacement! But I'd need a new kitchen then!!!!!! I hope my hubbie is reading this thread!

_________________
Linda & John
mom to Hannah Kate (Age 16 ), Robert (Aged 10 - DS)


First Communion Day

I know the feeling! Since September last year we've replaced washer, dryer, stove, fridge, dishwasher!!

I am knocking on all wooden surfaces that the air conditioner and furnace don't go out this year, because they're the only things left!

As for the surface of this stove, it's ceramic, so very easy to clean. Induction tops were used in Europe before the US, so I'm sure you can get something similar there. The first time I saw one was in Serbia.

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

thanks!

I've considered moving their dishware lower but I'm afraid it will cause more of an issue (with the 2yo). He'll just toss everything out of the drawer. And Grady likes to play with toy dishes so he might get them out to play with and then they'd be dirty. I know. Everything is a learning process and they'd eventually learn right from wrong. But sometimes I'm just not up to the fight, lol.

And unloading the dishwasher... what about all the glass dishes Mark and I use? And the knives etc.

_________________
~Kathy
Grady (DS 5/26/04)
Hailey 9/20/06
Evan 7/27/10

Wow Leah! That is an amazing stove! I can't wait to show my husband. And my oven just crapped out. I had never heard of those.

_________________
Kellie, mom to Sean 13 yrs with DS and Carly 16 yrs

The only one here who doesn't handle glass is Asher. Asher's fine motor skills are at age level, but Angela's fine motor skills are her weakest area BY FAR, being at about a 3 yr level, and she's able to put the glasses away. None of the kids handle sharp knives. I put all the sharp stuff away before they do their part.

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

I just realized that I completely missed the point of this thread! Lol

_________________
Kellie, mom to Sean 13 yrs with DS and Carly 16 yrs

Oh, we used to have an entertainment center with doors that could close and lock so the TV was fully enclosed when Angela was in a mood to throw stuff! I loved that thing! Unfortunately it was very poorly made and we sent it back.

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

When Talitha was younger we had child locks on cupboard doors and a fence around electrical equipment and child proof gates at the exits of the house. We had all glass and china stuff out of reach and fenced off the kitchen so she couldn't go in there.

We also have always had at least one person responsible for keeping her within their sight.

Now we have things in pretty normal places except the plastic plates, cups etc are in front of the breakable stuff and Talitha knows she has to use plastic stuff.

We keep the gate shut at all times but she is now allowed to play outside on her own for short periods. We keep a key to the house outside because she has a habit of locking us out and I haven't been able to stop her doing that. Same with the car. Have to keep that locked now because she will get into it and lock herself in. She can unlock it but still not comfortable with her doing that.

She has a special seat for the toilet with a step so she can self toilet, lever tap so she can turn it on, dispenser for soap etc.

Apart from that not much nowadays except keeping track of her. She can disappear in an instant so even if she is outside alone I keep checking on her. We are on 10 acres at the moment so there are plenty of places to disappear and lots of snakes. Oh, I also put her in a flotation vest if we are near water because she loves it and has no fear. Even if we aren't planning to swim the vest goes on just in case. She can swim a short distance but I wouldn't want to test the theory.

At school she has a bright yellow band on her hat so teachers can find her in the playground easily (2 other kids have them too), she is in a classroom with least access to exits from the school and they put in a child proof safety gate before school started this year after I told them about the teenage girl with DS who wandered off from school and drowned. She also has a special toilet seat at school and a toilet allocated just for her use. They put a lever tap in when she started there so she could wash her hands.

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

We don't do much differently. We do lock all doors and windows and keep them out of child reach. Up until a year ago we had a surround for the toilet so that Callum could use it safely on his own. We have an electric hob (cooktop) which we always make sure to switch off at the wall after using, that way if any of the knobs get played with it doesn't actually come on.

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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South Manchester Down Syndrome Group

A doorknob cover so he can't get to the stairwell... and fall down the stairs again.

And lots of things on higher shelves.

Nothing to make things easier for him to do himself, except we got him a clock radio that we hope will be harder to destroy than his old CD player, and if not, well, it cost a buck at a jumble sale.

_________________
Father of Liam (DS, '08 ) and Charles ('10).

I've been reading all of your all's ideas and they are wonderful, unfortunately we've tried most of them to no avail. Jared has bulled throgh every lock I've found to put on outside doors, including deadbolts and hotel locks. We are now sleeping in shifts with me staying up until the early hours of the night and my husband waking up early.

After reading a lot of posts, blogs, articles, and such I'm a little confused about my son's sleeping habits; He only sleeps for a handful of hours a night and that's with heavy medications. (He takes 50mg Strattera and 1mg Risperdal in the morning, 1mg Risperdal in the afternoon, and 100mg Trazodone, 20 mg melatonin, the adult dose of velarian root, and 100mg of OTC sleep aid at night)

He's also very agressive and destructive (I'm more strict, routine, and don't give him 1 on 1 attention every min he's awake like he had from his "first mom" (she passed away in 2013) or his oldest sister who's 22 now. Before I came into the picture he was basically allowed to do whatever he wanted, his therapists think the aggression and destruction are him lashing out due to the newfound structure and his enablity to self soothe. <Recently I found knives hidden in his boxsprings in his room and we still can't figure out how he got them or how they went unnoticed>

We just aren't sure what to do anymore. We encounter an issue, troubleshoot it several times and every answer we come up with he walks right through it. I'm starting to feel like I have to put him in a bubble with 6 locks on it to keep him safe and my other kids safe from him.

Thank you for letting me vent and any advice on these issues is very welcomed.

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Mom to Jessica (22), Trayvon (15), Aubreigh (14), Trevor (12- not pictured), Jared (9 w/DS and ADHD), Trenity (9 w/ ADHD, SID, DMD) and Tarryn (1).

Our little boy is 6yrs now - too big and strong for baby gates etc but a fearless explorer who knows no danger. We are still experimenting with different ideas. He sleeps on a mattress on the floor so that he can't climb out and hurt himself but its ok if he happens to roll out. We keep him in a sleeping bag at night so that he can't wander around his room, but he still manages to get about so the wardrobe and drawers all have locks on and there are just lots of soft toys and books for him to play with. We really can't leave him alone in one room for long so we are still trying to work out the best way of doing things as we have two other children who are a bit older but still young. Jacob is tube fed and will pull off the end of his G-tube unless one of us sits with him - its all quite limiting and we are trying different things at the moment so that life can open up a bit. Not easy!

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Rachel
Mum to Thomas 05, Luke 07, Jacob DS 09. Married to Stephen.