Caelen's Quest: Project 'I've Got Your Back'

23 February 2018

Project 'I've Got Your Back'

24 Dec 2014 - The day we received the special positioning tomato chair. C was 1 year 9 months old.

C in class on his Rodeo

Fast forward 2 Feb 2018 - Delivery of his special buggy, Convaid Rodeo, in replacement of both his tomato chair and stroller he had outgrown.

The Rodeo met a few of our needs e.g. good support for his legs, table top for school use, recline, customisable features, room for expansion etc.

But as with all good things, it came with downsides i.e. insufficient storage space for his milk pump, cough assist & suction machines, canopy, rain cover & tray (when not in use); and the fabric of the chair did not provide as much support for C's back as required. He needed a firm backing that straightens his spine to prevent excessive slouching.

Hence, the birth of this DIY project.

Materials from Daiso:
- Neck warmer (top left)
- Plate rack (bottom left)
- Leisure Mat (right)

Cost: $6.00
Assembly time: 2 mins

Guide:
- Cut leisure mat as shown, keeping the seams for mid 2 sections (with elastic band) intact.
- Place mat on rack with elastic band over it.
- Insert rack in warmer.

Product:
- Rack provides firm backing.
- Leisure mat (EVA foam) provides the cushioning.
- Warmer keeps insert intact and gives a softer feel. Can be substituted with pillow/cushion casing of your choice.

I went for quick solution with ready materials within Daiso. These pieces fit together perfectly with little alteration required.

"Cushion" fits perfectly on Size 14 Rodeo

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Beginning of his Journey

Caelen was diagnosed with Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) on 13 Jan 2014, at age 10 months.

SMA is caused by a missing or abnormal (mutated) gene known as survival motor neuron gene 1 (SMN1). In a healthy person, this gene produces a protein in the body called survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. In a person with mutated genes, this protein is absent or significantly decreased, and causes severe problems for motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells in the spinal cord which send out nerve fibres to muscles throughout the body. Since SMN protein is critical to the survival and health of motor neurons, nerve cells may shrink and eventually die without this protein, resulting in muscle weakness.

The hallmark feature of SMA Type I is that children are unable to sit or stand without help. They will require equipment such as strollers or wheelchairs for mobility. Swallowing and feeding will become difficult for children with this type of SMA and they will eventually lose the ability to swallow safely without aspirating. Children may eventually require a feeding tube to supplement their nutrition which permits the administration of liquid food into their stomachs.

Children with SMA Type 1 will also experience weakness of the muscles used for breathing, those that help expand the chest and fill the lungs with air. The chest is smaller than usual in these children and they begin to breathe using primarily their stomach muscles (belly breathing). The lungs do not fully develop due to this type of breathing, and coughing becomes very weak. It may be difficult for children to get enough air into their lungs while sleeping, and eventually throughout the day. Many of these children will require equipment to help them breathe; again this is based on what each family chooses. Weakness also leads to problems with the spine (scoliosis) and hips (displacement) that may lead to further loss of ability/function.

Source: Families of SMA