Our Blog
Promoting inclusion, kindness and understanding through “All Abilities Fair”
“Necessity the Mother of Invention” Charlotte has a rare genetic disease called DDX3X, discovered in 2014 which impacts only 900 children worldwide. She has been in therapy since she was 10 months to improve motor and language skills. Karen Wickman, Charlotte’s mother and a teacher, realized that lack of exposure to individuals with a disability caused…
Inclusive play with the functionalhand®
Fun, flexible and functional is our tagline. The functionalhand® can be used for a variety of purposes. It allows individuals to complete many activities of daily living including grooming, cooking, gardening and so much more. Allowing individuals of all ages to have “fun” and bring enjoyment is where the concept originated. Let’s look at how…
The functionalhand® supports your child’s learning!
For children who have difficulty with muscle tone, movement and motor skills, they may lack the hand control to hold writing utensils. This may impact their ability to complete academic skills at the level they are capable of. Participation in learning is made easier with the functionalhand®. It reduces fine motor demands allowing your child to…
Craft time!
Have fun with your child and the functionalhand®. Don’t let the motor demands limit your child’s opportunity to participate. Paint! Any size paintbrush fits into the functionalhand. Whether it’s skinny or wide, it securely fits into the cord. The cord pulls tight to accommodate any size and securely holds the paintbrush in position. You simply insert, pull…
Having fun with the functionalhand®!
The functionalhand® complements many commercially available toys. What makes it unique? When compared to other universal cuffs, it accommodates all shapes and sizes. Simply open the cord, insert the tool, cinch the strap tightly and go! Many children with motor difficulties, hold their marker or paintbrush by turning the thumb side of their hand downward in what…
Using a tray as a base of support for the functional hand.
As therapists who developed the functionalhand®, our goal was to help individuals with grasp difficulties hold objects and participate in many activities. If the shoulder and arm that the hand is attached to is moving around or having trouble maintaining their position, the ability to use your eyes and hands together and direct the movement is…
functionalhand® and the Stylus
When an individual’s motor skills lack the hand control to access an electronic device such as an augmentative communication device, iPad, tablet or phone, the functionalhand® can help. Using a stylus allows access to a world of technology. We’ve received questions on what is the best stylus for the functionalhand®. That’s a great question and one we’ve spent…