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How to DIY for CVI accessibility: The bathroom
How can you adapt diapering, toileting, and the bathroom to create safety and ease for children with CVI? Check out these DIY projects!
As a child grows, they will want more and more independence with their daily routines. Parents and caregivers shared many ways to set up children with CVI for success.
Diapering
- “When it’s time to change a dirty diaper, I first show my daughter the one with the red sparkly paper. Once she looks at it, I hand her a clean diaper so she can feel the texture and ‘get to know it.’ Over time, “I gradually cut off bits of the paper until nothing remained.” – Cindy Younan, CVI Journey
Toileting
- Purchase a stand or box that dispenses toilet paper in increments.
- Paint or add color to the toilet paper holder.
- Install a black toilet seat to add contrast.
- Paint the wall behind the toilet paper a dark color for contrast.
- Build a stand to hold an upside-down box of tissues so that it is easier to pull the right amount of paper.
- Add bright tape to make the flush handle stand out.
Organization
- “We used two small baskets on my daughter’s bathroom counter. One had all her morning care needs, like a medication container, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and body spray. Then after she used it, the item was transferred to the second basket.” – Anna A., CVI Now Parents Facebook Group
- “For summer camp, which is hard because it means learning new spaces in a short amount of time, we would get everything in the same color as much as possible—and then also duct tape in the same color around the shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, bug spray, anything that doesn’t come color-coded already.” – Stacey M., CVI Now Parents Facebook Group
- Use a colored cup to hold their toothbrush. Always keep it in the same place next to the sink.
Bathing
- “We added arrows with tape to the shower faucet so he can get the desired temperature on his own.” – Maryam R., CVI Now Parents Facebook Group
- “Now in college, there is a ‘morning caddy’ to take to the shared bathroom with just a toothbrush and brush and an ‘evening caddy’ with the same items plus shower stuff. So there are duplicates, but it eliminates the need to find and gather each time.” – Stacey M., CVI Now Parents Facebook Group
- Install a handle for physical support when getting in and out of the bathtub or shower.
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