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How to DIY for CVI accessibility: The bedroom
How can you create accessibility in your child's bedroom if they have CVI? Check out these DIY projects to create comfort and independence!
Bedrooms should be both cozy and functional. Some with CVI have shared that their bedroom is their safe, quiet space to recharge and find peace. Here are a few ways you’ve set up these spaces to meet that criteria. Sweet dreams!
Mobile
- Hang a custom mobile above the crib, made with an embroidery ring and foam pieces in the baby’s preferred color, shape, and size.
Dressing
- Picking out appropriate clothes based on the weather. The night before school, Anna’s daughter:
- Asks Alexa for the weather.
- Finds the laminated cards with pictures of appropriate clothing for the weather. (e.g., shirt, sweatshirt, sweater, coat, jeans, leggings, socks, shorts, hat, gloves, etc.).
- Hangs the card on the back of the closet door.
- “Then, she uses the cards in the morning as a guide for what to wear that day. On days that she has to get up very early, she sets her clothes out on a chair the evening prior.” – Anna A., CVI Now Parents Facebook Group
- Stephanie Kung has used a few strategies to present clothes to her daughter (Everyday CVI):
- Place items on a solid-colored background
- Use a flashlight to spotlight the article of clothing
- Offer bright clothing in a preferred color
- Present in the preferred visual field(s)
- Give plenty of time for them to look
- Use movement to draw visual attention (i.e., gently shaking the clothing to get them to look)
- Reduce or eliminate any auditory or physical complexity
Shelves and containers
- Paint furniture to create contrast: “I painted her bookshelf a preferred color with a black background so toys would pop and she could see them better.” – Lucinda H., CVI Now Facebook Group
- Involve your child in the organization process so they know where everything lives: “We keep my son’s bedroom a simple, minimalist space. Since he always loves to be where the family is, he doesn’t often spend time in his room, except when he needs to find calm, when he is not feeling well or has a migraine, and of course, at bedtime.” – Rachel B., CVI parent
Laundry
- Create opportunities for independence: “My daughter is working toward independence with laundry. The basket stays in a consistent place in her closet, and she carries it to the laundry room once a week. I keep pods in a clear container with a pop top because they are easier to manage than liquid detergent or zip packaging. I added tape to the most important buttons and dials so she could double-check her process. I roll her pants and sweaters so they are easier to see, and she hangs everything else because it saves time when we skip the folding!” – Jessica Marquardt
- Add bump dots on the washer and dryer.
- Use laundry detergent sheets instead of liquid or powder. “With practice, bump dots, and laundry sheets, my son can load the washer nearly on his own!” – Rachel B., CVI parent
Looking for more DIY ideas?
