Here are some of the items Gordon loves. Some are helpful tools for his autism and some are just fun. As an affiliate of Amazon, I will receive a small commission for any purchases you make—so thank you!
The Ark Z-Vibe is an oral stimulator that helps kids (and adults) with speech and feeding issues. Speech and Occupational therapists, as well as Functional Neurologists, may prescribe the Z-Vibe along with special exercises that can be done at home. Special attachments for different purposes are available.
Spinner chairs are super helpful if your kiddo needs extra vestibular and proprioceptive input. If your kid likes to swing or spin, this can be a safe option for him. This one is very sturdy, holds a lot of weight (over 100 lbs), and is ready to use right out of the box.
Gordon really wanted to use my keyboard, and we’re always looking for ways to reinforce alphabet skills, so this extra-large keyboard by Playlearn was perfect! Each section is color-coded (even the vowels), and upper- and lower-case letters are written on each key. We did have to buy a special toggle to connect it to our tablet, but after that it was a simple plug and play. There are several free typing apps available, so this was a low-cost, big-results item for us.
Our therapist recommended blue color therapy glasses to help activate the speech center of Gordon’s brain. Gordon simply wears the glasses during other activities to help improve his communication. These glasses by Biowave are only $20 and are made for kids.
Like most kids, Gordon wanted more light in his room at night, but we didn’t want to leave on a big light that would disrupt his sleep. This little light projector from Dofler comes with three different sleeves—stars, underwater animals, and dinosaurs—and has tons of options for colors, brightness, sounds, movement, and even a timer. We keep it plugged in and set the timer for a few hours. The music is really soothing (even for me!), and it puts Gordon to sleep in no time.
For more light, we added this nightlight by Enbrighten. We can choose from bright, medium, and low light or select one of many different colors. It even has a color-changing setting so it can cycle through the colors automatically. Gordon likes the different color options and I like that it’s not too bright. This one says it’s portable, but it does have to be plugged in. At less than $20, though, we’ve been pretty happy with it.
Due to sensory issues, Gordon has always had a hard time with bath time. Most of the items sold for kids, though, don’t pass my safety test due to harsh chemicals. This bubble bath from Hello Bello passes my test and smells nice—but not overwhelming—and it’s less than $8.
