ACCESSorize a Bedroom for Your Child with a Disability

Decorating a bedroom for a child with a disability demands decisions of much greater importance than choosing the perfect paint chip or the right window treatment. In many ways, your child’s room is the garden in which the seeds of tomorrow will be nourished and grow. It’s a place for the child to seek sanctuary, triumph through therapy, recover from setbacks, gather with friends, and learn the lessons only a family can teach. The sights, smells, sounds, and special touches in the room serve as opportunities to provide your child an outlet of expression and a launching pad for success.

In a world that’s slowly adjusting to the reality that children are not just tinier versions of adults, there are more décor options tailored to the needs of youngsters than ever before. Without a plan for your home improvement project, you might find yourself surrounded by a sea of receipts or worse—cartoon chaos!

Before decorating or updating your child’s room, consider the three F’s:

Within reason, follow your child’s lead throughout the collaborative process. Pounce on the opportunity to work together and encourage his or her self-expression. Be careful not to inject too many of your own childhood dreams into the child’s living space. Make it clear that you’ll have the final say, but you’d like to know what style suits him best.

Let Children Make Some Decisions
Children with disabilities often feel that they have few choices in their lives; sometimes they experience a lack of control. Making even small decisions on the look or layout of their room can improve self-confidence and instill pride in their surroundings.

What Are the Child's Needs? 
Consider your child’s unique special needs when planning the room to ensure that the space will maximize its functional potential. Use your family’s strength to think outside the box! There are few rules to decorating, but your plan should never fail to perpetuate the development of independent living skills.

Decorating Ideas
Depending on your child’s disability and personality, this might involve placing Braille labels on the drawers, altering a lowered “car-style” bed to be more age-appropriate as the child approaches the teen years, or building a platform to enable block play from a wheelchair. If your child has a service dog or even a cherished family pet, a small area can be reserved for cuddling with that companion.

While adding visual character to a room, don’t forget to offer stimulation for your child’s other senses. Research shows that all children need opportunities to learn through moving, touching, feeling, and smelling.

Too many elements can be over-stimulating, so choose carefully. The trickling of a small water fountain can offer soothing relief while encouraging relaxation for pain management. Silky blankets, felt boards, and squishy toys can increase tactile stimulation, which has been linked to brain development. If your child is not sensitive to smells, some suggest vanilla can be calming.

Avoid trends and design a room that’s fitted for the future. In the blink of an eye, your toddler will need a desk for studies and your preschooler will want a teen-friendly refuge. Choose a few high-quality items that will stand the test of time, and use accessories to capture the flavor of the latest phase. Creating your child’s personal garden of growth will be much more than a weekend DIY project. With the walls, you’ll paint a sense of self into your child’s memory that will last forever.

Photo caption: A brightly colored bedroom with a fairy theme camouflages medical equipment in a decorated cabinet. The customized bed provides the safety of rails without the appearance of a hospital setting.