Bath seat recomendations for ds with hypotonia

[tallmummy]

I've had a quick google this morning to find a bath support or chair for ds4. He is 11months but still unable to sit due to developmental delay and hypotonia. I've always bathed him lying flat on a spongey baby support but he keeps getting ear infections so I want to keep his ears out of the water. Tried one of thoses plastic ring type seats but it doesn't support him enough and hurts his bits. Mothercare has the hammock style supports and a plastic bath recliner chair but too small.
Anyone know a good supplier of SN equipment that doesn't cost a bomb!!
Would be interested to hear others experiences of bathing big, slippy, floppy baby.

[PinkKerPlink]

I used a ring seat when my dd was little (she had hypotonia aswell) I used to pad it out with sponges

can you ask your HV for advice on refferals etc?

[tallmummy]

I will ask the physio at the cdc next week. I was using the spongey bath mat to support him in the ring but it really scrapes his knees when I lift him in and out. Also, I found he was so wedged in I couldn't really wash him. He used to love bathtime but it's becoming a bit traumatic for him.

[PinkKerPlink]

can you not bath with him?

[socks3]

My daughter was hypotonic too and she laid on the sponge for quite a few months and then we held her upright until she could sit on her own. I think the round seat things look uncomfortable. Ask your health visitor or phone a good nursery shop like John Lewis.

[tallmummy]

That would be lovely pp but unfortunately not really possible with the other 3 to bathe aswell.

[tallmummy]

Have just had a brainwave and it worked really, really well. I used the old baby car seat (now sadly no longer needed for its original purpose)Took off cover, straps and polystyrene padding replaced it with the foam bath mat thing I was using before and hey presto ds4 "sat" in the bath. Probably a health and safety no no and I'm not recommending it but it did work for us. Bath times are peaceful again.

[stapo1]

Hi tallmummy
Does your ds see ot, either ot or physio should be able to suply you with a bath seat, don't quote me but I think they do one called bluewave?
Good luck - your ideas with the car seat sound good

[2shoes]

sorry what is hypotonia? have had quite a few differnt bath aids over the years

[dizzy34]

Hi,

We have a bath aid thats called a 'Bea Lift'. The easiest way to describe it is that it has a metal frame and a mesh seat. It sits on the top of the bath. You put the child in the mesh sling seat, then theres a lever that lowers the child into the bath. Its great and has beena life saver.

[tallmummy]

Hi stapo1 - yes ds sees a physio omce a month. She's provided us with a floor seat and table but the bath has only just become a prob. He's got a review in a couple of weeks so I'll see what she suggests.

2shoes - hypotonia is a lack of muscle tone. Ds is floppy, loose at the shoulders and as yet unable to sit unsupported. What bath aids have you used.

[2shoes]

we have had a few. the best one we had was a rifton. they came in differnet sizes and can have more support or less. we also had one with a lift on it. it was very good but had to stay in the bath as too heavy to keep lifting, we now just have padding for the bath. as your ds is diddy would it not help to get a ot as they could reccomend something.
\link{http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Rifton-Blue-Wave-Bath-Chair-Large_W0QQitemZ9523225512QQcategoryZ75059QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem\this}
This one on ebay is the rifton one (or very similar} you can order by their catalogue.