Inset baths

[SpidersAreShitheads]

We're in the middle of reconfiguring our downstairs layout, and are creating a new bathroom. It will have a bath, the upstairs bathroom will have a shower cubicle.

DS 14 is autistic and loves to lie in the bath. He hates showers with a vengeance. He also has dyspraxia and is very clumsy, so cocking his leg over the bath to get in and out is always a bit of a heart stopping moment! He still needs help/supervision while in the bath as he has quite high needs - but he's getting big now and I'm not confident I could catch him if he falls while climbing in or out!

We don't really want one of those walk-in baths - I don't think he'd sit there patiently waiting for the water to drain out.

Then I hit on the idea of an inset bath. So you sort of walk up a step and then lower down into the bath if that makes sense? I'll add a couple of photos to show what I mean. Obviously these bathrooms are a bit grander than ours!

Our bathroom will be about 3m long and probably a couple of metres wide so the bath can fit snugly from wall to wall - but it can go a bit wider if needed.

Does anyone have one of these inset baths? Daft question but what's the step up/the platform made from? Is it a wood structure covered with tiling? And can I pick any type of bath - or will only specific baths work with an inset design? Any problems I need to think about?

Thank you for any advice!

We have something similar. It helps with getting in, but not so much with getting out as the bath depth is the same. It's just a standard bath though.

with something like this you need to think about the future.
will your dc need a hoist in the foreseable?
can you bend over to get a person out if needed?
are there steps in the bath itself? that seems uncomfortable.

is it possible to add a couple of handles?
a bathboard? (sorry if it sound too much like a betterware catalogue)

Is the plan that you sit on the edge of the bath and swing your legs round? Because otherwise they seems more tricky because you have to step up on some of them, whereas in a regular bath you're not working against gravity as you get out.

I think you would be better off with a normal bath and grips, a bath board and other 'adaptions', maybe a bath lift? Or a lifting belt?

Getting out of a bath onto a tiled step looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Not bath related but our son has similar issues and we put a Japanese bidet toilet in our new bathroom which washes and dries and it is amazing. Might be worth considering if you are redoing your bathroom.

It may be worth seeking advice from Peads OT from the council. They will experts in this sort of thing. If they determine someone an essential need they could recommend a disabled facilities grant which would cover what he “needs”. You can add money I think to buy things such as nicer
tiles etc.

I suffer vertigo and really struggled to get in and out of the bath. I use hand grips on the wall. Is this an option for your son? I think an inset bath would be harder for me as in the getting out of it. One of my daughters is dyspraxic and hand rails help her too.