Equipment to Promote Attention in Children
Provide more deep pressure input to the body:
-Fun and Function weighted vest (also weighted compression vest)
-Weighted lap pad
-Weighted blanket
-Weighted stuffed animal
-Compression shirt (or small athletic/swim shirt)
-Wear a weighted backpack
-Body sock
Adapt the current seating set-up:
-Kick band on the chair legs
-Bouncy Desk band on the desk legs
-Bouncy Chair band around the chair legs
-Sit on a wiggle seat, gel cushion, or wedge
-Sit on a Senseez vibrating pillow
-Use a slant board under the paper
Create a new seating set-up:
-Zuma rocker chair
-Fidget stool
-Wobble stool
-T-Stool
-Ball chair
-Standing desk (or stand at a counter)
-Bean bag chair
-Cozy Canoe
-Sit in a pop-up tent to reduce visual distractions
Keep the hands busy so the ears can listen:
-Fidget cube
-Tangle fidget
-Super Duper frog massager
-Fidget bracelet
-Weighted ball
-Squishy/spiky balls, koosh balls
-Liquid Motion bubble timer or oil/water bottle
-Theraputty or Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty
-Wrist weight or hand weight
-Other options: rubber band, hair band, paperclip, wiki stix
To compensate for auditory sensitivity:
-Noise canceling headphones
Provide oral input:
-Vibe critter or Abilitations Jigglers Massager for oral input
-Z-vibe animal tips
-Pencil topper chewy
-Chewelry necklaces
-Chewy tubes
Visual supports:
-Time Timer visual timer
-Visual timer apps
-Choiceworks visual schedule app
Writing utensils:
-Z-vibe vibration pencil tip
-Ark Therapeutic Chewy pencil topper
-Squiggle Wiggle Writer
-Weighted pencil
Pencil grips:
-Handiwriter
-CLAW Grip
-Grotto Grip
-Stetro Grip
-Cimostar ergonomic grip
Consult your Pediatrician:
Talk to your pediatrician about any concerns you have about your child’s attention and self regulation skills.
Written by Kara Syrek, OTR/L, occupational therapist at NTS Therapy in Houston, TX
Northwest Houston clinic: 713-466-6872
Katy clinic: 281-392-4221