We first started making these Specialty Beds in 2001 when a Foster Mom/Caregiver requested a bed be made for a 2 year old Boy.
This 2 year old Boy was born Deaf, Dumb, and Partially Blind....he was very strong. He also was very ingenious at escaping from his bed no matter what the caregiver tried to do. His Caregiver requested a bed be made for him so she could rest knowing that he would be safe for the night. The doors had to latch shut from the outside as he was smart enough to know how to slide them open..and he would be out. We designed this Bed to be the size of a single bed with lots of room for the Child to grow. The sides of the Bed go within a few inches of the ceiling with Plexiglass windows in wood frames on all four sides so the Child can look out. When the doors are slid shut and latched the Child is safe for the night.
A small 4 year old girl was very hard to get her to stay in her bed at night so the Caregiver had her in a Baby Crib with a piece of 3/4 plywood tide down over the top
of the crib. I was asked to make a Bed for this girl so I designed up a Bed that had the mattress at a comfortable height and again with the sliding doors that latched from the outside and Plexiglass windows. Now she was safe and contained for the night... the Caregiver could finally get a restful sleep.
An 11 year old Boy, born with Cerebral Palsy, crawled out of his bed and then managed to drag himself down the hall while his Parents slept on the level below. He pulled himself up to the bathroom sink, plugged the drain, and opened the taps. This caused the water to overflow and made a huge mess before his parents noticed. Then they restrained him in his bed at night till we could get a Bed made for him. I designed up a single bed with the mattress close to the floor so the Boy could crawl in or out easily. Then I installed two sliding doors that latch on the outside ....This was the only way that he could be kept in his Bed. When he turned twenty his Parents requested that I modify this Bed and make it from a single to a double...which I did. They love the Bed knowing that their Son is safe for the night. They can have a Restful sleep as well..Also He loves his Bed....it is his Safe Domain..
Another 9.5 year old Boy who was born Deaf and Blind was small for his age but very Strong and agile. He was into everything...he could feel his way to the couch and would lift one corner up then drop it to feel the vibrations. He would keep this up as long as he was allowed to. He also took a metal heat register out of the floor and twisted it into an 'S' shape. I tried to straighten it out but couldn't budge it. In 2003 we made him a Bed complete with sliding doors that latch on the outside and locking drawers below the mattress for clothes storage. He loved his new Bed and seemed to know this was his Space... Finally...the Caregivers could get some sleep...
In 2012 I designed up a Bed for an 11 year old Girl with frequent, very severe epilepsy attacks. The Bed had to be over designed for extra strength and a safe haven for the girl. I constructed it with Poplar Hardwood and over-sized all the dimensions..also with deeper dadoes for the plexi to sit in and again with two sliding doors that latched on the outside. I always follow through with all of our Customers after a few months to see how the Child is doing and the response is always the same...They Love their Bed...and of course the Caregivers love them as well. These sliding doors that latch are only latched for the night time sleep.
Most recently I was requested to make three beds for three boys.
- One year and 6 months with high fragile medical needs. Tube fed requiring two Caregivers - one from each side of the bed. This had to be a Specialty Bed at a comfortable height for the Caregivers and two sets of doors ...one set on each side. I also constructed six lockable drawers below the mattress for convenient storage of supplies. The Doors slide shut and latch on the outside for safety.
- A two year and nine month old Boy who has high medical needs due to his disabilities......and a five year and seven month old Boy with high fragile medical needs. Both of these Boys required a Special Bed with the mattress a little lower than the first Bed but still a comfortable height for the Caregiver. Each of these Beds has a pair of sliding doors that latch on the outside. When latched the child is safe for the night.
This is some of the Beds we have designed and constructed over the years and our hearts go out to these Dear Children....they didn't ask to be Born this way.....and this could be any one of us...
The only concern I have heard in the 17 years of making these Specialty Beds is the Latching of the doors from the outside.
As I have pointed out above, with the Children we have made Beds for, they are Special Needs Children....they need Special Care. They don't sleep regular hours as we do and can wake up at any hour of the night. they can wiggle around and slide the doors open then flop out onto the floor....possibly doing harm to themselves. Then they can crawl into all kinds of trouble. With the doors latched shut the Child is safe and secure till morning. The Caregiver can rest with peace of mind knowing this. A light flip of each latch opens the doors and they slide with almost no resistance rolling on safety rollers along an overhead track. The rollers can not jump off the track being held down with safety devices. The Doors are only latched for the Night Time Sleep. Also most of the Caregivers have Security Cameras on their Foster Children's Beds and some even have Audio built into them. So the Caregiver is well aware what is going on and can be there quickly if they are needed.
If there is an Emergency Situation in the night, most of these Challenged Children need to be helped out of their Beds regardless. With the doors latched, the Caregiver knows where they are and doesn't need to find them where they have crawled off too.
I really believe that we need to keep making these Beds available to these Children for their Safety.....and for the Caregivers that work so hard to give these Children a Better Life than what they had. We enjoy the Challenge of Designing these Specialty Beds and are always striving to make them even more functional.
....If you know of a Child that could use one of these Specialty Beds Please let us know...