One thing that children with autism struggle with is sleep.
Parents of children with autism know that there are times when their sleeping patterns are very irregular. Some children would stay up longer than usual, while others would suddenly wake up in the middle of the night.
These irregular sleeping patterns affect their growth and development. That’s why parents would always try to find a way to appease these children and aid them in their sleeping patterns.
A grandfather from Ellensburg, Washington, made a heartwarming gesture for his grandson with autism.
Lawrence was looking for a way to aid his grandson’s sleep. The needs of those in the spectrum vary, but his grandson needed a bed to help them contain and monitor the child while adding more padding and cushion.
He said they tried to search the stores for the perfect bed.
However, the ones they found in stores were expensive. He also didn’t like the design because it looked like big cages instead of a bed. He didn’t want this from his grandson, so he thought of only one solution: he would build one.
He built him a Winnie-the-Pooh-themed safety bed for his grandson.
When you step inside the bedroom, you would think you’re in Hundred Acre Wood! Lawrence built an enclosed bed and painted the front side like Mr. Sanders’ tree house. He even added a two-step stair made of foam leading the doorway.
At the side is the latch that could be opened both ways.
It opens to his grandson’s bed, and it’s impressive how he showed the theme throughout. The inner walls are filled with Winnie the Pooh artwork, and the design is well-thought-out.
One incredible feature of this bed is that they can pull it out if the child wants to lie down (not sleep) and want more open space.
One of his design priorities was making it safe for his grandson.
The bed has a comfortable mattress with different types of cloth as a blanket (primarily fleece) to add more sensory to the child. Lawrence also ensured that the bed, walls, and floor were padded and had enough cushion to prevent injuries.
Some people might wonder if it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic inside.
Lawrence covered that with some openings and vents to allow air circulation inside. These openings also help the child to hear and talk to someone from outside.
Lastly, Lawrence incorporated some high-tech systems to help induce sleep.
The lighting inside the bed is much warmer and calmer than the rest of the bedroom, and it has a wide selection of colors and light intensities, so it can be adjusted when needed.
Plus, he built his own sound system to add music for that calming environment.
All the efforts that Lawrence made in his grandson’s bed are backed by research and experts.
Pediatrician Angela Maxwell-Horn says a better sleeping pattern helps a child learn better and faster.
Creating a healthy bedtime routine for the child and a more comfortable and conducive sleeping environment helps. Lawrence ticked all the boxes with this Winnie-inspired bed.
Check out Lawrence’s work in the video below.
