Play and Assistive Technology Issues for Infants and Young Children with Disabilities

Abstract

Play forms an important foundation for the development of skills in all children. Unfortunately, for infants and children with disabilities, real play may be absent or diminished, replaced by therapies and/or special instruction. Infants and young children with disabilities experience barriers to play that are created by the nature of their disability. Parents of these children may feel they do not have time to play, given the demands of intervention and education. Alternatively, they may not know how to facilitate play with a child with a disability. Assistive technology has the potential to open up play options to children with disabilities and their parents, if our “definition” of assistive technology is broadened. This article examiness “low-tech” assistive technology options addressing positioning, communication, learning, mobility, and self-care barriers. A discussion of the combination of low-tech assistive technology with high-tech assistive technology is presented with a case example. Finally, policy issues that interfere with the ability to include low- and high-tech assistive technology in early intervention are addressed, and recommendations for overcoming these barriers are considered.