Special toys for special needs

Magical Innovations was founded by Vickie Dakin, a University of Florida trained physical therapist specialising in pediatric therapy for premature and physically challenged babies. Dakin, who had worked in the field for some 30 years, had began to notice that more and more premature babies were not only surviving but thriving as a result of today's advanced technologies, dedicated physicians and tireless parents. As with all babies, these very small miracles, once they are released from the NICU, need stimulation and encouragement to be happy and content. Most parents address this need with the introduction of toys. The problem Dakin encountered as a therapist was finding a toy suitable for extremely small patients.

"Very tiny babies have very tiny hands," Dakin asserts. "Their strength is diminished and even gravity itself presents a challenge for them. So, they need a very special toy. One designed especially for their unique needs."

With this in mind, she began to search for a suitable toy and was stymied. Everything available was too large, too heavy, too loud, too soft, the wrong colors, or in some cases constructed of very questionable and possibly harmful materials. Frustrated, but determined, Dakin decided that if a suitable toy couldn't be found for her tiny charges, then she'd design and create one herself.

She asked herself, "What type of toy would fill so many needs?"

The conclusion was to adapt for fragile, little patients, the most basic of baby toys... a rattle. Rattles have been available for centuries. They've existed as simple seeded gourds to artful creations of gold and silver encrusted with jewels. But what Dakin needed had to be more precise than a gourd, but just as artful, in a special and functional way. With a vision of what she wanted, Dakin turned to a computer graphic artist and described to him her perfect rattle. That rattle, which took form for the first time on the artist computer screen, is the premier toy that Magical Innovations has unveiled and made available on its web site, www.magicalinnovations.com.

The baby rattles are offered in blue, yellow, red and green - the colours research had found to be most interesting to babies. They are designed to fit tiny, fragile hands. Lightweight, even very early babies can lift and begin to control it. This builds babies first confidence. Made of hard plastic, it is easy to clean and the firm surface when brought to midline and then to small, but curious lips stimulates development of the facial muscles. Because it contains only a small number of chips, it rattles softly and soothes babies without a noisy startle. A continuous lateral line around the parameter of the rattle offers tactile stimulation to fingertips. Because the rattle is tested and made in the United States, using FDA approved inks and plastics, it is safe and free of dangerous contaminants that could be harmful to babies.

Source: eMediaWire.com