Written by Brittany Ferri, OTR/L
So many of our day-to-day activities get started once we’ve taken a seat in our favorite chair: learning, relaxing, eating, and many more. It is so ingrained in many of the tasks that we do that it's easy to take for granted. For some individuals with special needs, however, sitting, and remaining seated, in a traditional chair is itself a task.
One great example is the case of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The global incidence of ASD is one in 68 for children aged 8 years old. These children tend to be more distractible than their peers due to innate hypersensitivity to sensory input. In a study of adaptive seating options, introducing specialized alternative seats had the effect of increasing on-task behaviors in more than half of the sample group.
Adaptive seating systems for kids and adults with special needs come in all different shapes and sizes. The type of chair or seat you consider will greatly depend on your particular needs and the recommendations of your care team.
In this day and age, there are myriad options for seating solutions available for parents with a special needs child. In 1976, this was not exactly the case. That is exactly where Special Tomato comes into the picture. In 1976 industrial designer Tim Bergeron and his wife Peggy welcomed their third child into the world: a daughter named Carrie who was born with Down syndrome.
Tim was already working in designing products for special needs children and, serendipitously, his experience raising Carrie provided the inspiration he needed to make his vision of better adaptive furniture a reality. Today, Special Tomato is one of the premiere adaptive seating providers in the United States. Its mission to provide comfortable, engaging, and attractive seating and furniture for special needs kids come from a deeply personal place.
Carrie, Special Tomato’s namesake, actually went on to become a patient advocate and motivational speaker for people living with Down syndrome and other disabilities.
 | Special Tomato EIO Push Chair Stroller View Product |
Any parent can tell you that young children can be a handful. This is certainly the case with children who have special needs. Depending on their specific disability, these special children will have greater difficulties with sensory function, executive functions, and fine and gross motor skills. That means that parents who have kids with developmental disabilities are often tasked to work even harder to keep them on task and heading in the right direction.
Speaking of direction, having a dependable mobility aid can greatly assist parents when they are outside of the home. A special needs stroller is a great option for young children, all the way through pre-adolescence. Special needs strollers tend to have a higher weight capacity than traditional strollers so they can accommodate even bigger kids. By giving the caretaker a reliable and safe way to transport their child, much of the stress of travel and transport can be reduced.
 | Special Tomato Large MPS Car Seating System View Product |
Naturally, it is important for all children to have a safe car seat that meets federal regulations and fits them correctly. The matter can be complicated somewhat by the unique needs of children with cognitive or physical disabilities. Further, in children with developmental delay autism, or emotional problems, behaviors such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and aggression may make transportation dangerous.
Having a proper adaptive car seat can make a world of difference for drivers and passengers alike. A good special needs car seat will have advanced position support, tough and long-lasting materials, and anti-microbial surfaces for ease of cleaning. By providing a comfortable and safe seat, parents and caretakers can expect longer periods of incident-free travel.
Special Tomato’s MPS Car Seat has been rigorously tested to ensure maximum safety even in the event of a collision. This customizable seating system is designed to grow with your child -- with various sizes available for different age groups.
 | Special Tomato Jogger All Terrain Stroller View Product |
Adventures in the great outdoors-- or just around the neighborhood-- can be a great way to bond as a family. To make this activity a reality for all kids, some adaptive equipment can be a major help. All-terrain strollers are a great way to get outside and get active with your special needs child while also keeping them safe and comfortable.
Unlike a traditional stroller, an all-terrain jogger will often feature a single front wheel design for added maneuverability. With the addition of rugged, off-road capable tires and shock-absorbers, even trails or hills can easily be traversed. For parents who have young kids, sometimes just finding a time to exercise can feel like a workout in and of itself. With a specialized stroller, getting active and bonding can go hand in hand.
Special Tomato’s jogger has an ultra-safe five-point harness and a footwell for security and peace of mind. Additionally, the seat has a multi-positional reclining functionality so any user can find a comfortable angle.
 | Special Tomato Multi-Positioning Seating (MPS) System with Mobile Base - Small View Product |
Having the right seat for the task at hand can make a big difference. This goes doubly for children with special needs and, thankfully, there are many adaptive chairs widely available. In one study of children with cerebral palsy and their parents, the majority of participants found that specialized seating had a “meaningful, positive impact on child and family life”.
More specifically, a multi-positioning chair can actually be an entire seating system-- working either on its own or by attaching to an existing seat. Special Tomato’s MPS is a full seating solution, with a tilt-in-space seat, durable wooden base, and interchangeable cushions that vary based on size configuration. These chairs are ideal for home or school, using soft and cool cushion materials to allow for longer periods of sitting.
 | Special Tomato Recliner Support System (RSS) View Product |
There are few pastimes better for family bonding than gathering around the living room for a movie night. Having comfortable seating for everyone is important, especially for periods of sustained focus. While there are plenty of adaptive seats on the market for kids who have special needs, many of these solutions are focused on use in academic or clinical settings. In some circumstances, it is more appropriate to have something made for relaxation-- like a recliner!
This is where a recliner support system, or RSS, can come into play. Essentially, an RSS is a seat designed to fit over the top of an existing easy chair or recliner. That way, the user can have the benefits of a specially designed adaptive seat while also enjoying the comfort of the recliner. The recliner support system from Special Tomato includes a chest harness and a pelvic harness to keep the user securely in place. It also has leg supports, and an ergonomic, adjustable headrest. As an added bonus, the entire system folds up neatly for storage or travel.
 | Soft-Touch Floor Sitters for Kids by Special Tomato View Product |
At its most basic, a floor sitter is exactly what it sounds like: a seat designed to rest on the floor. Most floor sitters come with a variety of different ‘bases’ for different situations-- either wheeled or stationary. When thinking about adaptive equipment it is a good idea to look for multi-purpose solutions. While it sometimes seems like there is a specific device for every situation, the best solutions are versatile. A floor sitter is an excellent example of a versatile adaptive seat that can be used in many applications.
Sometimes also called ‘pediatric sitters,’ these chairs are typically made of a soft foam material and are meant to provide postural support. One great advantage with this type of seat is that they are lightweight and easy to move when attached to a wheeled base. Further, in a classroom setting, this type of seating lets kids who have special support needs come down to the level of their peers during playtime.
The floor sitter from Special Tomato comes in multiple sizes and makes use of the same cool, comfortable material as the multi-positional chair mentioned above.
 | Soft-Touch Liners for Special Tomato Seating Systems View Product |
The majority of the seats that Special Tomato makes have an advantage that sets them apart from other brands: the Soft Touch material that makes up their cushions. Soft Touch cushions are made from a proprietary, latex-free material that provides needed support while remaining breathable. This technology is featured in many of Special Tomato’s products.
For families who are looking to reduce or eliminate the need for heavy seating systems, the Soft Touch liner is a good solution. The liner is made up of Soft Touch cushions-- one for the back and one for the posterior-- and conveniently attaches to most existing chairs or seats with durable straps. This product is great for kids with mild or moderate sitting support needs. For individuals with more advanced needs, the liner can be used in tandem with a seating system that provides more head and trunk support.
The story of Carrie, owner Tim Bergeron’s own “special tomato,” is a big piece of what makes this company so great. They come from an authentic place of understanding the real needs of families who have children with special needs.
Having the right adaptive seat can make a world of difference for children and their parents and caretakers. It can be a boon in academic settings, allowing children with developmental disabilities to better stay on task. It can also enhance family bonding time-- whether that’s watching a movie or an outdoor adventure.
To see more great adaptive seating you can view Rehabmart’s complete line of Special Tomato Products.
Brittany is an occupational therapist who has worked in a variety of rehab facilities. She has always expressed an interest in patients’ internal motivation for therapy and the use of assistive devices, which led her to pursue a PhD in Integrative Mental Health. This research-based training has also led her to develop her writing career to educate patients of all ages on how to improve their health. Brittany has published four books, written over 300 articles, and has been quoted in media outlets such as WebMD, Healthline, and NBC News.
