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Our group has been tasked with the creation of a sensory bed. Sensory beds are controlled living spaces for children with autism, allowing them to control their local environment to prevent sensory overload. They often include sensory materials such as light control/blackout curtains, white noise machines, and soft dim lighting. The bed will be a safe environment that limits accidents such as bruises, cuts, or falls. Our group will spend the next few months communicating with the clients, researching, brainstorming, designing, and fabricating the ideal sensory bed for 3-year-old Gideon.
The family has stated their 3-year-old boy, Gideon, has had trouble sleeping recently and he only falls asleep in his mother’s arms. Our project is to design and build a bed to help young Gideon fall asleep by himself by reducing disruptive stimuli and producing soothing stimuli such as white noise and compression.
Gideon is a very active 3-year-old boy who weighs approximately 35 pounds. The family would like for him to be able to use the bed for the next few years, so we have chosen to use a twin-size bed. The canopy, walls, and bedframe need to be sturdy and secured to the wall, as he loves to climb and jump on things. We have decided to make our working weight 250 pounds to allow for 100 pounds with a safety factor of 2.5.
For the sensory aspects, the family has requested the bed block out all or most of the ambient light (blackout curtains), have a white noise machine to produce soft, soothing stimuli, have a vibration machine to slightly vibrate the bed, and have some sort of soft lighting (projected stars, twinkling lights). Other design considerations the family discussed are that the bed be easily cleanable (perhaps allowing the bed to roll out of the frame), allow for easy checking in on the child (maybe a baby monitor), and that the bed has some sort of fidget toy(s) embedded into the design of the bed.
Sensory beds are beds that are designed to make the occupant feel calm and provide a comfortable, inviting environment to sleep in. The bed becomes a controlled sleeping environment that can be catered directly to the individual’s needs. Sensory beds reduce stimulating environmental inputs for those with autism or sensory processing issues. A lot of sensory beds found online attempt to limit the amount of light that enters the sleeping area. They also focus on creating a confining space that most of the time allows the children to use the beds to calm down in a smaller area with less distraction. Having a sensory bed for a child who wakes up in the middle of the night is also a big safety improvement since it keeps the child in an area where they cannot harm themselves or their surroundings. Others include features such as a noise machine, bed vibration, and star projection.
The first conceptual design features a simple bed with a soft textured finish. The frame will be pressed and secured to the wall and features a canopy. This bed will have easy access, curtains, and safety rails. On the wall side, there are fidgeting toys and on the ceiling, there will be projected or peel-and-stick glow-in-the-dark stars. The bed will also contain vibrational motors and compression sheets to comfort the child. This design will also feature a removable bed, allowing for easy cleaning of the sheets, mattress, and frame space.
The second concept design features a hanging bed. This design is popular amongst young children, it’s a playful bed and allows for easy light control. This bed will be easy access and have attached features like white noise, and touch sensory. It will hang from the ceiling and be low to the ground to reduce outside vibrations and prevent dangerous falls, or trips.
The third concept is a simple bed in a cubical frame structure. This design allows the family to add sensory features as they see fit and has safety features such as solid walls and a connection to the ground to prevent falls.
After analyzing the pros and cons of the three concept designs, Design 1 meets all of the family’s needs and safety concerns. Design 2 was omitted due to the child’s tendency to climb, so the hanging bed design would pose a safety issue. Design 3 is inexpensive and allows the family to add sensory items as they deem necessary.
