SAN ANTONIO — Many parents can remember the first time their child slept in their “big-kid” bed. For the Castellanos, their son’s Down Syndrome diagnosis had them wondering if that day would ever come. Now the family celebrates the milestone of Luke moving into his very own bedroom.
We met the 7-year-old in one of his favorite places; the sensory room at the Children's Rehabilitation Institute of TeletonUSA (CRIT). The room has low lighting, a projector and several stations filled with textured items. The exercises with his occupational therapist stimulate his mind. Luke will also visit with speech and physical therapists at CRIT.
“We see Luke exploring and visually just taking it in [at therapy],” said Luke’s dad, Belarmino Castellanos. “Once he's had his day’s worth of stimulation, that is why we like to put them in his little cocoon of sorts in his bed where it's time for [Luke] to let [his] brain rest.”
Luke was born with Down Syndrome and diagnosed with mild epilepsy and hip dysplasia. Sometimes, when it’s time to go to bed, Luke has other plans. Once he became tall enough to climb out of his crib, the couple had their son sleep in the master bedroom to keep him safe.
“I'm always on watch,” said his mom, Mary Ann Castellanos. “[We’re] basically revolving our schedule around his safety and making sure that he gets a good night's sleep.”
The Castellanos found their answer. They say a Safety Sleeper on display at CRIT. Mr. Castellanos climbed inside and then took the device home. The enclosure is made up of mesh, padded poles and durable fabric. The Safety Sleeper can be used with the included inflatable mattress or installed over a home mattress. The Castellanos said it changed their daily routine.
“It gets some independence, you know, like a big boy moment,” said Mary Ann Castellanos. “We can still watch him and you know, see him and hear him but he has his own room.”
The product was made by Rose Morris whose middle child is on the autism spectrum. Her son also liked to escape out of bed.
“It was designed to give us peace of mind and us the ability to have a safe place at home,” said Morris. It didn’t take long for item that changed her life to make an impact for others.
“Maybe there's other people like me that have similar situations,” said Morris. “If [families] had it worse than me and they didn't have the safety sleeper, what would they do? And so I really felt like there was a calling in my life that I needed to be that person to help other families.”
Morris founded Abram’s Nation ten years ago. Along with The Safety Sleeper, the company offers items like a fidget folder and weighted lap mats for families of all needs. A rain cape that is compatible with wheelchairs is expected to be for sale later this year.
The Castellanos say finding products designed by someone who understands their lifestyle has been a blessing.
Certain insurance plans and non-profit programs cover the cost of The Safety Sleepers. All items are available at Abramsnation.com