Autism

Webinars Adaptive Cycling as an Effective Intervention
A girl pedals a Rifton Adaptive Tricycle while her caretaker walks behind her.
This 35-minute webinar provides an introduction to adaptive cycling as an effective intervention for individuals with disabilities.
PT/OT Focusing on Participation for Children with Autism April 27, 2022 by Karen Tartick, PT
A child with autism sits in a Rifton compass chair to participate in music class.
When I first graduated in 1984 and worked with children in the schools, physical therapists typically did not work with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Stories The Compass Chair: A Classroom Seating Option for the Child with Autism May 21, 2019 by Belinda Horning, BS, Ed.
A caregiver talks to a boy sitting in a Rifton Compass Chair in a classroom.
It’s an ongoing discussion, and one that anyone involved in some way with students with autism are familiar with. How do I get my students to concentrate so that they can learn? Can they ever sit still enough at a desk to learn the basics of reading, writing and math? Can I expect my student with autism to sit and attend in class in the same way I expect it of my regular education students? If there...
Videos Compass Chair
A Rifton Compass Chair on a wood floor.
Over the past few years, we've had many requests for a simple chair for mildly involved students, for students with autism spectrum disorder, and we decided to redesign the Compass Chair.
Evidence Based Practice Evidence Update: Dynamic Seating for Children with Autism May 30, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
dynamic seating children autism
Teachers and therapists working in inclusive classrooms continue to work to improve academic outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  One fascinating area of inquiry is seating modification to improve in-seat performance, as students may need to sit for five hours during a normal school day. In one recent article on the topic, researchers examined how dynamic seating options...
PT/OT Studying Neurodevelopmental Disorders with the Rifton Activity Chair November 12, 2015 by Elena Noble, MPT
A girl sits in the activity chair for neurodevelopmental disorders therapy studies
From school classrooms to radiology departments to hospital feeding clinics, the Rifton Activity Chair meets a range of positioning needs in a variety of environments. Recently we learned of yet another clinical setting where the Activity Chair has found a niche: in the study of neurodevelopmental disorders at the UC Davis MIND Institute, an internationally respected research facility. Here, the...
News Found Today on the Web January 02, 2015 by Carmen Hinkey
A man with developmental disabilities communicates with his caregiver
Every time a major media source writes a serious story about the challenges faced by those with developmental disabilities we should be encouraged and reminded that our society has made strides in accessibility and acceptance.   Facilities like the Lee Specialty Clinic in Louisville Kentucky are to be commended for creating an environment where these challenges are more easily met and the DD...
Evidence Based Practice Evidence Update: Autism in the News February 07, 2012 by Elena Noble, MPT
latestautismnewsresearch
This evidence update is focused on autism. It is a topic that’s been in the news lately, and the Spring 2012 Pediatric Physical Therapy Journal features two great articles and one commentary on this subject which I summarize below. Additionally, it is timely for the Rifton autism chair which is now available. I have also included a remarkable (and provocative) ABC news video at the end which you...
Tips & Advice Teaching Children with Autism in the Classroom January 24, 2012 by Elena Noble, MPT
autism-classroom-teaching_feature
Contributed by: Denise Keene who has been a Special Ed teacher for 15 years. All children in special education classes are introduced to the same subjects that are taught in the regular class: math, reading, writing, science, etc. However, because they have different needs, new concepts may be introduced at a slower pace. For example, most children learn to read a short book by the end of kindergarten, but...
PT/OT Autism Chair by Rifton: Providing Movement Sensory Input through Adaptive Seating June 14, 2011 by Lori Potts, PT
The Rifton Activity Chair showing the spring option feature is crucial when used as an Autism chair.
Children with an autism spectrum disorder find it difficult to focus. And when a child’s autism manifests in combination with profound intellectual disability or with a developmental syndrome with physical limitations the difficulties with social interaction and attention to task are compounded. For the special education teacher, having children with autism in the classroom is challenging. The...