Successful Seating Seminar!

On Tuesday 27th November local occupational therapists and physiotherapists descended onto our office here in Sheffield to be part of an active seating seminar. It was a very successful day with our local healthcare professionals hearing about the benefits of active seating and good posture from two speakers and Kingkraft's very own Paediatric Physiotherapist, Sue King all whilst tucking into a bacon butty!

Nottingham City Council Social Services employees Katie Marsden, Head of Paediatric Occupational Therapy, and Esme Hobbs, Senior Paeds OT, spoke about the importance of a good sitting posture, including a good head and pelvic position to enable the child to participate in activities within the classroom and home.

We also provided product demonstrations on our ergonomic and postural seating range which includes the MaditaFun, Vela Tango and Salsa, Hooki Stool and the PantoMove and Swing chair. This was to promote functional independence within the child's capabilities which is very important to Kingkraft.

"Seminar was well received and we hope to run a similar seminar in the new year on a much larger scale. We focused on local OTs but it would be great to have people coming from further afar which will help us to spread the message more."

Sue King, Kingkraft's Paediatric Physiotherapist

Kingkraft's trip to Denmark

At the end of November, Kingkraft's paediatric sales and marketing team were lucky enough to go to Denmark. Unfortunately though it wasn't for a holiday! Instead they attended an 'Inspiration Seminar' that was held by one of our suppliers, Protac. It is a yearly event that really benefits Kingkraft and in turn our customers as we learn all about new sensory techniques and products, bringing back to Sheffield a whole range of new ideas and projects.

"It is a great opportunity to visit Denmark and discuss the action plans for the forthcoming year with Protac and their other suppliers. We have more in-depth training on the products and come back to the UK more knowledgeable than ever!"

Sue King, Paediatric Physiotherapist

While there, the team visited a Snoezelen House to see a range of sensory equipment in action. It was not just beneficial for learning about the range but also great fun as they were able to get involved and test out the equipment themselves. (See pictures below, for the full photo album on the seminar please visit out Facebook page). There were lots of colourful lights and unusual objects but the enormous ball pool was our favourite! We just had to have a play around in the balls that inspired the Protac products.

The Snoezelen House is part of a village complex which the adult residents can use at any time with their carers. There are around eight rooms which cater for different sensory systems in order to create a calming and relaxing atmosphere which will help lower anxiety levels and in turn help with poor behavioural patterns. The different rooms included:

• A ball pit with lighting effects (to help with proprioceptive and tactile systems)
• A water bed with weighted blankets with projected images onto a wall (proprioceptive, tactile and visual)
• A dark cave (proprioceptive, tactile and visual)
• Interactive floor effects (visual)
• Swings, rocking chairs, balls and rollers (vestibular and proprioceptive)
• Relaxation rooms (smell, visual and auditory)

Attending the Inspiration Seminar also were Protac suppliers from Sweden, Spain, Norway and Holland. It's always great meeting up with them to discuss marketing plans for the new year. With all our heads together we managed to think up some brilliant ideas for 2013!

"From a marketing perspective the Denmark trip is always very useful. I get to hear about how the other suppliers in Europe market the products and the different techniques they use. It is always interesting to see their literature and brochures too. I come away inspired and full of ideas for the following year. Not to mention meeting Protac and gaining useful insight into new products that they are developing is always exciting."

Kate Earnshaw, Marketing Manager 

The Snoezelen House

The Snoezelen House, a set on Flickr.

Kingkraft's Paediatric team at Protac's Inspiration Seminar in Denmark.

Kingkraft happy supporters of the Changing Places Campaign

Imagine you are out and about, doing a bit of shopping or having a family day out at the zoo and suddenly you are desperate for the toilet. How easy is it for you to find one that is accessible to use? Very. Well what if you are disabled? It becomes much more difficult as you need to manoeuvre a wheelchair or use changing facilities and many public toilets are just not up to the standard that is required. That is now shifting thanks to the Changing Places Consortium Campaign.

There are thousands of people in the UK that have profound and multiple learning disablities and require enough space and the correct facilities in order to enjoy a day out knowing that their needs are catered for. Changing Places facilities, which cater for around a quarter of the UK's population, are different to the standard disabled loos. They are equipped with a height adjustable, adult-sized changing bench with a tracking hoist, or mobile version if this is not possible, to help people out their wheelchair and onto the bench and vice versa. They also provide enough space for the disabled person and up to two carers which prevents them being changed on a dirty bathroom floor. A fully functioning disabled toilet with space either side for the carers with a curtain to provide privacy is also present. The facility is extremely clean and hygienic with paper towels wide enough to cover the whole of the changing table with large bins for the waste. There is also a non-slip floor to prevent any falls and skids that could occur and cause damage.

Although the amount of facilities are increasing there are still not enough available to cater for the people who really need them. We at Kingkraft Ltd are very happy to say that we are big supporters of the campaign and have helped install Changing Places facilities in many areas all around the UK. Some are detailed below:

• Chester Zoo - Jubilee toilets: changing table, hoist and wash basin
• Warrington Bus Interchange - Hoist
• Nottingham Potter Centre - Shower Changer
• Ilkeston Co-Op - Hoist and wash basin
• Leeds HEART - Hoist and mobile changing table
• Lancaster YMCA - Mobile changing table

There are many more centres which we have helped in providing Changing Places toilets and we look forward to helping out with many more in the future. The campaign is aiming to provide facilities in all public areas across the UK.

For more information on the campaign please visit their website at www.changing-places.org

Naidex South 2012

Naidex South 2012, a set on Flickr.

View our photos from the exhibition

Busy like a bee

Kingkraft was incredibly busy last week with not just one but FOUR exhibitions! I don't know how we managed it!

NAIDEX

Naidex South in London (17-18 October) was a fantastic event with lots of old and new faces. It was great to see those that visited last year and even better to see the fresh, first-year faces who we look forward to working with in the future.

Before we got busy.....

...And now the work begins

"Naidex South is one of the biggest shows of the year for us and once again it proved very successful. Over the two days we were exhibiting we spoke to a lot of new and existing customers and as always it's been a very cost effective route to market for us. The team at Naidex work very hard and it continues to be a great show for our industry."

Kate Earnshaw, Commercial Manager

We exhibited our always popular Multibath and Lifestyle tubs, with the Aquaclean 8000 toilet and variable height basin. The Boris shower toilet chair was a favourite amongst the people attending as well as the Guldmann Hoist we had set up on our stand. Both of the exhibiting days were successful and that might have had something to do with the London 2012 fever that struck the country this summer. The men and women from Team GB's wheelchair basketball opened the exhibition!

As always it's nice for us to wander around the stands and see acquaintances. By far our favourite has to be the Canine Partners stand. How adorable and cute are the dogs?!

AUTISM CENTRAL

We were also at The Autism Central Exhibition in Birmingham on 16th October. Again it was a great day seeing past and future customers. For all of you who didn't manage to make it to the event, we showed our specialist seating range including the Protac Sensit and Schuchmann Madita Fun. The ergonomic range is designed to help children grow and develop properly and provide support in a number of areas where it is needed most such as thoracic supports and head rests. The Sensit chair is designed to calm children with disabilities such as ADHD, autism and Torrette syndrome. It always proves popular with people attending exhibitions with it's bean-bag like comfort.


You might have also seen us at the HIA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Birmingham on 15th and 16th October and the PIP Stockport Disability Conference on the 17th. Now all that's left is for us to book a long holiday to recover!

Come to our breakfast seminar

In November, we are hosting an Active Seating breakfast seminar for healthcare professionals. We will be introducing our new postural and ergonomic seating range for those who are interested and along with this there will be a specialist speaker who will talk about the benefits for the growth and development of the body that active seating provides. There will be demonstrations on the products so you can get a feel and understanding of how they work and our Kingkraft professionals will be there to answer any questions you might have. And don't forget the most important part of a breakfast seminar, the bacon and sausage sandwiches! Places are limited and are filling fast, if you want to sign up please email info@kingkraft.co.uk or visit our Facebook page for more information.

Where to see us next?

We're going to be attending a number of exhibitions in the following few months bringing you our products and expertise on everything bathroom, seating and sensory.

First up is Naidex South at ExCeL in London on the 17th and 18th October. Entry is free to the southern version of  the UK's largest disability exhibition and you can catch us on stand H29. We will be bringing along our friendly sales reps to provide information to you on a number of our products. Here we will be exhibiting two of our many baths, the Multibath and Lifestyle, the Aquaclean 8000 toilet, the variable height Basin, tilt-in-space Shower Toilet Chair and a Guldmann Hoist. You will also be able to try our Protac sensory products; the Ball Blanket, Ball Cushion, Myfit Vest and Sensit chair and puff.

Next up is the Kidz Up North exhibition that is to be held at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton. It is the biggest exhibition in the UK dedicated to children with disabilities and special needs and operates a number of events across the country. Entry is free on Thursday 29th November so make sure you come to visit us at stand 33. Here we will be exhibiting our bathroom products again and our new specialist seating range. We will be showing our ergonomic and postural seating products which include the Madita, Hooki Stool, Vela Tango, Vela Salsa and the Protac sensory Sensit chair and puff.

We will be sure to update you on the success of the events and hope to see you all there!

If you would like some information on our products before attending the exhibitions please visit our website at www.kingkraft.co.uk

August's Star Product: The Madita Fun Chair

The modern, integrative therapy chair provides postural support for your child when sitting resulting in a more comfortable position. Sitting positions can be difficult to maintain for a disabled child which can lead to many drawbacks to their health and well being. The Madita will support the child resulting in a more comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

"The Madita is a very versatile chair that offers the user a choice of active sitting using the core and trunk muscles, helping to strengthen and develop some stability around the trunk; whilst also offering a more supportive sitting position when required by simply adding the backrest. The Madita can accommodate for the need for a change in position by a user friendly tilt in space option."

Sue King, Kingkraft's Physiotherapist 

The Madita will provide many positives for your child's development including:

• improve access and participation in education
• reduce pain
• delay progression of lower limb deformities
• improve comfort

The Madita has the advantage of combining an active and passive sitting posture. The backrest is easily removed to allow the user to work actively around their trunk, helping to strengthen their core muscles. The pelvis is being maintained in a good stable position by the adjustable pelvic support and a 2 or 4 point harness. When the user tires the backrest can be replaced to enable a more passive sitting posture. A comfortable headrest can be added for further support.

The Madita Fun is slightly different to the original chair as it can be adjusted all the way to the floor which can be incorporated with play time allowing the user to be more independent. It is available in three sizes and is height adjustable (either through battery power or a gas spring) from 25-60cm allowing it to be used at the school desk and dinner table and is lowered for playing to a safe self-transfer level.

The cushions are contoured and padded for extra comfort. There are a number of additional extras that can be attached to the Madita/Madita Fun to provide more support for the user. Armrests can be altered in height and angle and the seat width can be set with adjustable width, depth and angle of the thigh guides. You can choose to have a foot tray fitted also. Seat and back angle position can be adjusted (image: above left). Extra supports such as head, knee , thoracic and hip pads are available upon request. It is even possible to have a split seat (image: below) and separate adjustable foot plates.

Kingkraft goes for gold!

Whilst the world watches on as the Olympic athletes compete to be the best, disabled spectators at the Aquatics centre have access to bathroom facilities thanks to the hoist that Kingkraft fitted. It's very exciting to know that we contributed something to the biggest event in the World and we feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to showcase our work. Because of the hoist, less-abled people can now be easily lifted when in the bathroom instead of a carer/parent having to lift. So enjoy watching the swimming and diving and cheering on Adlington, Miley, Daley and the rest of our team whilst knowing there is appropriate facilities for all the spectators.

Good luck Team GB!!!

Does your child struggle sleeping at night? Here's the answer to your prayers...

"Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common problem presented to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The disorder affects 3-5% of all school-aged children. The core symptoms of the disorder-inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity-are associated with a high rate of comorbidity (e.g. oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety and depression), as well as academic underachievement, poor social relations and sleep disturbances. Sleep difficulties was even included in the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in the DSM III and are often included in ADHD rating scales e.g. Conners' Rating Scale for parents."

2010 Informa UK Ltd (Informa Healthcare, Taylor & Francis As)


That quote was taken from the findings of a study undertaken by Allan Hvolby and Niels Bilenberg of the University of Southern Denmark to determine the use of a ball blanket in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder sleeping problems.


Kingkraft are happy to introduce to our customers the Protac Ball Blanket that has been proven to help children and adults who suffer from ADHD fall to sleep faster and sleep better. The study found that when children slept with the Ball Blanket, the time taken to fall asleep was reduced by almost 40% - with the children only taking 15 minutes on average to drop off. It also showed that a child's tendency to wake up during the night was reduced to match the level of children who did not have ADHD. The behaviour of children at school was also studied revealing those who had slept with the blanket were able to concentrate better and were able to cope more with school activities; with a 10% improvement in both hyperactivity and concentration levels.

So how does the Protac Ball Blanket work?


It stimulates the sensory system which contributes to improved bodily consciousness. It was designed on the basis of the American occupational therapist and psychologist A. Jean Ayres' theories of sensory integration. It works due to the weight from the loose balls inside the blanket that press on certain points of the body, which stimulates both the sensation of touch and the sensing of muscles and joints. The many sensory impressions transmit inhibitory impulses to the central nervous system. This increases the sense of the body and its limits, and provides confidence and calm.

When your body is physically or mentally agitated, it affects your bodily awareness because the brain is expending energy on other things other than self-awareness. When using the Ball Blanket, people find calmness and security due to the sensory stimulation.

The blanket can be used for a number of conditions, other than ADHD, such as:

• Anxiety
• Autism
• Brain injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Dementia
• Epilepsy
• Hyperactivity
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Parkinson's disease
• Tourette's syndrome
• any many more

Protac have developed three more products with the same technology of the Ball Blanket designed to also provide sensory stimulation.

The Protac Ball Cushion provides a dynamic sitting posture and good balance training. It has been designed according to the theory of sensory integration. When sitting on the Ball Cushion, the flexibility of the balls will cause you to move beyond the body's centre of gravity. Automatically the body will sense this and signal to shift the weight of the body to keep balance. In that way, back and abdominal muscles are stimulated so you receive impulses to sit upright. This product is perfect for the school classroom as the cushion movements relieve pressure on the back improving concentration.

The Protac SenSit is a chair that can come with or without a Puff (footstool). Again it is designed to trigger sensory points on the body with the flexible plastic balls that are inside the chair. Children and adults with concentration difficulties benefit from sitting in the chair with the soothing effect it provides. The pressure from the side and neck wings gives a sense of security so the user can concentrate and relax for longer periods when sitting in the chair.

The final product developed by Protac is the MyFit vest. There are channels on the front and back that are filled with heavy plastic balls which again leads to better body awareness. It is closed with a zip and has a simple lacing system on the back and sides which make it fit snugly and comfortably to the body. 

Try before you buy?

We loan out the Protac Ball Blanket on a two week period so you can see the benefits it provides. This has been highly successful with our customers with the majority of people who have loaned the blanket saying they have never slept as good or for as long. If this is something you are interested in you can contact the office on 0114 269 0697.

We provide workshops and demonstrations on the other Protac products for schools, health centres and individuals at their home. Again, this has proved highly successful with customers seeing a huge difference in concentration and hyperactivity levels. You can also contact the office to arrange this with our occupational therapist and paediatric physiotherapist.

If you would like to receive a brochure on the Protac products please visit our website.

Ergonomics for Children

How many of us were told to sit up and be still whilst at school? At a guess, nearly all of us. In fact, movement is necessary and benefits the body and mind leading to greater concentration and is vital for growth and development. If only teachers realised that a little bit of mischief increased blood flow and oxygen supply to developing organs, muscles and the brain. It might have made us listen a little more!

Kingkraft understand how important physical activity is and realise that today's children spend more time playing video games and watching television rather than playing sport and keeping active. This can present many drawbacks to a child's health and growth. Movement is essential, even while sitting. So this is where we introduce to you our ergonomic range. Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements and its cognitive abilities.

Hokki Stool

PantoSwing-Lupo

PantoMove-Lupo

The Hooki Stool has a curved bottom requiring the user to change position continually and encourages a dynamic sitting position. The PantoSwing-Lupo is a cantilevered chair whereby a change of the position of the centre of gravity changes the inclination of the seat. In the forward sitting position, the seat is also inclined forwards, which stimulates the spine to a dynamic balance and stabilises the posture. The PantoMove-Lupo allows natural and impulsive movement providing a regular change of sitting posture. It is also equipped with a dynamic seat with a rocking effect.

Ergonomics are proven to have a number of physiological benefits including increasing attention and concentration level. The advantages are:

• The spinal vibrations are changed regularly
• The spinal discs are continuously supplied with nutrients
• Complex muscles in the back are stimulated
• More than 100 joints in the spine are able to move freely
• Blood circulation and oxygen supplies are optimised
• The brain metabolism is supported which encourages concentration

The human body, especially those of developing children and teeangers, requires a steady flow of blood and oxygen and nutrients it brings. Movement is fundamental to this process, which is why a static body should not be maintained over a long period of time. The transitional period between a child and teeanger is very important for the development of biological functions, in particular bones and the spine. More children and teenagers of today are experiencing problems with their back, neck and head due to non-ergonomic and incorrectly-sized furniture.

Not heard enough reasons yet as to why to move away from the conventional rigid chairs, here's a few more:

• The pelvis turns increasingly backwards and the back becomes rounded
• The shoulder, neck and back muscles become tense
• The spinal cord is pressed on one side
• The stomach muscles slacken and the digestive organs become constricted

To achieve maximum results, an ergonomic children's area should:

• Adapt to the height of the child
• Conform to the child's autonomous need for movement
• Accommodate the various activities

Ergo III Inclining Desk 

A table or desk should not only be adjustable in height but in working surface incline too, preferably 16 to 20 inch. This leads to a comfortable reading and writing surface where the head and upper body can be held upright. Flat tables and desks aggravate sitting discomfort and cause noticeable problems. The back becomes rounded and the head is bent back to attain the necessary spacing between the eyes and the work causing strain on the neck.

Help you child develop into a healthy teenager and book a free demonstration of our ergonomic range through our website.

Article with reference from www.varierusa.com/education/1493

It was acceptable in the 80s...

The 1980s were a decade of big hair, shoulder pads and leg warmers. While the youth of the time were listening to their Walkman and singing along to Michael Jackson and Madonna or walking around with their leather jackets and Aviator sunglasses a la Tom Cruise in Top Gun or playing Pacman and Rubik's Cube, Kingkraft were busy designing and manufacturing their first product, the Easibath.

1980s Easibath brochure

2012 Easibath Brochure
Click here to view the brochure online

The Easibath made it easier for a parent to bathe their less-abled child by a folding side door which opened for easy access and then closed to form a bath. What an idea! If only every bath could be positioned next to your bed so you didn't have far to travel from having your evening soak to going to sleep!

The beauty of the Easibath's design meant it could be very versatile with customers being able to use it as a shower bench and a changing platform also. As a result of this, the Easibath has been a popular choice amongst our many customers since it was first manufactured in 1984.

Although the bath is manufactured with the folding side panel, many customers choose to lift their child into the bath nowadays with the help of a hoist. There is ample space underneath the bath for a mobile hoist but ceiling tracks can be used too.

Another great feature is that it is height adjustable. It can be lifted to help avoid back strain on the parent/carer and can be lowered for more mobile users to climb into the bath themselves with the help of the folding side panel.

The square design of the bath allows body support cushions to sit perfectly inside to help prop-up the user so the parent/carer can focus on washing. We manufacture a range of supports from base, fold side and back rest cushions (inclined or reclined) to knee wedges (with or without pommel). We also can provide vacuum support cushions for the head and body.

A standard function with all Kingkraft baths is a thermostatic mixer valve. This is set to a certain temperature and allows the parent/carer to focus on the child while the bath is steadily being filled at a constant warm temperature. It also means that it can be filled with the user in. No more hopping between legs because you didn't check the boiling/freezing water before jumping in!


Optional extras to the Easibath are shower and whirlpool systems. The shower needs to be a category 5 system which prevents the head from falling in the water if it was to be knocked off the hinge. The whirlpool option can be fitted on the non-opening side only but provides a more relaxing and pleasurable experience. Your very own jacuzzi, how exciting!

The Easibath is manufactured from polypropylene and the folding side is achieved through having a plastic hinge system. They are very durable and can last years. For those that have been battered and bruised we do offer a replacement top. The bath is available in a range of standard sizes and can also be manufactured to the customers' own specification, including Special Order units which are both longer and wider than standard models. A base and side cushion, along with a choice of back rest (not required with the 1700 model are supplied with the bath.

If you are looking for more information or to request a quote on the Easibath please visit the website.

Kingkraft's Products

KingkraftLtd's photostream on Flickr.

Like many companies all over the world, Kingkraft started business in 1984 with one product which has led to the success we're having today. The Easibath to us was what the Mac computer was to Apple and Steve Jobs, our defining first and successful product and we still manufacture it today. it enabled easy access for the client through the folding side door. The strength of the Easibath lies in its ability to act as a bath and a changing platform and showering bench all in one variable height unit. This saves time, space and money as only one unit needs to be purchased instead of needing seperate changing facilities.


Since 1984 we have gone on to develop the Easibath and introduce new baths to our portfolio with the Multibath, Contour, Lifestyle and a variety of others. Our baths come with the option of a shower and whirlpool system which provides the customer with a more relaxing and pleasurable bathing experience. We were focused on providing all the equipment the bathroom needs but making it accessible and easy for the less-abled people. We have since started supplying the Aquaclean toilet which has a spraying and drying function, an adjustable height Kingkraft basin and numerous versions of shower and changing tables. We provide cushions and supports for our baths which gives the customer a more comfortable bathing experience and even supply a Shower Toilet Chair which we call the Boris. This makes it easier for the parent/carer when washing or helping their child/client to the toilet. Kingkraft also supply the Guldmann Ceiling Track Hoist which is very helpful when moving and transporting people from their bed to the bath for instance or into a chair.


In 2008, Kingkraft started to focus on a new range of products aimed specificaly at paediatrics. Our new Protac ball range is at the forefront of the industry with us being one of the first companies in the UK to acknowledge the research and advantages of using the products. The Sensit Chair, Ball Blanket, Ball Cushion and MyFit Jacket have all been developed based on theories of sensory integration. They all contain plastic balls which cause pressure at trigger points to stimulate tactile, muscle and joint sensation. The numerous sensory perceptions send impulses to the central nervous system, which has a soothing effect and leads to greater bodily awareness and improved well being. The Protac range is used for conditions such as ADHD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, OCD, Tourette's Syndrone and many more.


Our paediatric range also includes a range of specialist seating featuring the Madita Fun Chair, Hokki Stool, Vela Tango Chair, Vela Salsa Chair and Ergo I and III desk.


We have a team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists who provide demonstrations of our paediatric range and hire out the Protac Ball Blanket on a two week loan so the customer can see the child benefit before purchasing. Our expert bathroom sales team, with over 20 years experience, provide demonstrations so the customer can see how our baths, toilet and basin operate and choose which one would support their needs best.