Wipe away ink stains...

Rubbing alcohol wipes are a great way to remove permanent ink/markers from the surface of the skin without excess rubbing which can cause skin breakdown.  Gently rub a saturated wipe over the stained area and viola...it disappears.  You can use a combo baby wipe (pr paper towel) and hand sanitizer gel to get the same results!

Save those baby bottles!

Glass baby bottles have many uses
(even if you have never had a child who
drank from a bottle).  Buy them and use them for home use such as mixing
up salad dressings, saving left over sauces/gravies, mixing up powdered
formula, making protein shakes or smoothies, etc.  They are also a very
low cost solution to buying bottled water for tube flushes when you can just bottle up some tap water and take it on the go with you.  Be sure to buy bottles with closed system caps to prevent spillage!

Gentle (non-trach) Suctioning

Red rubber catheters in place of tradition suction catheters
are much more gentle for using with suction machines on
children with fragile (non-trached) airways (mouth, nose, and throat).

Gel Magic = Visual Magic

Dollar stores are great places to find toys and craft supplies to use for sensory projects.  Next time you are in a dollar store be sure to look for gel magic window clings.  Use them on a clear piece of plastic,
an empty plastic frame or a light box for both great tactile, targeting, and visual exercises.   You can easily add them to ipad screens for extra tactile sensory experiences or to help target specific areas to touch.

Practice

For many kids, practicing expected behavior before heading out can make a huge difference. They know what to expect, and when they are prepared they are much more likely to be able to react and respond appropriately. There are great books and tools for practicing social behaviors.

Multi-purpose stuffed animals...

Stuffed animals can make great positioners for children with extra positioning needs.  A teddy bear can make a great hand rest, pillow under the knees, or arm support.  Make sure that stuffed animals are not overly large or heavy and NEVER place stuffed animals in a crib or bed with an infant (suffocation hazard).

Hospital Doggy-Bag

During hospital stays, any unused medical supplies, diapers, wipes, diaper creams, hygiene care items, etc. that are left in the room after the stay, bring home with you. As soon as a medical supply or care product enters your child's room, you have been charged for those items...if you don't take them, hospital infection control dictates that these items be thrown away...so take them home and use them for your child as they were intended!