Mom Fears Potential Danger for Disabled Child, Creates Special Safety-Warning Seat Belt Cover
When it comes to special health needs or disabilities, proper care and treatment in an emergency could be the difference between life and death.
Some people have their medical information tattooed on their arms. Others wear wristbands or bracelets wherever they go with vital details printed on them.
Now a mom from Australia has come up with a unique and innovative addition to medical information products.
Natalie Bell of Personalised by Nat has a deaf daughter named Shae. The 10-year-old has a cochlear implant.
If Shae happened to be in an accident, first responders and medical professionals would need to know she can’t have an MRI.
That’s why her mom cam up with the idea for velcro seat belt cover warning signs.
“I always wonder what would happen if I was in a car accident with my daughter in the car and I was unable to let the doctors know that my daughter could not have a MRI due to having a cochlear implant, now I don’t need to worry about that with these seat belt covers,” Bell wrote on Facebook.
Shae’s seat belt cover reads “I am deaf I have a cochlear implant No MRI” in clear, bold lettering. “These can be made for any special needs that the medical team will need to know if you are unable to tell them,” Bell added.
Bell posted specialized designs for those who are deaf, autistic, diabetic or who have down syndrome. There is also an option on her website to have a custom design made.
“There has been so much positive feedback from people all over the world — including police, ambulance, and firefighters — saying how this would have made so much of a difference at the scene of an accident on the way they had approached the situation,” Bell told People.
While some have expressed concern that a seatbelt cover wouldn’t work as well as something on a person’s physical body — such as a bracelet or tattoo — much praise has been sent Bell’s way for this amazing idea.
“My husband is part of Fire and Rescue and said that this is a brilliant idea,” one commenter wrote. “Such a valuable piece that provides a lot of information clearly so that [personnel] involved can approach situations with knowledge and care. Brilliant idea”
“This is an amazing idea!” another person said. “As a Cop, I wish I could hand these out to anyone who needs them … I will share this to everyone I can”
The seat belt covers have become so popular, they are currently on a 2-4 week delivery wait, according to the website.
“The best thing is how it has brought awareness to so many people around the world and how this one item could possibly assist in a critical situation,” Bell told People. “Going viral has been amazing, I never thought any more than a few of my friends would see [the photo].”
Bell also creates other personalized items such as clocks with sign language hands, audio canvas prints and birthday calendars.
Would you use these seat belt covers for your child or recommend them to someone with a special need? I wouldn’t be surprised if these products started popping up all over the place, all around the world.
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