Solihull’s Burtoft family enjoys quality sleep for the first time thanks to disabled Annie’s Theraposture Mascot care cot.

Annie Burtoft is a positive and active child who requires care 24/7. She is only one of approximately fifteen individuals in the UK with ‘Cask Gene Mutation’ which means she has several disabilities.

As Annie also has Microcephaly and the neurological condition Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia, she lives with visual impairment, epilepsy, developmental delay and deafness. To ensure Annie is safe and comfortable at night, particularly during seizures, the family have a specialist cot renowned for its future-proofed care – the Mascot from Theraposture.

This cot is a trusted choice for many parents with disabled children as it incorporates safety padding, powered variable height, tilt and mattress profiling. With a fully modular design, the Mascot can be adapted to meet changing needs – hence a cost-effective cot for life.

“We never felt under pressure to buy from Theraposture. After an enquiry, many other companies hound us with sales calls, not Theraposture”

Annie was diagnosed at 18 months which started the process of sourcing suitable equipment to help with her mobility and safety.

Originally the Burtofts applied for a cot from their local authority however a suitable solution, such as the Mascot, was not available. Alison, a Senior Paediatric Nurse at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, believed her daughter required a cot with specialist features and higher sides to ensure utmost safety and no risk of falls.

Alison explains: “Our excellent Neurologist put us in touch with a group of parents on Facebook who signposted us in the direction of Theraposture. I visited the Kidz to Adultz Middle exhibition in 2017 and met with one of their Trusted Assessors, Steve Keetley. I instantly warmed to him and Steve agreed to visit Annie at school for an assessment of her needs.

Steve met with Annie, the school Physiotherapist and myself so we could discuss what features would be beneficial. We had no supporting Occupational Therapist so this meeting was vital.”

Theraposture’s Trusted Assessor deemed the Mascot as the most appropriate care cot for Annie.

“With our Theraposture cot you don’t feel like you are overpaying for the name, it is absolutely a quality piece of furniture”

Handcrafted in solid beech with an attractive design, it includes multiple features that ensure comfort and reassurance for both user and carers. Of particular benefit to Annie, the Mascot has electrically powered Trendelenburg tilt and mattress profiling. These would help reduce her reflux and aid

breathing during periods with a chest infection. Annie has a gastrostomy however if Annie’s feeding routines changed over time, feeding tube holes could be added for use during the night.

The variable height functionality and dual-sided doors would provide safe working heights and full access for Annie’s parents without the need for excessive bending.

Without these features, carers are at higher risk of back injury and muscle strain whilst providing personal care. With multiple soft windows within the padding and 98cm high doors, Annie could sleep and relax in a safe space that did not feel enclosed.

Alison continues: “When Steve had compiled his assessment report we used his recommendations to apply for cot funding from Newlife, the disabled children’s charity. Our application was approved in September 2017 however the charity did not have sufficient funds so we were placed on a waiting list. To solve the difficult situation we were in, Newlife were fantastic as they loaned us a Theraposture cot as part of their Emergency Equipment Loan service.

This was critical to keep Annie safe as we persevered with finding financial assistance. In April 2018, we still had not received any funding however a Theraposture Olaf cot became available through social services. We decided to accept the offer as our Newlife loan had far exceeded the time normally allowed for provision from the charity. This cot wasn’t our preferred choice but we felt it was the right thing to do so we could continue seeking ownership of a Mascot.”

By September 2018 Theraposture fully appreciated the need to achieve a positive outcome as quickly as possible.

Alison, Mike and Annie were in desperate need of their ideal cot and ultimately with the help of Theraposture, were able to privately fund a Mascot with DLA funds. Theraposture had a brand new 8-door Mascot in stock which had been intended for another customer.

Following suitability approval this cot was fitted with appropriate padding and supplied so Annie could finally receive her perfect bed. The advantage of this higher specification cot was dual access on both sides – Alison and Mike recognised this would provide an ideal changing table in the future.

Mike has been very impressed with Theraposture’s service throughout all of this protracted process.

“Theraposture were upfront about pricing and made the whole process so easy”

Mike explains: “We never felt under pressure to buy from Theraposture at any time. From our first meeting through to delivery we always felt comfortable. There was never any hard sell. Many other companies we speak to are always so quick to hound us with lots of sales calls, sometimes I question are they in the care industry for the right reasons?

The patience Theraposture has shown is commendable especially when you consider all the delays we have faced as a family. We have felt under Steve’s care throughout, even when he was on holiday and over weekends, Steve was always trying to resolve the funding situation. That’s a nice feeling.”

Mike adds: “With our Theraposture cot you don’t feel like you are overpaying for the name, it is absolutely a quality piece of furniture. It doesn’t resemble a hospital-type product which is so important from an aesthetic point of view. We have so many pieces of kit around the home it is nice to keep Annie’s bedroom looking pretty.

The service you receive from Theraposture also reflects this quality. When the bed was installed the technicians pointed out two-minute imperfections which we would have never spotted, these were rectified quickly and without hassle. On a simple level, even the quotes from Theraposture are good – self-explanatory so you know what you are getting. They were upfront about pricing and made the whole process so easy, even collecting the loan cot and delivering our new Mascot at the same time.” This seamless collection and delivery was possible as Theraposture provides bed and cots for Newlife’s Emergency Equipment Loans.

This charity service is unique and aims to provide assistive equipment within 72 hours anywhere in the UK so that a child at risk of injury or with life-limiting conditions can remain safe and comfortable. Life is a little easier now for the Burtofts as Alison says: “We have peace of mind at night that Annie is safe and can’t get tangled or injure herself. Previously we had many years trying to survive on minimal sleep as Annie had to be monitored continually. We all couldn’t really rest that well and Annie’s condition was worse as she was not getting quality sleep.”

Alison concludes: “Nowadays Annie continues to be awake regularly at night however she is content and happy in her cot. Mike and I can sleep next door and have a video monitor to check on her just in case of seizures. Annie does move around a lot at night but whichever part of the cot she settles in, she is comfortable and not at risk.

During the day one of her favourites activities is climbing in and out of her cot independently as the Mascot provide such low access. When the doors are closed at night, she can stand up without any chance of falling out. Annie is on the go all day long so the fact she can rest properly is making a huge difference. It took us far longer to own our preferred solution but thank goodness we got there in the end.”

Safety padding

Theraposture provides a comprehensive range of fabrics, colours and designs to ensure all children are safe. Its assessment process always recommends the most appropriate solution in terms of needs, wants and risks. Precision bespoke design and fitting ensure entrapment risks are eliminated and comfort is maximised.