Student designs toilet aid for children with cerebral palsy

The brightly coloured red-and-yellow aid fits onto a standard toilet and is the idea of final-year product design technology student Joe Bennett.

It features a backrest and straps that can be secured around the trunk to offer additional support. It is lightweight, easily assembled and can be carried around in a washable bag.

’Children with cerebral palsy face difficulties in relation to toileting outside the home or school as they require high levels of support and stability when using a toilet,’ said Bennett.

’My focus was to design a portable toileting aid that would allow these children to take part in more everyday activities that required them to be away from home or school for long periods so that they would no longer have to miss out or have their dignity compromised,’ he added.

Bennett’s design will go on display at the Graduate Show, which will be held in the Pandon Building on the university’s City Campus East on 9 June. It will then go on display at the New Designers exhibition in London in July.