Here’s an email about using the SansBug as a bed tent for an autistic child with Down Syndrome:
The SansBug bed tent has been a God send to us regarding the safety of our son. Our son has Down Syndrome and autism, and as such he has no awareness of danger and has many sensory seeking behaviors.
We were at a loss as to what to use to keep him safe at night once he outgrew his crib. We did a lot of research on various sites regarding bed tents for autistic children. But they were thousands of dollars and we had to get creative since our insurance wouldn’t cover them.
I had read a blog about a mom who used a SansBug bed tent to keep her son safe. I researched the SansBug and it seemed like it might work, plus it was VERY affordable!
We ordered our SansBug and moved our son into his first big boy bed! It lays on top of his mattress and worked wonderfully! It has room for him and ALL of his friends and the many blankets that he likes in his bed. We did try putting a foam mattress inside the tent, he did not like it and bunched it up and put it to one side. He prefers laying on the bottom of the tent for sensory reasons, so each night we put down a comforter for him to lay on, but he pushes it to the side within minutes, lol.
The bed is against a wall, so he doesn’t roll the tent off the bed. On the other side we have installed an old bunk bed guard to prevent him rolling out that side.
We covered the ends with fabric to decrease his sensory input so he can sleep and this has worked great (update: the SansBug now has an optional cover). The strings that hold up the door are too much temptation for him. We snipped them off so he isn’t tempted to pull on them.
We will be getting another SansBug tent with a poly floor for our little guy as it makes less noise than the tarp floor.
I can’t say enough about the SansBug tent. It has given this mom and dad peace of mind and the ability to sleep at night without fear for our little guy.
Thank you SansBug!
June B., NY
Disclaimer: The views expressed are from a parent. HMT does not sell the SansBug as a medical device. Please consult with your physician or other health care provider before using the SansBug bed tent for your autistic child.