This Var resident is making a device designed, in the event of an emergency, to alert emergency services to the situation of a disabled person.

"What would happen if I weren't there to explain his disability and specific needs? In the event of an accident, for example? " This is a distressing question that plagues many caregivers, just as it has long worried Morgane Allard-Breton, the mother of Jordan, a 7-year-old boy with non-verbal autism. She responded by developing a very simple system: an inclusive seat belt protector. This foam block, attached by Velcro to the belt, provides key information to indicate the wearer's disability: "Autistic, I can be non-verbal, I can refuse your help, scream, struggle or not cry." A device designed, in an emergency, to alert emergency services to the situation of the disabled person, to allow for care tailored to their specific needs.

Avoid inappropriate care

"On a daily basis, I am my son's voice. If I am not able to provide this vital information, the care he receives can be extremely difficult," explains Morgane Allard-Breton. "I am also a caregiver, and I know that transmission is important. The goal is to equip as many people as possible, to inform as many caregivers and stakeholders as possible, to avoid inappropriate care that could cause the child to regress and lead to the loss of skills we have worked hard to build."

Convinced that this tool can be useful, beyond the field of autism, for all forms of disability, the young mother created her company, "Partout un dys" (1), to market these foam seat belt protectors, "at a low price (7.95 euros) which does not force parents to choose between this device and treatment or other equipment for their child".

Several versions

She has designed two other models, for people with disabilities in general and for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Soon, she will offer on her website a version "I am non-verbal" , another for children with multidys (2) – to indicate their possible difficulties in understanding and communicating, their clumsiness and their greater fatigue –, and one more for children with ADHD (3), warning that they may not understand a simple instruction, put themselves in danger or react strongly to stress.

Designed for the car, the seatbelt protector fits just as well on a wheelchair, a backpack, or a communication tablet. And that's no small thing. "I've noticed that by making an invisible disability visible, it softens the gaze and brings a little more goodwill." No more sideways glances when she arrives in a public place with a 7-year-old child in a stroller that takes up a lot of space, or when her son remains focused on the tablet that allows him to communicate... "People understand better. It allows them to consider the disability, and things go more smoothly."

1. www.partoutundys.com

2. Dys disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.) refer to learning disabilities.

3. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity (H).