Snazzy Baby Knee Pads

Success Through Play™ had the pleasure to speak with Cyndy Mundy, Registered Nurse (RN) owner of Snazzy Baby. We will be highlighting the Snazzy Baby Knee Pads from Snazzy Baby.

"We at Snazzy Baby pride ourselves in developing and designing products with these three things in mind: Making Mum's life easier, solving their problem and meet their needs", says Cyndy.

What was the inspiration behind creating Snazzy Baby Knee Pads?

Snazzy Baby Knee Pads were developed after my baby son, Lucas suffered severe rug burn while learning to crawl and walk. As an RN, I had spent many years working in pediatrics and with special needs children and I was aware there was a huge void for these children and no suitable knee protection and it was my strong desire to develop a product which could also be used in special needs situations. When we were testing them our testers and medical professionals I consulted always called them Snazzy Baby Knee Pads and the name just stayed!

What distinguishes your product from others on the market?

We use medical quality Neoprene so it can be used on babies safely by securing firmly around the knees. They will not restrict circulation or movement. The 'traction beads' on the knee pads have been specially developed so they give traction on all floor surfaces - tiles, hardwood, carpet, linoleum and even outdoor surfaces but also allow a little slide so babies and special needs children can move easily! They have been designed for a long time frame of use and the oval pad actually protects the upper shin area as well.


FEATURES:

• Designed for the ultimate protection for babies learning to crawl and walk and have been proven to prevent injuries like bruises, cuts, scraped and tender knees

• The uniquely designed ' Traction Beads ' ensure babies get the right amount of traction to crawl without slipping and sliding on all types of floor surfaces - hardwoods, tiles, carpet and outdoor surfaces.

• The use of medical quality Neoprene gives parents an easy care, soft, durable product which enhances movement without restricting circulation enabling their babies to crawl and wear comfortably while walking or crawling

• Vital safe protection is given also to special needs children with Hemophilia, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida and Muscular Dystrophy etc when exploring floor surfaces.

• Snazzy Baby Knee Pads were developed for a long time frame of use - from 4+ months to 4+ years, from crawling to toddling to bike riding or roller skating with the added benefit they also prevent wear on clothing in those areas prone to wear.

AWARDS

• Award winning - Snazzy Baby Knee Pads were tested independently by iParenting Media for entry in their awards.
  

• In November 2006 Snazzy Baby Knee Pads won in the ' Greatest Products of 2006 ' in the safety category an iParenting Media Award.

PURCHASING:

USA readers please click here

CANADA readers please click here

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND please click here

Other countries please click here

To learn more about the Snazzy Baby Knee Pads plus additional products that are offered by Snazzy Baby please visit: www.snazzybaby.com.au


Success Through Play™ Comments:

We received 2 pairs of Snazzy baby Knee Pads within days of requesting them. We were most impressed with the company's professionalism throughout the several months that we have been in contact with them. The Snazzy Baby Knee Pads are extremely high quality and are designed to fit a range of knee sizes. The traction beads prevent baby from sliding on surfaces and this will allow baby to be more successful in his attempts to crawl and help him to achieve a more coordinated pattern of crawling. The padding protects baby's delicate skin from abrasions. Our parent panel were very excited to let their babies test the knee pads. They reported that the pads were really easy to fasten on their baby's knees and their baby looked comfortable with them on. They noticed an improvement in the quality of their babies crawlings which most likely is a result of the combination of the traction beads and the overall support and comfort of the pads on the babies knees.



The Snazzy Baby Knee Pads allow baby to crawl on many different surfaces safely and comfortably and this product is a perfect fit for our topic of the month "Products that make our lives easier". These pads are used successfully with babies and children who have special needs. Snazzy Baby Knee Pads are being used in a number of University Medical Centers for children with special needs including cerebral palsy and hemophilia which is a true testament to their genuis design and high quality. Cyndy reports: "The American Hemophilia Foundation distributes these knee pads to babies with hemophilia through their Patient Services Items free of charge, regardless of financial status as they have found the knee pads prevent bruising on their delicate vulnerable knees. They also work well protecting the knees of children with Spina Bifida, Cerbral Palsy and Muscular Dystrophy". Any baby who is about to learn how to crawl could benefit from the Snazzy Baby Knee Pads.

It is unfortunate that "crawling" is not considered an important milestone by pediatricians and will often not appear on standard developmental assessments. Occupational therapists understand the benefits and advantages of encouraging your baby to crawl. That being said, babies who are heavier for their height and age and or those who never received adequate tummy time are less likely to crawl due to the increased effort.

Why is crawling so important?

Crawling is a baby's first experience of moving independently. Crawling, is a cross-lateral movement and activates development of the corpus callosum (the nerve pathways between the two hemispheres of the cerebrum). Around 6-8 months baby will learn to balance on their hands and knees. You will notice the baby "rocking" in this position. Crawling will usually follow shortly thereafter. The approx age range for crawling is 6-10 months. Crawling strengthens your baby's entire body, improves their visual skills, offers opportunities for motor planning, improves endurance, body awareness, provides vestibular stimulation and plenty of proprioceptive input to baby's joints. Baby's have the opportunity to crawl over many different surfaces and textures which provide a wonderful opportunity for tactile stimulation. Studies have suggested a relationship between crawling and pencil grip control and visual perceptual skills (several years later). Crawling supports joint control in the shoulder, elbow and lower arm and within the hand. The weight bearing through the hands while crawling builds up the arches of the hand which form a foundation for good fine motor including in-hand manipulation and dexterity, pencil grasp and pencil control control.




How can I encourage my baby to crawl?

• Get down on the floor with your baby!

• Plenty of tummy time. Many experts believe that regular tummy time sessions should be scheduled for at least the first 9 months of your baby's life! Encourage baby to take weight on all four limbs.

• Place toys on the floor just out of his reach. Be patient.

• Once baby is crawling, encourage him/her to crawl for more than 2 months. There is no need to rush this phase or any other phase. Each milestone builds foundation skills for the following milestones so it is important not to rush baby to the finish line!

• Avoid walkers. They should be banned worldwide.

Safety:

Please ensure that your home is safety proof prior to baby starting to crawl. A tip is to get down on all fours and try and imagine the world from your baby's eyes. Remove any potentially hazardous items and baby proof those that can't be removed. Babies should be supervised at all times when crawling.