Eight-year-old Gavin has been through more than most adults ever will. He was born with Down Syndrome, a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot, and a condition called duodenal atresia in which his stomach was not connected to his intestines, making eating by mouth impossible until it was corrected. He had open heart surgery at 18 days old to help his heart pump oxygen rich blood more effectively and allow Gavin to survive on room air rather than requiring a ventilator. He has had 15 surgeries in his short 8 years and many complications along the way.

Through it all, Gavin’s love for playing outside has always remained. He loves to slide and play independently! When asked about a wish for Gavin, his family went back and forth a lot on what it should be. Gavin is non-verbal and his family worried that he may not be able to ask for his wish. Gavin’s mom spoke with his preschool teacher and kindergarten teacher as they were considering what to do. They ultimately decided on an adaptive playset because it would give him moments of joy in a way that was accessible to him over and over again. It was important to the family that he have independence as he played so that whether he was sick or well, he could still do something that makes him happy and feel strong doing it.

Due to some of the medical complications Gavin has experienced over the years, the playset needed to have adaptive elements in order for him to be able to play independently while remaining safe. We worked with a local playset company to work with Gavin’s family and his support teams to design a structure that works for him. The stairs are more narrow than typical playset stairs and they are at a height that is specific to Gavin, giving him the support he needs to climb. The support pieces on the rock wall were measured next to one of Gavin’s shoes to ensure they are large enough for his full foot to rest on them as he climbs. Gavin can truly play and explore on his own any time he wants!