Climbing up and down
Special
stairs
The differently-abled
child with sufficient motor ability to move without the use of a wheelchair
can be made reach higher levels also by the use of special stairs.
These stairs should have steps with a lower height and wide deep tread,
to make it easier for a crawling child or one who can use only their arms
to climb up. These steps should be fabricated or covered with low impact thermal
material, be non slippery, draining and have a certain smoothness.
At the base of the stairs there should be a “transfer platform”,
a landing, connected with the stairs, to allow the passage of wheelchairs to
the platform itself, to be able to then access the stairs without the need
of assistance.
It would be interesting if the transfer platform were composed of at
least two floors of different heights, so that its use could be extended.
The actual stairs should in any case arrive to the ground.
The stairs should also be fitted with side protections to avoid falls. The
presence of handrails, handles, or other types of handholds could be useful
at the side of the stairs, at different heights to offer the differently-abled
child the possibility to stand up or pull himself up with more ease.