In a regular bed, he tosses and turns all night. In the CloudCuddle, he feels safe and protected.
The freedom to go on holiday in a normal way
"About two or three years ago, I first came across the CloudCuddle at a care fair," says Erica van der Vlist. Her son Jayden, now 11 years old, tried out the bed tent on the spot—and it went well. “I ordered a CloudCuddle right away. Jayden was getting too big for a travel cot, so I was already looking for a solution that would allow us to keep going on holiday together, to a cottage at a holiday park of our choice.”
A second bed tent
The mother of four children, aged between 27 and 11, is now even planning to buy a second bed tent. “Jayden now stays over at my eldest daughter’s place every Friday. Even though the CloudCuddle is easy to set up and take down, it’s a lot of hauling every week,” says Erica. Hence, a second one. And the bed tent isn’t the only care item that goes back and forth.
Multiple surgeries
Jayden was born with spina bifida, more commonly known as an ‘open spine’. Shortly after birth, he underwent his first surgery to insert a shunt to drain fluid from his brain. More surgeries followed, along with other serious challenges, such as the RSV virus, which once led his mother to resuscitate him. “Luckily, I have a first aid certificate. But with such a tiny baby, you do wonder: how do I even do this?” Fortunately, everything turned out well.
Oxygen treatment
Jayden had to stay in the hospital for a long time early in life, partly because he needed oxygen for an extended period. Eventually, he was allowed to go home—first with oxygen, then without. By that point, he had already undergone seven surgeries. “I don’t scare easily, I stay calm,” says Erica matter-of-factly, “but I did have a lot of worries, especially with three other kids at home.”
Switched to a personal care budget
Jayden received home care during the first few years, but frequent changes in caregivers made him restless: a new face every time. “When my daughter was old enough, we switched to a personal care budget (PGB) so she could be paid to care for Jayden. That was about seven years ago. In addition, she, my partner, and I care for him as informal caregivers.”
Handling with care
Jayden uses a wheelchair, has a catheter and a stoma, and the family regularly performs bowel flushes. Because his oxygen levels drop at night—causing poor sleep and fatigue—he’s currently undergoing PEP therapy to make breathing easier. “Jayden doesn’t express pain, so we have to watch him closely,” Erica explains.
Essential care aids
Jayden has been through a lot medically in his young life, so having good care aids is extra important—things like a personal van, a hoist, a safety bed, and the CloudCuddle. These tools help make caregiving a bit easier.
“Jayden weighs 26 kilos, so we always lift him into the bed tent together. At home, he sleeps in a safety bed and can partially transfer himself from his wheelchair to bed—we just give him a little push and he rolls right in,” his mother explains.
The hoist is also a great help. But these aids don’t come cheap. “We didn’t get reimbursement for the first bed tent through the WMO. But I’ll try again when we buy the second one.” We’ll see how that goes. “I’m an accountant myself, so I know care costs—like a CloudCuddle or a large van—are tax-deductible above a certain threshold. That helps.”
Going on holiday
Jayden attends special education, can speak in short sentences, understands a lot of what’s happening around him, but struggles to express himself. He uses a speech computer for that. When he hears the word “holiday,” he points to the CloudCuddle and asks, “Take it?” The mobile bed tent gives Jayden the safety and calm he needs. “In a regular bed, he tosses and turns all night. In the CloudCuddle, he feels safe and protected. It’s truly a brilliant invention—he loves it. The bed tent is his; no one else is allowed to sleep in it—not even his brother or niece,” Erica adds.
Easy to set up
Jayden’s mother finds the CloudCuddle easy to set up and take down. “It’s pretty self-explanatory,” she says. Due to her own condition, fibromyalgia, she struggles a bit with the clips because of limited hand strength. “But the bed tent gives you freedom. You can go on holiday with the family in a normal way. You’re not dependent on organized or specialized holidays. If there’s a single bed, you can use the CloudCuddle. Amazing.”
Are you a parent of a child with a disability and want to try the CloudCuddle for a weekend first? You can! Just request a trial weekend or rent a bed tent through CloudCuddle.