Guided Feeding Stick
Purpose
Precious, who lives with FOP in Nigeria, created this guided feeding stick to improve her independence during meals. She says,” The Guided Feeding Stick is a soft, holdable stick creatively designed to assist food into my mouth when my hand or jaw movement is limited. I struggled to get food properly into my mouth to swallow after lifting it, especially when my movement was limited. So, I described the idea to my mom, and we created it together. This is something I created from my personal experience living with FOP. Every piece solves a problem I face daily, and if it can help me, it can also help someone else.”
Description
How to make
Items Needed: Stick, Cloth, Foam, Needle, and Thread
- Find and cut a stick to the correct length.
- Wrap cloth around the stick to make it firm and easier to grip
- Add a piece of foam for comfort and safety against the kaw
- Secure edges together with needle and thread.
This tool was created as part of the 2026 Ability Toolbox Homemade Tools Contest. More information about the contest can be found on the IFOPA Webpage. The IFOPA would like to thank The Radiant Hope Foundation for their generous financial support of this program.