Pediatric wheelchairs come in all shapes and sizes. There are a few important things to remember when you’re choosing wheelchairs for children, that you might not think of if you’re only familiar with adult wheelchairs.

1. Can the wheelchair grow with the child?
2. Can the child get in and out of the chair on his own or will he require assistance from friends and teachers?
3. When seated in the chair, is your child tall enough to reach tables and counter tops?
4. How big are his friends? Will your child be able to socialize comfortably from his chair?
5. Special needs of the child. Can your child use his arms with a manual chair or will he need more support?

Some children do very well with a walker or manual wheelchair that is small enough for them to get in and out of easily, should they want to play on the floor and that keeps them on eye level with their friends. Another advantage of manual wheelchairs is the exercise they provide. Wheelchair users who have full use of their upper body often benefit greatly from the cardiovascular and muscular exertion that their manual wheelchairs require.

However, if your child is not able to use his arms well, a child-size electric wheelchair might turn out to be the order of the day. There are many wheelchairs on the market that can be expanded to grow with your child as he increases in size. They can also be raised up or tilted back to help with the care and feeding of your youngster.

In the case of a child with special needs, consult with his physician and physical therapist to make sure the wheelchair you decide on can meet his needs comfortably but doesn’t come equipped with a lot of bells and whistles you don’t want to pay for and your child will never miss.

Considerations When Looking At Wheelchair Models

When shopping for different wheelchair models, there are many factors to take into consideration. And because every person’s needs are different in a wheel chair, it would be wise to look at each model, and then carefully choose the right chair or scooter for you.

One of the most important things to look for in a wheelchair or scooter model is how the chair folds or collapses for storage. If you or a caregiver will be loading and unloading and the your wheelchair frequently, choose a model of wheelchair that makes this easy. This should be a major point to consider. Some models simply fold up neatly, while other electronic chair models require that the entire seat be taken out before the chair can be folded.

The tilt and recline options are also vital to the selection of your wheeled chair model. Some people require a tilt or recline in their electronic chairs because of medical conditions, while others couldn’t tolerate such an option in their chair on wheels. If you do need this option in your wheelchair, be sure to pay attention at how easy it is to use; you don’t want to struggle every time you want to tilt or recline your wheeled chair.

Some scooter models offer IV poles. This can be useful when in a medical situation where tube feeding or other treatments are necessary. If this is a requirement for you, be sure to select a model of wheel chair that provides one.

Finally, some electronic and manual chair models offer a rear facing feature. You can remove the handle and place it on the other side, or take out the seat of the wheelchair and turn it around. This can be useful if the person in the electronic chair needs careful monitoring.

Whatever wheelchair model you select, it should make your life easier, and not more difficult. By paying attention to the little things that make a scooter unique, you will end up happier with your purchase.