Manual wheelchair featuring a pink frame, standard seating system, built-in tilt-in-space mechanism, chest harness, lateral support, straps, vent tray, activity tray, oxygen holder, and IV pole.
This pediatric wheelchair is easy to manoeuvre and transport if you only carry the patient with minimal baggage! In our case, my child is medically complex and requires the use of life-support equipment. The load of a ventilator, pulse oximeter, oxygen tank, emergency bag, and the essential items to care for a child with special needs is too much for the wheelchair. The total weight of my child, equipment, and wheelchair together is 173 lbs. That’s a very heavy load for a caregiver!
To be fair, the wheelchair is a good piece of equipment, offering comfortable seating and easy manoeuvrability on smooth, level terrain. As a pediatric wheelchair, it can also be adjusted as the child grows. However, the modifications needed to accommodate extraordinary needs fall short. Currently, we cannot recline my child’s seat because the oxygen tank and vent tray are modified and mounted at the back of the wheelchair, stacked on top of each other. For a child with respiratory issues, positioning is very important; unfortunately, not being able to recline the seat is an inconvenience. We hope our feedback resonates with the special needs community and, more importantly, influences those who work making adaptive equipment.
