Special needs strollers are manufactured by special divisions of the large stroller companies and are targeted to those with limited mobility or motor problems. These products are described under various names: pediatric wheelchairs, handicapped strollers, adaptive pushchairs, or adult strollers. While some look like fancy wheelchairs, others are built to resemble modern jogging strollers used by fitness and running enthusiasts. They have 3 wheels (two in the back, and one up front), large knobby tires (16 to 20 inches) and steel or aluminum metal frames capable of carrying heavy loads. Only a few companies carry these specialty lines and some of the better known brands are as follows: SammonPreston, Kool-Stop, and Adaptive-Star.
All the design elements of Special Needs Strollers are geared to assisting patients who need additional assistance in walking, sitting straight, or who lack sufficient muscle strength to adequately move or position their limbs. These design elements are centered around the following features: foot stays that pivot through 180 degrees, padded-inserts to stablilize the torso, limbs and head, high-grade metal frames that can support loads up to one hundred and ninety-five (195) pounds. This superior carrying capacity makes these adaptive strollers appealing to patients in a wide age range: from infant stage through adulthood, and into the 'plus 50' years.
Stroller Umbrella
When you begin your research into special needs strollers, there are a few things to consider:
1. Begin your education! Sit down with your loved-one's physician and discuss his or her condition and needs. Obviously, you will have to thoroughly understand the diagnosis or condition, and align your equipment purchase to the doctor's prognosis and advice.
2. Talk with the physiotherapist. In many cases, those with diagnosed motor skills challenges are often recommended to physiotherapy programs to strengthen muscles and improve co-ordination. Experienced physiotherapists will often have stock recommendations about the correct equipment solutions for particular conditions. (e.g. different children diagnosed with autism may have a wide range of motor functionality requiring very different solutions)
3. Learn about the different products and which ones are better suited to your loved one's condition. For example: patients who have problems with posture require a positioning chair as opposed to a stroller with an angled recline seat. Positioning chairs correct posture with seat inserts, are more upright in design, have adjustable foot rests, and are often collapsible like standard umbrella strollers. Others have a range of design features: dual front wheels, swiveling front wheels, removable canopies etc.
4. Younger patients and small children will require additional considerations. Firstly, since adaptive strollers can be relatively expensive, it is important the child not outgrow the stroller as time passes. In this case, it is always smart to think long term, looking three to five years down the road. This will also bring up the issue of quality, because only a well-built stroller will stand up to daily use over longer periods. You should also consider all the features that would come standard on ordinary strollers: rain shields, full sun shades, insect screens etc.
Getting the appropriate equipment can go a long way in improving the quality of life for your child - allowing them to enjoy the outdoors and interact with the world as any child does. So do your homework and remember these guidelines when choosing a special needs stroller.
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