How to choose the appropriate wheelchair for a child with Cerebral Palsy?
Before choosing an appropriate chair, it is important to know the type of diagnosis that we are dealing with. Let’s investigate childhood cerebral palsy a bit.
Childhood cerebral palsy is the permanent disorder of movement and posture (paralysis) that appears in childhood. It is not a single disease but encompasses a wide variety of syndromes that permanently injure the brain during development.
Nowadays, there is a consensus that cerebral palsy as a group of disorders of movement and postural development, causing limitations in activity that are attributed to a non-progressive aggression on a developing brain in the fetal or early years.
Childhood Cerebral Palsy affects a child’s tone, stance, vision, hearing, language, sensory disorders, cognition, communication, perception, behavior, among others.
After assessing the diagnosis of cerebral palsy, it is important to ensure adequate positioning for the development of the infant. Therefore, we will consider the following points when choosing a specialized wheelchair for users with cerebral palsy.
1. Age: Knowing the infant’s age, we can recommend a chair model for an early age or a model for growth.
2. Diagnosis: We already know that the child has cerebral palsy, but we need to assess the degree of classification of childhood cerebral palsy. (It is useful for the orientation of the type of chair, and thus, the evolutionary prognosis).
3. Presence of deformities: Are there are deformities, dislocations, or physical limitations present? This determines the requirements for the positioning system that will be implemented on the chair.
4. Time of evolution: This will guide us in determining if the diagnosis is from birth or was acquired later and helps us choose the optimal chair.
5. Means of feeding: Is the user is fed by mouth or gastrostomy tube (G-tube or PEG tube)?
6. Time of use: Will the user be using the chair a few hours a day or more than 5 hours a day?
7. Level of Independence: Is the user is able to use the chair by themselves, or do they require total dependence to mobilize it.
8. If tilt or manual tilting is required: This point is of great importance. According to the level of independence of the user, we will recommend a manual tilt chair from 0 to 45 degrees, 0 to 60 degrees, or tilting fixed at 6 degrees.
9. If the chair has a growth kit: The child is in a developmental state, so it is important to know if the chair has a growth kit.
10.Warranty: Verify that the purchased chair has a warranty on the frame and in the other parts, to guarantee an excellent purchase.
These are some of the points that we can consider when choosing a wheelchair for children with cerebral palsy. We must never forget that each child or young person is different in their anatomical structure, height, weight, and diagnosis. It is wrong to accept a wheelchair that tells them that the chair is standard for every child.
The chairs for children with cerebral palsy MUST BE SPECIALIZED, tailored and guaranteed for excellent position of the child from the first day of purchase.
The Zippie Iris has a wide range of movement and allows for constant changes of pressure points to avoid ulcers, control muscle tone and increase circulation, all for the benefit of the child.
If we add to this chair an excellent positioning system such as our JAY cushions and backs, we improve the child's posture, avoid the increase of deformities / contractures and improve the quality of life of the child with cerebral palsy.
Do not forget that when you get to acquire a specialized wheelchair, ask for a medical professional, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or sales consultant who has the knowledge in the valuation, measurement, and positioning of wheelchairs for children with cerebral palsy
“ Fear is the Biggest Disability of all.”
-Nic Vuijicic
