PEDIATRIC POWER MOBILITY
PEDIATRIC POWER WHEELCHAIRS
A COMPARISON OF AVAILABLE OPTIONS
Early pediatric power wheelchairs were mostly sized-down versions of adult power bases. Some current pediatric power bases are the same size as an adult base, just with smaller seating. Other pediatric options are built for children’s needs from the ground up. In the comparison chart on pages 24 and 25, current pediatric power wheelchairs are shown side-by-side with features such as available seating dimensions, drive wheel configuration and power seating options. No one power wheelchair will meet every child’s needs, and many of these bases include options to further customize the final product.
Growth is an important consideration for children. Each of these pediatric power wheelchairs includes growth in the frame, which is also dependent on the starting width, depth and height for an individual child. Growth can also be built into many seating systems. As this creates quite a potential range of growth, available growth is not included in this chart. It is important to consider available growth in each power base and seating system combination. In addition, this chart does not address transport issues as this is a complex issue we hope to address in a future article.
Current pediatric power wheelchair options are varied and innovative! Let’s get those kids moving!
Links for Pediatric Power Wheelchair Comparison chart (See pages 24 and 25), in order:
