Friday, July 31, 2009

Locating the Right Wheelchair for Children

By John Wretz

Sometimes, out of some tragic incident, children get hurt and they may suffer from some physical trauma that impede some parts of their body to function properly - whether temporarily or permanently.

On some occasion, the legs are what have been injured, impeding their walking functions. As if this isn't bad enough, children will now either have to learn how to walk on crutches for a little while, or they will have to move around bound to a wheelchair.

Helping children get their mobility back is very important because this will help them comprehend what happened to them, how to overcome this obstacle; and finally, get their confidence and self-respect back.

This is why locating the right wheelchair that will best suit your child is likewise very important.

Depending on the need of your kid, there are several kinds of wheelchairs that you can consider when thinking about what kind of wheelchair will be suitable for your child. From frames to seats, wheels, controls, size and material; wheelchairs for children have a lot of variety.

Nevertheless, most of these wheelchairs are not heavy and very easy to maneuver - some even come with their own controls so the child won't have to stir the wheels when he or she wants to move.

The sizes are also not very big, making it easy to take along when traveling or going somewhere. As these are children's wheelchairs, it is best to ask your pediatrician about the details of the wheelchair that will best support your child move around in the most comfortable and simplest way possible.

If your child will have to be bound to a wheelchair for a longer time - perhaps all his life - this kind of adjustment will be very hard both for the family and the child.

Family members while providing the kid the utmost care, love and understanding; they shouldn't be patronizing to the point that the child will feel terrible all the more. This is particularly true for parents.

Should the need arise, counseling with professional child psychologists should be done to help the child and the family cope with this change in lifestyle. In the end, the aim is to allow the child get a handle on what has happened in his own time and terms; with the guidance of family and friends.

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