Pediatric strollers or wheelchairs are a great convenience when traveling with children outside of the house and around town.  Pushing a stroller is easier for a mother than lugging the child around in her arms or in a baby backpack.  For many parents, pushing a child along in a stroller can be relaxing and family-centered.  The problem arises when the parents have to transport the child and wheelchair in a van or bus. Once the parents push the stroller out to the van, they then have to take the baby out of the stroller, put the baby into a car seat, unload the stroller, fold it up and then place it in the back of the van.  If the family is using the city bus system, the stroller dance will have to be done again on the public bus.  And if the parent has a special needs child, putting the child into a special needs stroller or wheelchair usually encompasses more rearranging due to the more specialized padding and support.

Rehabmart has come to the rescue of parents everywhere.  Rehabmart offers a number of pediatric wheelchairs and strollers that are compliant to the national safety standards for wheelchairs for transportation in motor vehicles and school and public buses.  These wheelchairs/strollers carry the WC19 label which means that the manufacturer has designed the wheelchair for use as a seat in a motor vehicle, meaning that the wheelchair has passed a standardized crash test, proving its ability to withstand the forces of a 30 mph change in velocity.  Additionally, the WC19 means the wheelchair/stroller has options for securing straps which a person can easily tie down with one hand.  The ADA requires all public buses and para-transit vehicles to be equipped with two wheelchair stations and the securement straps to tie down the wheelchair to the floor of the vehicle, allowing conditions to use the safe WC19 labeled wheelchair.

The following wheelchairs and strollers are just a few of the superior quality WC19 transport chairs offered by Rehabmart.

 

The Wallaby Pediatric Folding Wheelchair, when using the headrest extension, will provide additional head support for taller users, will help prevent head whiplash during a rear end collision, and its "H" harness is WC19 compliant.  The five-point harness will securely and comfortably help keep the child safe in the wheelchair in case of an accident.  The Wallaby comes with a powder-coated colored steel frame with a black cross brace, height adjustable push handles, flip-back padded desk length arms, a swing-away footrest, and other options for the safety and comfort of both child and caregiver.  The Wallaby has a weight capacity of 150 pounds which will fit most children and small adults.

  

The Convaid Convertible Transit Upright Wheelchair is durable, compact, and lightweight.  The nice thing about this wheelchair is the five inches of seat depth which will allow five years of growth of the child while using the same chair, eliminating custom and expensive modifications and allowing parents to make the growth adjustments themselves.  Each chair includes the correct anatomical growth range based on hip width, assisting parents in the correct adjustments throughout the years of use.  This wheelchair comes with many options for children with special needs, among them is a 10-degree fixed tilt and a transit option.

 

The Kanga TS Pediatric Folding Tilt-In-Space Wheelchair is an ideal WC19 compliant wheelchair for children with limited upper body control and other special needs.  The Kanga is lightweight and is designed to accommodate children from four years old and up to a small adult.  The Kanga comes fully equipped for special needs children and adults, so there isn't a long option menu to worry about when choosing the correct chair.  Some of the highlights of the Kanga are the aluminum lightweight frame, a five point harness, a depth adjustable abductor, lateral supports, hip guides, and a curved headrest.  Other helpful features include height and angle adjustable flip-back armrests along with tilt-in-space capabilities up to 35 degrees. The Kanga has also been crash-tested and deemed safe for bus transit.

  

The Lisa Special Needs Stroller is a WC19 compliant folding, stable and lightweight wheelchair that is for children who are between a children's solution and an adult chair.  The seat depth, lower leg length and back height can all be adjusted for different body sizes, meaning that the Lisa stroller can be used over a long period of time or for more than one child's utilization.  The back rest can be adjusted by 30 degrees which allows the child a more relaxed position when using the stroller.  This stroller also comes with a large variety of accessories for different clinical indications, abilities, and uses.

Having a WC19 compliant wheelchair or stroller is the best of both worlds for users and caregivers alike.  Parents love the safety, comfort, and ease of these wheelchairs, making life easier and more fun during times of transportation of the family, or for the child going to school in a school bus.  A child's safety and comfort is a huge concern for parents and having a crash-tested, transporting wheelchair can bring some relief and comfort to parents, knowing that their child is traveling in the most secure mode possible.

Bill Stock
Executive Editor,
Content & Social Media Services
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO