Disabled child/double buggy conundrum

cymrubaby

Quick question here.

My 4 year old son is disabled and whenever I am out on my own with him and my other children I use a double buggy to put him and my 20 month old in. My 4 year old cannot walk whatsoever so he needs a constant, steady seat.

My double buggy is a huge, meddlesome thing that will soon be made redundant as I am expecting another baby next month. I'd like to buy a small tandem double buggy to which I can attach a buggy pod to make a third seat with the intention of new baby going in back, my 4 yr old going in front and my 20 month old going in the attachment which should attach next to my older son at the front.

The thing is, even though my 4 yr old is the size of a 12-18 month old and is around 86cms tall, his legs are quite long and gangly (think Kermit) and he doesn't have enough use of them to rest them properly on the footrest - he leaves them hang down. All the new buggies I've looked at are quite low to the ground which means his feet are hitting the wheels. Anyone know of a double buggy that is quite high off the floor. He cannot sit in the attachment as it doesn't provide adequate support and our current double pram does not allow the attachment to be attached so we definitely have to buy a new one. I don't want to buy a triple buggy as no doubt my 20 month old will soon be old enough to want to constantly walk everywhere and then i'll just need a double buggy for the baby and my 4 yr old so i'll simply take the third seat attachment off.

Any advice gratefully received - thanks.

mspig

When my sister's son had leukemia(aged 2) she was pregnant with here third daughter and due to all the chemo and drugs etc he couldn't walk fare so she was after a double buggy for them both to go in - anyhow she contacted her local coucil(its a small village she lives in) and they said that they would give her £250.00 for a new buggy, but on enquiring to silvercross place about a double buggy for the two of them, they suggested a place down south where they made the buggies for disabled kiddies with siblings and there made to what you need, so she contacted them and went through the details and it turns out it was a charity and they would make the buggy and have it delivered, when she enquired as to how much they told her its nothing as their a charity that just deal in buggies for disabled children.

I will contact her later for you and see if she still has the details of them if you would like me to - as they would be able to come up with an idea as how to have the three seats etc.

cymrubaby

Thanks ever so much for that - I would be so grateful if she has any details. The place sounds wonderful!

jennet1

I will contact her later for you and see if she still has the details of them if you would like me to - as they would be able to come up with an idea as how to have the three seats etc.[/quote]

I would love to know some details, as your situation sounds very simaler to mine (only not yet pregnant! although the buggy situation is one of the major things that is stopping us going for it). I tried out some tandem buggies in mothercare with ds1 age 4 in the front and found it horrendious to steer. we have been given a major buggy from the OT which is great for long legs! could you get one one these and attach to a double buggy for the younger 2? dont actually know if this is a good solution only thinking out loud really

bertha

Try contacting Fledglings
"Fledglings is a national charity which aims to assist parents and carers of disabled children, or those with additional needs of any kind, by identifying, sourcing and supplying practical, affordable products to address every day issues.

Our approach is to focus on finding solutions to difficulties which arise as a consequence of the disability, rather than on the disability itself."

https://www.fledglings.org.uk

blue_monkey_2

HI OP,

Have you tried the Phil & Teds Explorer? I had one of these and reluctantly gave it up when my son was 4 but your son could go into the top seat and the baby in the back. Here is the range: http://www.kiddicare.com/_buggies/phil-and-ted-double-buggy.htm

With my son we found he pushed down when having a tantrum (he is ASD) so we got some double sides velcro and strapped the footrest up so if he pushed it did not push on the wheel.

Mothercare stock them, why not go and take your little man and see how the fit is with him in the back and the front. I would put him in the top while the baby is small and then when the baby gets bigger put your son in the back of the buggy as his legs will fit into the footwell. I also found that my son could hang his legs either side of the front wheel and they did not interfere with the wheels at all when it was used just for him. My DD fitted into this buggy when we was in the US and she is a tall age 5 so you can get LOADS of life from this buggy. When your middle child is able to be walked and then when your baby is old enough to walk you'll be able to put it back to a single buggy for your DS so you will not be stuck with a double buggy.

mspig

Hi, the buggy was paid for by The association of wheelchair children who told her to write to them telling them with what kind of buggy she needed, they wrote back granting it - the wheel chair was built by a company called Gordons products and services in Salford and given to the charity who sent it on to my sister.
http://www.wheelchairchildren.org.uk/ -- web address for the charity.

She also had another buggy around two years later from a chairty called Whizz kidz
http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk

She said that she got the charity details from the British Red Cross who provided her with a list of charities who deal with buggies/wheel chairs for kids.

Hope these details help.

parapusher

You could try contacting REMAP :
http://www.remap.org.uk/
they have branches all over the country.
They make equipment for disabled people which is not readily available. They have made us a wheelchair ramp, but I know that they have adjusted buggies, wheelchairs etc to make them suitable for people's individual needs.

longhotbath

Hi - I wouldnt recommend the phil and teds for anyone over 5. We are having huge problems steering it as my son is too long - either his feet drag on the ground, or we bend his knees and put them on the front plate which means that I cannot move the wheel.
Your wheelchair service may be able to give you a voucher to spend on one that can be adapted. I have seen a blade with a buggy pod attached to welded horizontal bars. Not easy to fold up and pop in a boot though.
Good luck!

blue_monkey_2

LHB, the OP's son is the size of a 12-18 month old child but with longer legs, this is why I suggested it.

In regard to the feet resting on the wheel - you can put a strap across the frame above the wheel, under the footplate cover so it cannot be seen, and it stops the feet resting on the wheel. This never happened with the early P&T Explorers but I think it is a huge design flaw in the models from 2006 upwards IMO (and I emailed and told them so!) but we got around this with the strap, it only cost £1.50 for some double sided velcro which we wrapped around, went across the frame, and then wrapped around the other side and then put the cover back on. No more rubbing on the wheel!!

longhotbath

blue_monkey wrote: »

LHB, the OP's son is the size of a 12-18 month old child but with longer legs, this is why I suggested it.

In regard to the feet resting on the wheel - you can put a strap across the frame above the wheel, under the footplate cover so it cannot be seen, and it stops the feet resting on the wheel. This never happened with the early P&T Explorers but I think it is a huge design flaw in the models from 2006 upwards IMO (and I emailed and told them so!) but we got around this with the strap, it only cost £1.50 for some double sided velcro which we wrapped around, went across the frame, and then wrapped around the other side and then put the cover back on. No more rubbing on the wheel!!

Thanks Bluemonkey.
I have an e3 explorer - 2004, and a few friends who also use them locally.
I will try the velcro to see if it helps us - its is awful on the occasions that I have the 5 (nearly 6) and 3.5 year old.
The kimbaspring does come with a baby seat, but only for a baby 6 months and up. The kimbaspring is a supportive positional seating system and may be far too much support. Its also hard to fold with the additional seat.
The company which makes phil & teds do another buggy type - the adventure buggy. If you google it it will come up with abcbuggy.co.nz or similar. It looks like the P&T, but has a stronger hood and you can put other seating ontop. They are also on youtube. One of my friends has ordered one for non walking 6 and 3 year olds with new born.

Our wheelchair service suggested a hippyseat, sling or baby backpack type thing.

I think that the buggy manufacturers are missing out on recognising that there is a large market for buggies for older children with mobility issues who have younger siblings!!