Height-adjustable, versatile and adaptive – wheelchairs for kids

A wheelchair should fit your needs and support your life wherever it may take you. In theory, you can find the perfect model from many available options. But for one group of people, the choices are more limited – children. Meanwhile, they are the ones in dire need of assistive technology that helps them play with their friends and fosters their independence.

Parents are all too familiar with their children’s growth spurts when suddenly none of their clothes fit them anymore. That is why a wheelchair should grow with the child and ideally continue to adapt to the child’s changing needs. It should also be comfortable and supportive to help reduce the chance of developing (additional) deformities of the spine in the future. These unique requirements can try your patience as you attempt to find the perfect device. But: there is demand and the selection of wheelchairs for children is slowly increasing. "There has been a significant increase in enquiries about assistive technologies for children," says Stefan Ludwig, Head of Wheelchair Systems at PARAVAN GmbH.

In February, the manufacturer that specializes in vehicle conversions, launched a new power wheelchair for children on the market. The new PARAVAN PR 35 S meets the many needs and demands of children and their parents. It is small, compact, colorful, and versatile. Whether the user is a preschooler or teenager – the PR 35 S features a flexible, adjustable seat concept that grows in all directions. The seat and back width, the backrest angle and backrest height, and the headrest can be individually adjusted. This makes the wheelchair suitable for small children sized 1.10 meters and up.

The power wheelchair has many special features: The Swabian inventors installed an extra quiet motor and managed to pack it all into a chassis that is 30 percent smaller than conventional models. This turned out to be a real challenge for the PARAVAN engineers. During the development phase, the company conducted many tests in multiple facilities that involved the wheelchair’s future users. "This feedback gave us important development impulses," says Ludwig. As it turned out, the power wheelchair was originally too wide for aisles and would not fit behind a school bench. To make sure that the children are on a level playing field not just during school lessons but also on the playground, the wheelchair has a standing frame. The power wheelchair features a memory function that recalls any saved position. At the push of a button, the child can automatically move into the "familiar and optimal standing position," says Ludwig. This allows the little explorers to gain a brand-new perspective.

The Flash wheelchair by Meyra also invites kids to zoom and flash around…true to its name. This folding active wheelchair is very zippy because it is lightweight, dynamic, incredible agile and easy to maneuver. Whether you choose yours in orange, metallic green or tornado red, you will get noticed in your Meyra lightning bolt no matter whether you are in kindergarten, preschool, or elementary school. The seat unit can be individually adjusted thanks to an adapter or the telescopic back unit. The Flash also features plenty of legroom.

The Netti brand is also part of the Meyra Group. This renowned brand is known for its special seating systems. The Netti S has been a part of the Group’s product portfolio since November of last year.  The tilt-in-space wheelchair allows for different seat to back angles to accommodate the child’s activity level. The many adjustment options of the wheelchair support the growth of the child. The combination hand/foot brake ensures safety.

The Netti also comes in a dynamic version which was especially designed for children and adolescents with severe movement disorders. This model immediately absorbs the involuntary movement of the user thanks to the dynamic seat and back system as well as the leg supports, facilitating a return to the original resting position after the spasm is over. Both wheelchair versions can be easily folded down for easy transport.

And since young people's tastes, needs, interests, and concerns tend to change quickly, there are many accessories to help keep their wheelchairs up to date and stylish.

Whether it’s a power or manual wheelchair - children and adolescents should always be able to let off steam and grow up with no unnecessary barriers in their way. Assistive technology companies like Meyra and PARAVAN play their part in allowing children to be happy and carefree and their parents to enjoy a more optimistic outlook for the future.