Wheelchairs and Seating

If a child or adolescent is unable to walk, or if walking requires so much energy that it is inefficient, an alternative means of independent mobility is crucial. During rehabilitation, patients are evaluated for a wheelchair and seating system that meets their specific functional and positioning needs.

Developmentally, if a child was walking prior to injury, he/she should be independent with mobility, through either a power or manual wheelchair, depending on the level of injury and functional abilities.
The wheelchair evaluations consist of a dynamic team, which includes the patient and caregiver, to determine the most appropriate technology system. 

Currently, evidence-based practice is used to determine an appropriate wheelchair set-up. We try to match children with wheelchairs using the best scientific practices. We at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia are working on improving these practices to find what works best for children and adolescents.

Each patient with loss or limitation of sensation, undergoes a "pressure mapping" evaluation, which allows the therapist to see whether the cushion the patient is using offers sufficient pressure relief and distribution to minimize the risk of pressure ulcer development.