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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

I need a small (ie folds small), but supportive pushchair.

16 replies

hazeyjane · 19/07/2011 21:56

I'm probably asking a bit much from a pushchair here!

I have to take ds (1 with low muscle tone and developmental delays) on a bus every day (for the school run), with my 4 and 5 yr old dds. Up until now i have carried him in a sling, but he is getting very big and heavy, and i have a20 minute walk home which is starting to kill me.

The bus has no space at all for pushchairs (it is an old coach), but the driver said if it could fold small enough, then i could put it on the seat next to me.

Any ideas of a pushchair that could fold this small, but might have a bit of support for ds?

Thankyou

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smugtandemfeeder · 19/07/2011 22:19

What about a Quinny Zap. No idea if its supportive enough but it goes up to 15kgs and folds small and is ultra light weight. Seems to have very supportive straps on it.

pramworld

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hazeyjane · 20/07/2011 10:52

Thankyou Smug, that looks perfect, yikes at cost though! I will have a trawl on ebay, we are already a bit overrun with pushchairs!

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Chundle · 20/07/2011 12:06

I will second the quinny (although I have quinny buzz 3) my dd is 2 and she never sat up properly in any buggy - until I bought the quinny it fan and she loves it! Mine has reversible seat as well so can face you x

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MugglesandLuna · 20/07/2011 12:17

Quinny zapp doesnt recline thoough, and has a really small seat. My DS couldnt get on with it at all.

There was a buggy on Dragons Den - let me see if I can find it.

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MugglesandLuna · 20/07/2011 12:21

here

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proudmum74 · 20/07/2011 13:18

Hi - my dd has Down's so also has relatively poor muscle tone. I have a ridiculously small boot on my car, so need a compact pushchair that provided enough support for everyday use. I ended up buying the Baby Jogger city mini & it's the best purchase ever!

It folds / unfolds in seconds, can be lowered into a sleeping position without waking dd, is easy to push around the shops one handed (for when dd needs a hugs / is being nosy / wants everyone to appreciate how cute she is...) & can fit easily into my tiny car.

They tend to do some great deals at Tesco Direct & Mothercare - Its retail price is about £230, but I managed to buy mine for £130 @ Mothercare (as they allow you to use your vouchers on the full retail price in addition to price matching).

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zzzzz · 20/07/2011 13:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TotalChaos · 20/07/2011 16:12

would a mclaren volo have neough support? www.mothercare.com/dp/B003606F3W?ref=sr_11_1

they are v easy to fold, can be done with one hand IIRC, as it is umbrella fold, and would fit onto a seat.

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helpforautism · 20/07/2011 18:26

Have you spoken to your OT? Or if you dont have an OT get one! both my sons have been provided suitable pushchairs/wheelchairs by the wheelchair assessment centre and they take all your circumstances into account and then it is effectively loaned to you by the NHS? In the meantime I would look at a basic Macclaren as this these are quite often recommended to SN children anyway

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hazeyjane · 20/07/2011 20:10

Well, we have atm we have a Maclaren xt, which was too big for the bus, and which they said was a health and safety risk, so it needs to fold smaller than that.

I'll have a look at all these, I'm probably best to haul my tired arse to an actual shop armed with a list of possibles and try them out.

Zzzz, I know, the bike solution has crossed my mind, but I know that my dds would want to actually cycle their own bikes, which might be a solution in the future, but atm gives me palpitations to think about it. We have had a nightmarish year trying to sort out the school run, and the bus was working out very well (in the not too distant future they will be able to catch it on their own). Hopefully I can find something, not too expensive for the short term future.

I will mention it to OT, but we are on the waiting list for a bath seat atm, and the other day the ot rang me to say that we might want to buy our own, as the wait is likely to be a long one , so i don't hold out much hope for a pushchair!

Thankyou so much for all these suggestions, I really thought my only option was going to be one of those flimsy things you get for a tenner from Tesco!

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keepingupwiththejoneses · 20/07/2011 20:16

petite star zia is almost the same as the quinny but reclines and has a shopping basket. I have heard many sn mums on here talking about it.

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sneezecakesmum · 20/07/2011 20:36

DGS, still under 3 is on his 6th pushchair (CP with low trunk tone, but sits fairly well). McClaren (pliko?) awful because of the stupid harness and support. Looked at quinny zapp, good support, but very tiny seat. Halfords have them so try there for size!

Cheap as chips chicco - lovely pusher, light and minimal space umbrella fold - no support in the back so in a rounded back slumpy position .

Mini city jogger, light, super easy to fold and carry handle! very roomy, possible not enough support for the slumpy back? Again try this out - DGS arched and ended up very slumpy again. Don't touch the Hauck shopper with a barge pole! The lightest of the lot and actually fits in my miniscule boot but steers like a one legged drunk.

My bets on the mini city (lots on ebay!) once you have tried it for slumpiness! We now have a Swifty SN buggy (from wheelchair services) with trunk support but you'd have to be a weight lifter to get this on a bus. Your physio/OT won't help much with commercial brands but they will advise on the importance of trunk support, though as its for such a short period it wont hurt I am sure.

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hazeyjane · 01/08/2011 09:52

Ok, just thought I'd update you!

Dh bought a Baby Jogger city on ebay last night, I had loads on watch as it looked as though i may be able to replace all our pushchairs with this one. I have just realised that the one he bought is not the mini or the micro - it looks as though it has the same easy fold, but is a bit larger and heavier.

Fingers crossed it will fit on the bus!

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MrsVictorUbogu · 02/08/2011 00:49

Surely the driver could stow the buggy in the bottom of the coach....you know the big flaps that open (not sure what they are called). It would only take him two minutes. It seems madness that you have to wedge the buggy in the seat beside you...what if it was a wheelchair or Major buggy.....I wonder if they would be treated in the same way?

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InfestationofLannisters · 02/08/2011 07:42

I have a Baby Jogger and it's the fifth best one I've had so far. It is big unfolded but folds smaller than you would imagine and very easily. The best thing about it is that when your child is bigger (DS is four) they can't drag their feet on the floor ruining shoes and impeding progress. It corners like it's on rails too.

Good luck on the bus!

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hazeyjane · 02/08/2011 08:19

MrsVictorUbogu, I guess if it was ds going to school with a wheelchair/macmajor (rather than us just trying to get the dds up there) then they would have to make an effort to accomodate him.

Also it is such a faff trying to get all of them on them on the bus with bags etc, whilst all the other kids are piling on and off the bus, I just want it to be as simple as possible!

Lannisters, great to hear that it has been a success for you, i just can't wait for it to arrive now!