To not want ds to have a wheelchair?

[ApignamedJasper]

Ds has a disability and uses a SN pushchair.

Unfortunately, as I don't drive and we walk a lot it is on it's last legs so we have applied for a new one.

As we have recently changed areas the people in charge have offered ds a wheelchair to replace it as they've said they don't do the SN pushchairs we had in the other area.

Aibu to be annoyed with this? Ds' disability is mental rather than physical, he is capable of walking but we need the pushchair mainly for safety reasons as it has a harness to keep him from climbing out & running off and the wheelchairs just have a very easily escapable lap belt. Aibu to think the wheelchair is not fit for purpose for him?

New life is a charity that has bought buggies for families. They have been great. Also family fund will as well. In my area they only give wheelchairs regardless of disability. I hope that helps.

I would be extremely surprised if you can get charity funding if you haven't been turned down by wheelchair services.

Leaving aside the names of stuff. If your DS needs a wheeled transport to get him from a to b he needs wheeled transport! At some point that will stop being a mac major because frankly they are not that sturdy. At some point therefore this will change from pushchairs to wheelchairs.

The only way you can prevent this change happening is if you work on a wah of walking safely with your ds

He should get the addition of a harness if he needs it. Talk to wheelchair services.

Nobody talks about the transition from sn buggy to wheelchair but it is a massively emotional moment. Buggies carry with them the idea that your child will grow out of it, wheelchairs feel more permanent. It's ok to have a "little" cry at the change

Of the people I know 7 does seem to be the transition point between mac major and wheelchair

I know that Family Fund grant a lot of maclaren majors, often by people who have been turned down by wheelchair services etc. They have their own disability / eligibility criteria.

Cauldwell Children and cerebra are different and ask for a lot of health professional involvement with the forms so you may find it harder to get a grant through those if your local services can't help.

On side note make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to - dla, carers allowance if ds gets mid or high rate dla and also inform tax credits to get the disability element of tax credits. Obviously I'm not sure of your financial situation but maybe if those things aren't in place already it might make it easier to save to get one.

(We are currently in the same boat for our ds. We have had to use family fund for something else otherwise we could have asked them).

Usually the charities will provide where there isn't a statutory obligation to do so. SO if you are turned down full stop that's when the charity will provide. If you don't like what's offered that is a different matter.

Sometimes we services will provide vouchers towards the alternative you want. Sometimes if you take a few options with you they may a agree to what you want.

However we have quite an open mined wheelchair services.

I would question the sense/cost efficiency in prescribing a mac major to an older child with behaviour. They are not desperately strong and the frame easily bends.

yes, sorry I meant charities like cerebra, rather than family fund.

In our area they no longer do mac majors as people found they were difficult to push and didn't last. My friend's ds has the replacement by Ottobock.(in pic)

Some good ideas on this thread, nothing else to add except to say yanbu.

Hope you can get it sorted.

A wheelchair will probably withstand better the amount of walking you are doing and so is probably a more appropriate choice anyway. They can come with harnesses, you just need to discuss your needs Around safety at the assessment.

As a previous poster has suggested, I wonder if your reaction to this is more an emotional one about the transition from a pushchair which doesn't have the connotations of a wheelchair. This isn't a criticism, just something a lot of parents do experience and may be an issue for you without you realising it.

Occupational therapy in my PCT will not offer any assistance for child behavioural needs, at all. People are bluntly told to use their child's DLA for pushchairs. I'd take the chair, they'll help with harness :)

Beyond a certain point the buggies no longer give good postural support. Many people who do use wheelchairs only gave them for journeys or travel of longer distance or time causing fatigue. This is not unusual.