To be considering buying a special needs buggy?

[Opal93]

My son is six with ASD and is becoming increasingly challenging when out and about. A few recent examples in recent weeks, out for a walk he became overwhelmed and had a total meltdown. He grounded himself and lashed out when anyone tried to touch/lift him. In the end it took 3 adults (one being a very kind stranger) to get him to the car safely. On another recent occasion we were at a pedestrian crossing and crossed while the man was green. He always carries a straw about to twirl and stick with and realised he had dropped it on the road and tried to bolt back to get it. Cars were zooming past by the but he didn’t care he just wanted his straw. I had to physically stop him by holding him running on the road. Also in a cafe recently, we were in the queue and a noise upset him. He broke free from me , ran straight into a lady’s table and shook it before I could stop him, and her coffee spilled. Thankfully neither my son or she was scalded, but this sort of unpredictable behaviour is making outings anywhere impossible. I am tempted to just not go out but I don’t think that’s good for my other child. If he gets upset his impulse is to ground himself and refuse to walk, and carrying him is hard now he’s six and a tall boy. If he gets scared his impulse is to run which creates a dangerous situation. I have seen a Maclaren special needs buggy at quite a good price and I’m considering it. I do think it would make outings easier, at least it would enable me to get him to the car if he gets distressed a lot easier than to carry him while lashing out AND hold my toddlers hand. In my situation, would you go for it?

I'd get him the buggy. It's an SEN buggy and has SEN. That's all the explanation you need. He's open to the idea of the buggy and it can also be his safe space from the outside world/stressors.

You can also try reins but I personally believe they are too risky. He might hate the sensory feel of them. If he throws himself on the floor or bolts, there's chances of pulling you with him, hurting your hand/arm or hurting himself. Then there's flailing on the floor with the reins flapping around him. I think a lot of people that haven't experienced it underestimate the determination and strength of even a small child in the middle of a meltdown.

I don't think ,at least at the moment, from what you describe that reins would be in any way a safer alternative to the buggy.

My little boy has ASD and other issues and I really do understand how you feel. He had a meltdown near a very busy junction when he about 3 and I couldn't get him into his pushchair. He was putting himself in danger and he would not let me near him and it was all really distressing, that's just one example.
After that I bought an excel Elise from www.excelelise.co.uk/, it is brilliant for him, he walks where he can with me holding his hand but is in it most of the time for safety. You get the vat taken off and sign to say why you are exempt. We have recently ordered his second one which is as good s the first.

My little boy is nearly six now and we have been using one for a few years, it really does make a difference and he feels safe in it too, if he's having a bad day I can take him out with his ear defenders on.
It has made life a lot easier for us.

I'd give serious consideration to a lightweight, probably folding, wheelchair in preference to a buggy - easier to push, with large back wheels, puts him at a better level for interaction with others and signals 'disability' better to those around you.

Yanbu. This is what those buggies are for. Ds had one until he was 8.

Maybe also some ear defenders if hell tolerate them?

Do it! Was life changing for me. My DD has autism
and had very similar behaviour to your son. For a while I was pretty much housebound as I had a preemie baby and DD and just couldn't get out. Tried reins was an absolute nightmare as she would just throw herself to the ground or be 'at' different things still. I put the baby in a sling and her in the disabled pram it was an absolute game changer. I used a mesh mosquito net and she used to sit in their with the iPad until she become less sensitive to everything. Wheelchair services will very rarely found one, so you will probably have to self fund, but look on the special needs buy and sell groups as they sometimes come up on there.

Or apply to family fund charity if you are eligible!

Yes I would definitely get one in these circumstances. Sadly he won’t meet the threshold for wheelchair services but there are charities that fund these types of things.

Sounds very stressful.

Sending hugs

We has ours through wheelchair services and now have a wheelchair now that he is older. It depends upon local NHS policy.

sounds totally sensible op
possibly with a hood so it could be a little more sheltered from his triggers.

@Sleepyblueocean

We has ours through wheelchair services and now have a wheelchair now that he is older. It depends upon local NHS policy.

That’s great @Sleepyblueocean our local NHS threshold is a disgrace. I can’t believe some of the children I’ve seen turned down because they can walk 200 metres. Clearly no one needs to take their child further than 200 metres a day 🤨

If it’ll make your son safer then go for it.

A wheelchair / push chair is a great idea.

I’d personally avoid reins as they can become either a battle or a game - with a DC pulling you in the direction they want to go in it easily degenerates onto a battle of strength - rather than a chair (which he might quite like being in) with some element of communication rather than who can pull hardest.

Sounds exactly like my autistic DC. Exhausting. Definitely get the buggy and try it (although be aware he might absolutely refuse to get in/stay in it appropriately). If it doesn't work, they retain A LOT of their value second hand as they are in high demand.

It also might be worth seeing if you can get high rate mobility with your DLA. I can’t remember the exact distance a child has to not be able to walk to claim it, but I know it doesn’t just apply to physical disabilities. We get it for DS who has ASD because he cannot safely walk any distance by himself (he is 12).

Another recommendation for the Excel Elise. Not easy to try different ones at the moment but maybe worth asking locally if anyone has special needs pushchairs and would let you have a look at a couple of them.

sounds like a great idea, if he likes the buggy it will be his safe place.

You might also think about getting /creating a cover so that he can sit in the buggy and pull the cover/hood down and be shut off from everyone.

My friend's son used to do this by hiding under her coat/cardigan. It allowed him to shut everyone out, even though he could hear them, he felt safe under the coat.

Is there any chance of an assistance dog? I'm not in the uk, our local guide dog organisation trains dogs to work with kids with asd.

Just wondering if you have tried a sensory diet before you go out etc to try and reduce him having melt downs and be better able to deal with things? It was life changing for my two nephews and since starting it the youngest has even started talking at 4 years old.

My daughter has very similar issues to your son (and she is the same age). We have a special needs buggy from wheelchair services, and when she refuses to go in it, I use reins. They doesn't obviously help when she melts down/gets down into the floor, but at least it stops her from bolting into traffic, etc!