wheelchair vs maclaren major

[marmet0]

HI just wat are peoples thoughts on the maclaren major and wheelchairs pros and cons just my daughter uses a maclaren major and people ask when she 16 why dont she dont use a wheelchair just she is so small for her age and i find they are not so cumbersome as a wheelchair and did ask maclaren what are the age limit and they said the maclaren major is designed for up to a small adult so no age limit and after telling my daughter this she isnt so concious using it now, maclaren say they have sold many to adults that use them just didnt know if there was any adults that use them on here at all

i think the problem your dd has is the image of being 16 and in a 'buggy' still. I know they are easier than wheelchairs. would your dd be able to propel a wheelchair herself, or would an electric one be an option to make her more indepedant at all?

ds2 is 3.5 and he has a wheelchair. In fact one of the reasons they agreed to it was because they thought he might feel conscious of being in a buggy, so this would make him feel more grown up! I guess it is a real lottery, depending on where you live. Wheelchair is heavier but I prefer the manoeuvreability of it. The size of the wheels make it much easier to go over rough ground or up and down stairs.

yes but maclaren say there for adults as well thats why they are strong she shouldnt feel concious and now they have explained she feels bettter for it and they do call them adult buggys in america does any know any adults using these thanks for your replys its nice we can air veiws on mumsnet .
i suppose coz she know whats going on ( not mentally disabled ) its more difficult would any 1 else agree

Don't give a stuff about what other people think. Why not sit down and glam it up a bit? Find stickers of the music she likes and mod up the frame? Get some fabric glitter?

It doesn't bother DS2 in the slightest, but he is 5yo and really doesn't have the complete understanding of the situation and doesn't really notice what others think much

I would say that a Maclaren is easier to manouvre. If it is just a questiion of having something to push your daughter around in,(ie she can't propel herself) then go for what's easier.
I have met parents of young adults who have had to fight to keep their buggy and not be forced to have a wheelchair just because their provider thinks buggies are not age appropriate for young adults. One family who lived in London said it was impossible to manouvre a wheelchair on and off the tube (their daughter could walk a short distance) but with a buggy they were able to manage on public transport easily.
I'd go with fatgoth's suggestion and 'pimp' the chair to make it appear more age appropriate and teenage.

I have just this week gone back to wheelchair services with DS as his major was knackered, and they have ordered him a paediatric wheelchair. We have borrowed the same type from the Red Cross in the meantime until the one from wheelchair services arrives and we took it out for the first time today.

DS is much less self conscious in it. I felt a bit self conscious, and TBH feel quite emotional about him having one. I also feel people might judge me and think I am being a bit of a fraud. However on the whole:

• I am used to people judging us anyway and have learnt to shake it off
• the wheelchair suits DS's age, size and needs much more
• it looks more grown up than his maclaren major to his peers, who were asking him why he was in a baby buggy
• it is much more sturdy and I think once I'm more used to it, it will be easier to manoeuvre.

bored why do you feel a bit of a fraud??

We've discussed whether or not to switch over to a wheelchair for DS2, as he currently has a Mac Major, but he's not self-conscious at all at the moment, so even though I am aware of the looks and comments, he isn't at present. I'm not sure when we will switch over. I'd like to think that we won't need the wheelchair, but at the same time, he gets so overwrought sometimes that there's no way I can carry him - so that remains the only way to get him about.

I think I've just always viewed wheelchairs as being for 'serious' diabilities, and therefore I feel a bit (dunno) about him being in one as he has no other major conditions, just his autism.

Hope no one is offended by this, I'm not very eloquent and I haven't had chance to get my head around my own thought processes on this one just yet.

Same here Triggles, he can be very good out and about but I can't risk being on my own with him if he runs off and hides, refuses to move, panics, gets exhausted/overwhelmed. For short local journeys I don't take w/p chair, but if we are venturing out into town/ supermarket/ for a day out/ holiday then we need to take one. My DS has just recently started to be a little self concious due to comments from classmates that saw him in his major, but really I'd have carried on with the maclaren a little longer if it hadn't have packed up on us.

we're in the same situation here exactly. DH & I were just talking about this today, in fact. I'm not sure how long before DS2 notices comments and looks... when he does, we may need to reevaluate whether or not to turn in the Mac Major and get a wheelchair. But I do think the pushchair is easier than a wheelchair... for now.