Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
SN children

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

Original poster

So ds (4 years old) can't ride a bike so for Christmas..

38 replies

nikos · 02/12/2008 13:36

should I give in to this and get him one of those battery powered motor bikes so he can be mobile under his own steam. Or should I get him a trike designed for younger children and hope he gets motivated to learn to peddle.
Ds has ASD and we are increasingly suspecting a degree of dyspraxia as he has poor gross motor skills.
Not sure which way to play this one.

OP posts:
Deeeja · 02/12/2008 14:34

my 5 year old with asd, could no pedal until recently, although I got him a scooter because he did not want a 'baby' trike. My 3.8 year old can not pedal, and has terrible balance, so am wondering about getting a large trike for him. He doesn't get pedalling at all.

MarmadukeScarlet · 02/12/2008 14:48

I was just coming on to post about trike!

My 4 yr old DS' Physio has said it is important for him to learn to pedal, and has reccomended a Moby trike (on spacial offer only at £150-175!!) Moby

But I quite like this trento but it is not specifically a SN bike, but Ds would stay on that seat much better. Cannot find a site with proper dimension/seat height etc.

I was coming on to ask what experiences onther parents had.

Sorry for the hijack.

fwiw, I think no to the battery powered one and yes to the pedals, if he is like my DS he'll just scoot around speedily until they (hopefully) learn to pedal.

macwoozy · 02/12/2008 14:51

I bought one of those battery powered motorbikes for my ds, but he rarely used it because of its noise, he just didn't like the sound of it.

barking · 02/12/2008 14:56

I don't know if these would be suitable but have you heard of Islabikes? islabikes

They are very lightweight and the whole family have now got one as we were so pleased with them. You can sell them back to the company when your child outgrows them.

My 4 year old learnt to ride in a few days using the 'rothan' that the younger sibling had then went on to the next one up which I think is the 'cnoc'.

rothan

magso · 02/12/2008 15:12

Ds (ASD poor gross motor/ coordination)could not peddle at 4, and became too big for a trike. A larger trike would have been nice if afordable but we tried a bike (it is easier to peddle from above) with widly spaced stabilisers but frankly it didnt really work for him until he had almost grown out of it at 6-7, too many things to do at once (peddle/ steer look where you are going). GPs gave him a 3 wheel scooter board at 5. He struggled at first (the adjustable handle bars meant I could push him easily) but slowly slowly built up the power, and balance and steering skills to cope. (Perseverance payed off - mastered the scooter and he is now on 2 bike wheels at 9!)

reiver · 02/12/2008 15:24

If you want a ride-on without pedals I can recommend the Bobby Quad www.e-niko.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=BIG89. It's much bigger than the usual ride-on types available and is well designed with a low centre of gravity if balance is an issue. Great for inside or outside too.

allytjd · 02/12/2008 15:40

Have you thought of one of those bikes without pedals that you sit on but scoot along with your feet, DS3 loves his (he is four too) but couldn't cope with a bike with stabilisers. I wish we had had one for DS2(7) who has only just got the hang of riding his bike. The scoot along bikes seem to use less energy to move than trikes, DS3 can go out for decent rides on his (but he is NT if not very athletic).

Original poster
nikos · 02/12/2008 15:51

I've been thinking about either this or this.

OP posts:
Original poster
nikos · 02/12/2008 15:52

Just done a link for the first time

OP posts:
Original poster
nikos · 02/12/2008 15:54

Ds already has one that he scoots along with his feet and no pedals and he loves this. I'm wondering now why I have the urge to get him using pedals. Maybe I'm needlessly pushing him to this.
Those in the £150-£175 range are too expensive, especially as not sure he would use it.

OP posts:
Tclanger · 02/12/2008 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
nikos · 03/12/2008 08:52

.

OP posts:
vjg13 · 03/12/2008 10:44

Have you looked at the likeabike range, wooden bikes with no pedals that are meant to help with balance.

MarmadukeScarlet · 03/12/2008 10:44

I love the chopper trike BUT it weighs more than DS! Unless they have got the ratio of wheel/gearage perfect that is going to be seriously heavy to pedal. Looks fab though.

feelingbitbetter · 03/12/2008 11:02

this any good?

ChopsTheDuck · 03/12/2008 11:23

rather than a trike, how about a skidder?

my ds is 6 has dyspraxia and hypermobility and still can't ride a bike. I'm thinking of getting him a skidder instead. our paed did mention though about special low ratio bikes that were available for loan to children with sn locally, mgiht be worth investigating if there is anything like that near you.

Marne · 03/12/2008 12:06

Dd1 cant ride a bike either (she has tried a couple of times), she will be 5 in feb so i would like to get her some kind of bike/trike for her birthday. Dd1 has AS and her balance is poor, she also finds it hard to peddle, her legs seem week.

Original poster
nikos · 03/12/2008 12:41

Some really good links here. The wooden training bike looks really good, though a bit worried ds won't be able to use it and just give up. Anyone tried it?

OP posts:
Pixel · 03/12/2008 18:06

I've been considering this for ds as it doesn't require pedalling or even good balance. At 8 he's now far too big for all the 'likeabike' type things on the market but this is designed for all ages. The only reservation I've got is where we could use it as I think it needs a smooth surface and our house is fully-carpeted.

Pixel · 03/12/2008 18:08

Plus we live on a hill and our 'patio' is our landlord's little joke I think .

barking · 03/12/2008 18:35

Chopstheduck - I'm not sure if its worth mentioning but my dc2 (5 years) has hypontonia throughout whole body and hypermobility so very bendy aswell. Managed to start balancing with the Islabike rothan and then 3/4 days later tried with a pedal version and she got it within about 10 minutes

UniS · 03/12/2008 20:02

One good thing about teh rothan from Islabikes is that it looks very bike like. most passers by don't realise it doesn't have pedals etc.

Pixel · 03/12/2008 20:30

cheaper version here

amber32002 · 03/12/2008 20:40

I still fall off bikes . A decent tricycle would do for me...though there's not a lot of street cred to be had, and teenage son has threatened to disown me if I buy one

vjg13 · 03/12/2008 20:41

Pixel, my younger daughter age 5 has the didicar and it is excellent. Her older sister who has GDD and is 10 also likes it but is not as good at steering. It can take adult size and weight. We have wooden floors but it will go on carpet that is not too thick.

My older daughter has the largest size likeabike, the maxi. It will take an adult's weight too. She has not played with it much and had it for 6 months but I'm hoping she will in the Spring.