Needing a wheelchair doesn’t mean your child has to miss out on being a kid. At Nemours, our wheelchair experts are up-to-date on the latest advances in seating and positioning technology. We’re here to help find the solution that best fits your child’s needs. Like you, we want your child to be as independent and comfortable as possible — and able to function their best at home and in their school and community.

Children may need a wheelchair for a number of reasons. These are the conditions we see most often at the Wheelchair Clinic:

• brain injury 
• cerebral palsy
• genetic syndromes (conditions inherited from parents that a child is born with)
• muscular dystrophy
• neuromuscular disorders (conditions that affect a child’s ability to control their muscles)
• spina bifida
• spinal cord injury

We offer a team approach to the evaluation and recommendation of seating and mobility equipment for children, from birth to age 18. Our many services include:

• personalized evaluations (to learn about your child’s needs for mobility and make sure their back, hips and upper legs will be supported)
• power wheelchair assessment (to see if kids can benefit from a wheelchair that’s powered by an electric motor rather than by hand)
• trials of different power seating systems and drive control options (like voice-operated or joystick)
• close partnership with your child’s orthopedic surgeon or rehabilitation medicine doctor (also known as a “pediatric physiatrist”)
• coordination with the wheelchair manufacturer
• help with insurance authorization and, if needed, appeals
• wheelchair fitting and custom molded seating (to make sure the wheelchair and seat are comfortable)
• pressure mapping (using sensors to evaluate the pressure placed on the seat to add comfort and prevent sores)
• specialized evaluations for complex or custom medical equipment (for example, to help kids use the toilet, take a bath, or ride in a car or stroller)
• recommendations for any additional assistive technologies (like communication and learning devices)

Our Wheelchair Clinic includes a rehabilitation engineer, physical therapist, occupational therapist, rehabilitation technician, and the wheelchair vendor. We work together as a team to offer a unique and experienced approach to seating and mobility. Our goal, in everything we do, is to help kids have the best possible quality of life.

Regional Wheelchair Clinic Highlights

Services, programs and care teams differ at each location. Call for details.