3 Ways To Safely Transport Your Physically Disabled Child
Posted on: 16 November 2018
Learning that your child has a physical disability can be devastating and overwhelming. Whether your child was born with a birth defect that limits their mobility or they had an illness or accident later in life, either way, you'll need to think about safely transporting your child.
Here are ways to transport your physically disabled child.
1. Adaptive Car Seats
Depending on your child's age, size, and the type of disability they have, you may need to get an adaptive car seat for your child. Similar to a regular car seat that gets buckled into the backseat of your vehicle, an adaptive one might have better head support or foot rests in order to help stabilize their legs and feet.
Adaptive car seats are normally larger than regular car seats, as they are designed to accommodate a child as they grow. For older children, adaptive booster seats are also available. Adaptive car seats are usually much more expensive than regular car seats, and you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2,000.
2. Van Conversion
If your child is wheelchair-bound due to their disability and you already own a van, you may want to consider a wheelchair van conversion. This will allow you to safely transport your child in their wheelchair. This is especially the case once they have outgrown an adaptive booster seat.
Some of the most common modifications include adding a ramp, taking out the middle seat, and lowering the floor. Depending on the type of conversion, and how many modifications need to be made, you can expect to pay anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 to convert your van.
3. Wheelchair Vans
If you do not own a van, or you do not want to convert the one you have, you will most likely need to buy a wheelchair van. Some questions you will want to ask yourself when making the purchase include:
- Do you want to buy new or used?
- Do you want to load and unload from the side or the back?
- Do you want a ramp that comes out from underneath the floor or down from the door?
- Do you want a lift instead of a ramp?
Wheelchair vans come in a variety of make and models, and there are many dealerships that sell this type of vehicle. As with most vehicles, there are many things that will affect the price of a wheelchair van. These things include mileage, year, and how well it runs. On average, you can expect to pay $33,000 for a wheelchair van.
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