Hi Ismael, I read your email—an amazing life you are leading, and huge kudos to you for reaching out and helping this child and family!!! I hope my input helps you help them.
For what it is worth, I have worked as a manufacturer’s rep for a wheelchair company (Everest & Jennings in the mid-1990’s) as well as a representative for a local DME, wheelchair store in the early 2000’s. Even back in 1995 we had pediatric power wheelchairs and controllers—chin control, or sip ’n puff—that could accommodate a four-year-old. In fact I have a vivid recollection of bringing a pediatric power wheelchair for an evaluation of a child that had no movement below the neck and was around age 4. The eval went well, and the child was excited and happy to be in control of a power chair and moving around on their own. As long as the 4-year-old has the cognitive ability to drive a chair—which should be no problem for an average 4-year-old—major wheelchair manufacturers, Permobil, Sunrise, and Quantum all make pediatric power chairs that can easily fit a 4-year-old. In addition, in my job a journalist for New Mobility magazine I get to attend the yearly International Seating Symposium, part of which includes displays of the latest and greatest mobility devices by wheelchair manufacturers—I have seen the pediatric versions of the power wheelchair manufacturers below and each company makes a power chair that can custom fit a 4-year-old and be outfitted with controls and seating to accommodate them. Quantum Pediatric power chair(s): https://www.quantumrehab.com/quantum-power-bases/kozmo.asp https://www.quantumrehab.com/quantum-power-bases/kozmo-portable.asp Sunrise Pediatric power chairs: http://www.sunrisemedical.com/power-wheelchairs/zippie/mid-wheel-drive Permobil Pediatric power chairs: https://permobilus.com/products/power-wheelchairs-by-permobil/pediatric/ Hope this helps. The key is—as Eric Olson wisely explained—the family needs to talk with a DME provider (wheelchair dealer) in their area. Sincerely, Bob V > On Sep 30, 2018, at 3:15 PM, Eric Olson <[email protected]> wrote: > > There's got to be something out there for him. They should speak to a DME > provider in their area. > > On Sun, Sep 30, 2018 at 6:13 AM Ismael Cavazos <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > Hello guys October 8 is going to be 37 years that I've been a quadriplegic > paralyzed from the neck down and connected to a respirator I was 18 years old > I was 18 days away that I was going to turn 19 when the doctors told my > mother at that time that I was going only survive 72 hours beside before my > accident I was already legally blind but when I was born I was completely > blind after 6 surgeries on my eyes I started seeing a little I started seeing > when I was 11 years old doctors consider me legally blind I could see a > little better than nothing most of my life since I been a quadriplegic I was > in the nursing home 2001 I got out I was scared to get out because like I > said most of my life I was in the nursing home I thought it wasn't possible > for person in my condition to be out from the nursing home and connected to a > respirator I knew it that I did not need to prove to no one that I was able > to do it outside the nursing home that I needed to prove only to myself it > was hard and scary in the beginning with God help I continued being outside > the nursing home and I was the right choice I did for myself since I been a > quadriplegic only one time bed sore and I was in the nursing home since then > I haven't had one until now my body is 100% better than any quadriplegic that > is in the nursing home no rashes no bed sores at all I used to get more sick > when I was in the nursing home I used to go more often to the hospital when I > was in the nursing home when I was there out of the ear I used to go to the > hospital 5 times out of the year it wasn't one thing was another but I was > getting more sick now that I'm out sometimes I go one time out of the year to > the hospital or sometimes to years passed by and I don't go to the hospital > at all I been blessed many times different ways several times and I've been > lucky the only thing I'm not getting any younger like I said I'm blessed and > I am continually being bless by Jesus let me tell you guys something else on > Friday I met this couple they have a little boy that is 4 years old he is > paralyzed from the neck down and also connected to a respirator's he is very > alert the sad thing about it is not able to talk and also he has a tooling > inside his nose so he can eat his mother and father was telling me they were > trying to get him a wheelchair but according medicate they told his mother > and father medicate doesn't cover his wheelchair because there's no > wheelchair for his age because she's too small that I have to wait until he > gets older so he can get a wheelchair I do not agree on that and mother and > father doesn't know too much about programs out there they don't know > anything about people with disability they got other kids but there are > walking but the different from me and you guys yes we were young when our > accident happened by we had a chance to walk to run to play we know how it > feels to do that this little boy never had a chance to run to plate to enjoy > to be a child that is sad every 1 of us we been blessed different ways sense > are accidents happen some of us we had her mother and father like him we grew > up and some of us we don't have our mother or father anymore by one way > another we got bless by got put us somebody special and our life to be part > of our life to help us and to understand this like I said we were young and > we had a lot of dreams about those dreams went down the drain when we end up > being a quadriplegic whenever going to have a chance to catch up what we miss > we are able to defend ourselves to fight for our rights and say what hurts or > doesn't hurt what we don't like and what we like some of us been a > quadriplegic longer than others now going back about this little boy she is > going to grow up like us his parents not going to be there when he gets old > is not able to talk you not able to say what hurts or doesn't hurt cannot > express herself his feelings that is very sad is not able to fight for his > right if in the future is not able to talk like he cannot talk right now now > in the future if he's able to talk that will help them a little we had a > chance to go to school and we learn how to read and spell in the future for > this little boy if you continue the way is wet out communicating is going to > be very bad in the future brother and sisters probably not going to be there > for him he probably going to end up in the nursing home like I did in the > nursing home is terrible's that's why I say we been blessed compare to him > yes we got problems in life this and that but this little boy 80% more > problems what we have when his mother and father told me about his condition > they put me to think right now his parents take care of him at home let me > ask you this guys do you know if it's true what medicate and Medicare told > his mother and father I don't agree on that and I don't believe in that > there's got to be a wheelchair for his size for somebody could push him > around I've never seen a wheelchair that small have you guys seen a > wheelchair that small I would like to help this little boy but I don't know > where to start any ideas you guys have will be appreciated thank you and God > bless you > > >
