Finding a child wheelchair/stroller to purchase while in Orlando

My family lives in Honduras. One of our foster children requires a wheelchair. He is not able to sit unassisted and does not crawl or walk and is tube fed. I have no idea about brands and how to fit him to a chair. He has one but it does not fit his needs well at all so I am looking to find one while in Orlando to take back wirh me. He will not be with me. Our budget is very small and I am watching eBay and Craiglist for options. I want to be able to fly with the chair. Any helpful tips or other avenues to find a chair appreciated.

how small? Durable medical equipment is NOT cheap here and going off Craigslist/ebay for a used one is not necessarily a wise move especially for a child. contact the places that Rent them (use the list in the Sticky up top) and they can probably direct you to retail sales and how to best measure/fit to correct specifications.

I would have concerns about the durability (not to mention the cleanliness) of anything you might be able to source off of Craigslist. In addition to potential sizing issues, you want to make sure that whatever you take home will hold up for your foster child, and not be so worn out that it causes furthers problems.

Another potential source is to reach out to the Shriners while you are in Orlando, to see if they have any resources for equipment. The Shriner's have 22 Children's Hospitals in the United States that treat a variety of conditions and injuries.

Shriners Hospitals for Children

Wheelchair seating is important. You would have to know what needs your child has such as core strength. Getting a chair that doesn't fit would be a waste. Hopefully you can get in touch with someone who can help you. Does your child have a diagnosis that has a support group? Reach out to them. Best of luck and prayers.

MommyinHonduras said:

My family lives in Honduras. One of our foster children requires a wheelchair. He is not able to sit unassisted and does not crawl or walk and is tube fed. I have no idea about brands and how to fit him to a chair. He has one but it does not fit his needs well at all so I am looking to find one while in Orlando to take back wirh me. He will not be with me. Our budget is very small and I am watching eBay and Craiglist for options. I want to be able to fly with the chair. Any helpful tips or other avenues to find a chair appreciated.

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I'm just pointing out that the OP is not in the US and the child will not be with them.

This was a long time ago, but my mother lived in Mexico for a number of years. The children in one of the families she was friendly with were really excited one day. They told her they could bring their brother out of the house now because they had gotten a wheelchair for him. She said it almost broke her heart to see what his wheelchair was - a regular chair secured in a wagon.
Many developing countries do not have the resources that we have in the US.
I doubt that you will be able to find a wheelchair for the child on your short trip to the US. The reason is that most children's wheelchairs are custom fit and ordered, not just bought somewhere.
Special needs strollers might show up on Craig's list, but not that often and the chances of one showing up while you are here is pretty low.
Even if a special stroller or wheelchair is available, there is no guarantee it will fit any better than the one he already has.

Local Rotary Clubs in various parts of the US have a long history of projects to provide wheelchairs to Honduras. Here's a story about a Rotary mission to Honduras in 2013.
http://bonitaspringsrotary.org/2013...ation-rotary-mission-to-tegucigalpa-honduras/

I know there have been other missions to Honduras more recently and that the Rotary has a foundation with a mission of providing wheelchairs in countries where they are not available. Here's a link to their website.
http://wheelchairfoundation.org

I would suggest contacting them or the Rotary in your area of Honduras. I have heard some of the wheelchair organizations might 'trade' a wheelchair that a child has outgrown for one that fits better.
Since he is a foster child, I would also suggest contacting the foster agency that placed him in your home. They may have some resources you are not aware of.

Good luck.

mamabunny said:

I would have concerns about the durability (not to mention the cleanliness) of anything you might be able to source off of Craigslist. In addition to potential sizing issues, you want to make sure that whatever you take home will hold up for your foster child, and not be so worn out that it causes furthers problems.

Another potential source is to reach out to the Shriners while you are in Orlando, to see if they have any resources for equipment. The Shriner's have 22 Children's Hospitals in the United States that treat a variety of conditions and injuries.

Shriners Hospitals for Children

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Shriners is a good resource.
They do have some outreach in Honduras. One I know about was connected to burns (some Shriners Children's Hospitals specialize in orthopedic conditions, others in burns and others in other conditions).
https://esperanzahftc.com

I would probably try contacting this organization.

Thank you for all the replies. Wheel chairs donated here are simply a plastic lawn chairs in a metal wheel apparatus. They are better than nothing for many people. We have been here for years and are aware of in country resources. I did say foster child to label our boy buy the system provides absolutely nothing. We have had him for almost three years and there have been no follows up, checking or sny resourses in that time from the government. There was a huge change in 2015 and the government no longer knows what kids I or anyone else has. They are saying for NGOs to register and prove information on our kids. I will try to contact Shrines and the Rotary stateside and see what might be available. He has no diagnosis just server malnutrition and neglect for the first 4 years of life.