Granddaughter with Broken Ankle

[DHamFree]

We are taking our 2 granddaughters on vacation with us - leaving in 3 weeks. Our oldest granddaughter (who is 9 yrs. old) broke her ankle and will have a cast up to mid-calf. We are planning to try to rent a child's wheelchair for her when we are at Disney World. Has anyone gone through this before? I could really use some advice!! Thanks.

 

[SueM in MN]

You can get more info about touring WDW with a wheelchair by following the link in my signature to the disABILITIES Board. There is (at least the beginning of) a FAQs thread at the top of the board.
Most of the queues are wheelchair accessible (especially at AK and the Studio), so waiting in line is not going to be much different.
You might be best off renting a wheelchair from one of the off-site providers, because, you are right, you do want a pediatric one. If she needs to elevate her leg, you would be able to request a wheelchair with that feature too.

 

[lindaso]

Does she have a waterproof cast? I would highly recommend one if she doesn't. My DD is now on week 4 of a broken arm and I had to change doctors to get her the waterproof cast but what a difference...she can swim and bathe and our lives are normal again!! The liner was $40 and worth every penny I paid. Check out
http://www.goremedical.com/English/Products/CastLiner/Index.htm

Good luck!!

 

[jweiss]

My 12 y o broke her ankle one week before our planned trip to Disneyland in January. She was not to put ANY weight on it at all. Renting a chair at the parks wasn't an option, as it was too far to walk on crutches to get into the park. We called the DL Hotel, where we were staying, and although they rent wheel chairs. they would not let us reserve one, and it was 1st come, 1st served. I ended up renting one from an outside rental company, recommeneded by Disney. It was at the hotel waiting when we rrrived, and cost less altogether than renting at the park. She had a GREAT time, cast and all.

 

[bobcat]

You might want to rent one from home and take it with you. A friend recently did this for our daughters Washington DC trip and it worked out well. That way you know in advance what you have and it is available for your entire trip, not just in Orlando. The rental was 30 days and was very reasonable, I'm thinking around $30-40.

 

[melk]

Another poster recommended a waterproof cast but that may not be an option for you. You can get a waterproof cover at a medical/surgical supply store or a well-stocked drug store (I had to search a bit). The one we got was blue, heavyweight material, with a pump in it so you put it on, pump out all the air and it created a vacuum seal over the cast. It worked excellent, the cast never got wet in the pool.

 

[lindaso]

Originally posted by melk
Another poster recommended a waterproof cast but that may not be an option for you. You can get a waterproof cover at a medical/surgical supply store or a well-stocked drug store (I had to search a bit). The one we got was blue, heavyweight material, with a pump in it so you put it on, pump out all the air and it created a vacuum seal over the cast. It worked excellent, the cast never got wet in the pool.

Yes, it's called a xerosox cover and it does work. Our problem with it was it needed to vacuum seal to the skin right beneath my DD's armpit and her skin was too sensitive there. We pumped the air out and she screamed bloody murder. It was that exact moment I decided I would find an orthopedist who uses waterproof casts. The orthopedist explained to me that a break that needs to be manipulated before casting or anything that breaks skin cannot be casted with the waterproof liner. Luckily that didn't apply to us.

But yes, the xerosox cover does work. We ordered ours online at http://www.xerosox.com