Looking to rent stoller for 11 year old over 100lbs for Disneyland CA

[Elsa Genevieve]

Hi everyone,

I've had trouble finding any information on renting an appropriate stroller or similar for my son. He's 11 almost 12 and a little over 100 pounds. He just had his first seizure last week and his doctor recommended we rent a stroller to keep his stress level and physical exhaustion to a minimum while at the park. He has autism on the severe side and is non verbal. This will be our first time visiting Disneyland with him. I saw City Strollers but they don't have anything for his preteen size. Please help?

 

[cgncga]

Hi everyone,

I've had trouble finding any information on renting an appropriate stroller or similar for my son. He's 11 almost 12 and a little over 100 pounds. He just had his first seizure last week and his doctor recommended we rent a stroller to keep his stress level and physical exhaustion to a minimum while at the park. He has autism on the severe side and is non verbal. This will be our first time visiting Disneyland with him. I saw City Strollers but they don't have anything for his preteen size. Please help?

We used a McLaren Major for a number of years for our now almost 14 year old, but by your son's age we had switched her to a pediatric wheelchair instead. I think the weight limit on the Major is about 110 pounds, but our daughter didn't find it too comfortable once she hit about 80 pounds (and she was just over 4 feet tall at that weight).

 

[DLgal]

Can you use a wheelchair? Does he need to be strapped in?

 

[Elsa Genevieve]

We used a McLaren Major for a number of years for our now almost 14 year old, but by your son's age we had switched her to a pediatric wheelchair instead. I think the weight limit on the Major is about 110 pounds, but our daughter didn't find it too comfortable once she hit about 80 pounds (and she was just over 4 feet tall at that weight).

He's right about that size too. I'm looking to rent something in Anaheim. I just have no idea what we need...

 

[Elsa Genevieve]

Can you use a wheelchair? Does he need to be strapped in?

No he wouldn't need to be strapped in. But he needs to feel safe and I was hoping for something with a shade to block out some of the sensory overload. Apparently its going to be grad night events while we are there, and so lots of screaming teenagers in addition to the normal chaos. I'm hoping to rent something size appropriate for him locally.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm not very familiar with rentals in Anaheim, but do any of them offer a Liberty Pushchair? That seems to be the most commonly offered special needs rental in the Orlando. You might also check with medical equipment rental companies or wheelchair/ECV rental companies; I believe Deckerts is highly recommended but I don't know if they offer strollers.

If nothing else, I think the in-park double strollers are the same as WDW, with a single bench-style seat. He may be able to squeeze in, and drape a towel over the canopy if he needs more of an escape.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Elsa Genevieve]

I'm not very familiar with rentals in Anaheim, but do any of them offer a Liberty Pushchair? That seems to be the most commonly offered special needs rental in the Orlando. You might also check with medical equipment rental companies or wheelchair/ECV rental companies; I believe Deckerts is highly recommended but I don't know if they offer strollers.

If nothing else, I think the in-park double strollers are the same as WDW, with a single bench-style seat. He may be able to squeeze in, and drape a towel over the canopy if he needs more of an escape.

Enjoy your vacation!

Hi,

I believe I found a company that does, but they are saying that 90lbs is the weight limit.

 

[lanejudy]

The Freedom is similar and has a higher weight limit, but may be hard to find as a rental. Maybe a medical supply company? If you may need/use the stroller at other times, it might be worth looking for something to buy. Good luck!

 

[Nevada Jen]

I think you are going to need to get a wheelchair at that size. You can get a stroller style wheelchair (Convaid Cruiser) but I don't know of anywhere where you can rent them. (And a bit of time on google did not help) You might see if his school has something you can borrow and take with you. Your insurance will probably pay for a wheelchair but I doubt you can make that happen fast enough for this trip.

 

[ladyjubilee]

I'll be honest, for my son at least, a wheelchair doesn't "do" the same thing as a stroller. In most wheelchairs, the rider sits up, as opposed to down in a stroller, as in the stroller kind of cocoons around the rider. The cocooning provides sensory input and is more of a place to retreat into. Plus most wheelchairs don't have a canopy to pull down for either sensory or post itctal issues. During the post ictal period, my son can be completely floppy. I don't know that I could keep him upright or from tipping forward in a wheelchair; the stroller angle helps keep him leaning back (and I can clip the harness), though I haven't really researched to see what kind of harness comes with a basic wheelchair.

And my last difference between stroller and wheelchair is completely petty....but....I find it harder to push a wheelchair. Maybe its my height, but I find I lean forward more when I push a wheelchair than when I push a stroller. Ultimately, it just hurts my back. I like being able to one hand push a stroller at above waist level.

Have you thought about calling City Strollers and see what they recommend? My son is very like yours in that he is on the more impacted side of autism, non verbal and has epilepsy, but he's 13 and around 75 lbs. I rented during one trip and the company in the WDW area gave me an option not on their webpage. I ended up buying a stroller-first one that I had found used, then a custom version of the same stroller. It goes up to 175 lbs and we use it in day to day life. For us, it means the difference between never being able to go shopping and being able to spend HOURS shopping--having to struggle to get him through crowds and being able to take him everywhere.

 

[Sadie22]

do you live in California? Have you been referred to California Children's Services?

 

[Nevada Jen]

I would at least get insurance started on a convaid cruiser. Its definately more stroller like and can have a canopy as an add on. You can also get it with some tilt. The company you are getting it from may have a loaner you can use while you wait. I think you are going to have to rent a wheel chair for the parks. I don't think a Disney double will be big enough. In fact I'm quite sure it won't. The freedom push-chair will work but I don't see them for rent anywhere and its a beast. A convaid cruiser will fold like a giant umbrella stroller. For the parks I would rent a pediatric wheelchair Off site. Its a million times easier to push than the Disney ones. use bike gloves. It actually gave my son a good bubble when he used one for a broken foot. Sun glasses. Even at night and in dark places work good to block out visual stimuli

 

[ladyjubilee]

Adding on to what Nevada Jen said, have you thought about asking at his school? When I upgraded him my son's stroller, I donated the old one to his school (they use it for fire drills/emergencies--or if another family needs to borrow). I know they have some others too. Maybe they could lend one for the trip.

 

[Hleestevens]

He's right about that size too. I'm looking to rent something in Anaheim. I just have no idea what we need...

Its worth calling Deckert Home Medical. I do not know about any specialized stock as I only needed a standard push wheelchair this past weekend but the company is better than user friendly and accommodating. I'm sure that if they can't meet your needs they will know who in town can

 

[PatMcDuck]

The best chair for this seems to be the Convaid Metro chairs. I have one for my now 27 year old son. Some people are able to get them thru insurance. I used my son's SSI money to buy this one, did not try to jump thru the Medicaid hoops. (unfortunately, about $945). They are like a big stroller. I like the way the seat sits at an angle like a stroller, not straight upright like a WC.

I am not sure where they can be rented. They fold up, but are still big when folded and sort of heavy. We have the biggest 18" size, I think it holds up to 175 pounds, my son is about 160. (My son has Autism and Down Syndrome, can walk but not all day at the parks, plus he wanders, also not conversationally verbal, has some random words.