Need advice regarding stroller/push chair for my 11 year old!!

[Sstill77]

We will be going to Disney soon and I’m trying to decide on what type of stroller to get for my son. He went through treatment a few years ago so between that and post treatment side effects that he deals with, he wears out easily and will definitely need a stroller of some sort to get through the long park days.
He is 11 and 51” tall and the Citi Mini GT that was suggested to me is height of 49”. (She said I could lean chair back some to fit) Another option is the Maclaren Major pushchair which is basically an oversized umbrella stroller. Out of all of the disability strollers I’ve seen, I liked this one due to simple in and out.

Can you all tell me what you’ve used in similar situation? Thanks so much!!!!

 

[lanejudy]

We have used the Maclaren Major for my daughter since she was about 7 or 8. She is now 15 and fits but pretty much outgrown it. It is very simple if you don’t need a lot of “extras” like a canopy, parent tray, storage basket, etc. And it’s lightweight for carrying on buses.

For some other options you might check Orlando Medical Rentals. They have several styles.

How does your son feel about a stroller vs a wheelchair? Some tweens are “too grown up” for a stroller and prefer a wheelchair. In that case I recommend choosing a vendor who offers a smaller-sized chair to fit him properly.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Sstill77]

We have used the Maclaren Major for my daughter since she was about 7 or 8. She is now 15 and fits but pretty much outgrown it. It is very simple if you don’t need a lot of “extras” like a canopy, parent tray, storage basket, etc. And it’s lightweight for carrying on buses.

For some other options you might check Orlando Medical Rentals. They have several styles.

How does your son feel about a stroller vs a wheelchair? Some tweens are “too grown up” for a stroller and prefer a wheelchair. In that case I recommend choosing a vendor who offers a smaller-sized chair to fit him properly.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thank you so much for your help!! He doesn’t like being in a wheelchair. I believe he thinks it draws a lot of attention to him. We are in between where he doesn’t want a wheelchair but doesn’t want a “baby” stroller....lol
I think the Maclaren push chair will probably be what we end up using honestly. I just wanted to see if anyone else used anything different. I’ll check that site though to see what else they have. Again, thank you!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you so much for your help!! He doesn’t like being in a wheelchair. I believe he thinks it draws a lot of attention to him. We are in between where he doesn’t want a wheelchair but doesn’t want a “baby” stroller....lol
I think the Maclaren push chair will probably be what we end up using honestly. I just wanted to see if anyone else used anything different. I’ll check that site though to see what else they have. Again, thank you!!

I agree with what lanejudy wrote. There are some different versions of special needs strollers/push chairs that he might feel better about, would fit him better and be more comfortable.

I would suggest against the Citi Mini GT. Since he’s 3 inches over the top height, it would be very tight and probably uncomfortable. I don’t know his weight, but the top weight for that stroller is 65 pounds..

 

[Sstill77]

I agree with what lanejudy wrote. There are some different versions of special needs strollers/push chairs that he might feel better about, would fit him better and be more comfortable.

I would suggest against the Citi Mini GT. Since he’s 3 inches over the top height, it would be very tight and probably uncomfortable. I don’t know his weight, but the top weight for that stroller is 65 pounds..

Thank you!! He is 66lbs so she said he would just make it for that one. I too was worried about him having to squeeze into it. Thank you for your time and suggestions!!

 

[ladyjubilee]

If you can bring it with you, Convaid Cruisers are really nice. We found our first one at a thrift shop for $8. Our second one was quite a bit more though But we use it to go places all them time.

 

[Staren]

I remember making those decisions at that age. Having been born with my Cerebral Palsy, went through that in middle school myself. I used to drive my mom crazy because there were a couple of years there where I changed my mind on which option I preferred every vacation. Would you rather be seen as a younger kid, or obviously as someone with a disability. That can definitely get your mind jumping around at 11. If you end up with a couple of options that work, or just a couple of colors on one model, I'd suggest giving that choice to him. Unless he really doesn't want to be part of the process, which is also a possibility.

Sounds like you've got the practical suggestions down. I just wanted to remind everyone there are a few more things to consider than the practical choice of the equipment.