Need advice

[TheIncredibles!]

As you can tell by my ticker we are going on vacation again....

My oldest is a child with special needs. He is 13, cognitively impaired, has growth issues(same size as my 8yo), fine/gross motor delays, Apraxia of Speech, SID, Hyptonia and is chronically anemic.

We already take it very easy when we travel there as I have flat feet (so does he) and even I can only take so much. We tend to go early, spend a few hours tooling around, break for lunch, spend another hour then head back to the resort by 2. We rest, swim do whatever until dinner. Dinner we may eat at a hotel, we may go to another park but we are always back at the room before 8. We have a car so we drive whenever it is convenient.

We do what we can to make sure DS can keep up. Even with the above schedule though we could only get through it with teh use of strollers. He is now 13, (My other two are 10 and 8) They are all pretty much the exact same size. My 8 yo DS and 13 yo DS share most clothes. (Oldest DS will only wear sweat pants which youngest one hates)

Last time we rented from Orlando stroller for all three and all three fit fine. This time they are all a bit bigger. DS really needs SOMETHING and I find it easier to walk with a stroller for some reason.

Now the issue. My two little ones don't understand that their brother is different. To them he is just as typical as they are. He is just their big brother. Therefor - there's no explaining that oldest one NEEDS a break, may need to sit and be pushed for awhile and they do not. Oldest DS also is oblivious to his difference so he may fight me on sitting IF the other two are not taking turns too.

So what to do??? Do I rent a single stroller from Orlando again, hope he fits and tell the other two to bug off if they want a ride? Do I rent a double Disney one for the week and let whoever wants to sit for a bit in it?

The expense is not an issue. The issue is doing something that will help us have a nice vacation but avoid people passing judfgement and giving us nasty looks and comments because they see 1, 2 or 3 "big" kids in a stroller.

What would you do?

 

[eternaldisneyfan]

I would do what's best for your family. It's hard but you have to ignore other people's ignorance. have a good trip!

 

[HowdyHeidi]

I wouldn't be too concerned about what other people think, but that is just me. I would prepare your family for what the trip is going to be like, whether you choose the double or single. I found that helpful in our trip (less complaints). I think at 8 and 10, your younger boys will be able to start to understand the differences in your family.

Tonight I am taking my older son to his first sibling support group. I am hoping that he will be able to discuss there things that he might already be thinking about but not feel comfortable asking me, kwim?

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[of2dbeach]

my DD9 was born with a hole in her heart. it closed and she is fine . only issue is when she walks alot or tries to rush and keep up. we used the double stroller after she tried to walk for a bit and we had to keep stopping so she could rest. the last time we went to ( aheem Another park) she wanted to walk. so fine we let her we just took extra breaks for ice cream, potty, watch the ducks etc. She had a great time but did say she might need a wheelchair for a biiger park. She also has asthma so double wammy for poor her but she is a trooper. our oldest DS is special needs also but we treat him the same as the others just do things a bit "diffrent". You should have a fun trip no matter what. On a side note a young women was in the Handicapped restroom at target today.. for some reason it irked me but I kept my trap shut for once.. hubby will be SO proud

 

[krisnme]

Don't worry about what people think! It seems to me a double stroller would be handy if either of your other 2 get tired, and trust me they will! also gives 1 child more space if they need it. Don't forget to get a "stroller as wheelchair" tag if you need the stroller in the lines. I bet your other kids understand more than you give them credit for, children are soooo perceptive even at that young age. My DS(19) has HFA mild CP and other issues and his cousins treated him more gently and sweetly (he responds to gentleness) when still toddlers, without any real understanding of his issues. They have all grown together and are his best friends and encourage him to act like his peers and provide wonderful examples for him, while still understanding and accepting his differences. I allowed and encouraged them to ask me and DS any questions about his abilities and they are now so compassionate to other disabled people. I hope you have a magical trip, no matter what your decision on the stroller!

 

[persimmondeb]

We've never used one, so I'm far from an expert, but could you rent a special needs wheelchair that fits an older/bigger child? That way you could be sure that he fits comfortably in it. It's not weird that you find it easier to walk with one either. A lot of people find that a stroller/shopping cart helps with stability.

 

[lanejudy]

You can rent a Maclaren Major Elite stroller (sometimes called "buggy" because Maclaren is a UK company). It is just like a typical umbrella stroller but larger and holds up to a 140lb child. We were looking into renting one for our trip before deciding to purchase and have it for use at other times. I believe I found Care Medical Equipment carries them for rent, comparable expense (or maybe less) than "regular" strollers at Orlando Stroller. Orlando Stroller also has "special needs" strollers but they are much larger and cumbersome, at least that was our impression. Like someone else mentioned, your 8-yr-old and 10-yr-old are old enough to realize that their brother may sometimes need different accomodations. And don't forget a GAC so you can use the stroller in lines! It's a lifesaver for us by the last day or so our vacation when endurance is running really low. I'd suggest checking out rental of a Maclaren Major - the boys could take turns riding if your oldest didn't need it for a bit. Good luck!
Judy

 

[blondietink]

Ditto on the McClaren special needs stroller. We used one until my DS was almost 16 and he finally got too tall for it, but he was still well within the weight limit. Now we use an adult sized travel chair.

 

[SueM in MN]

Check into post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread for information and links for renting special needs strollers. You can find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.
Renting at the parks is also an option. There are pictures of the park rental strollers in post 2 also.

Post 6 of disABILITIES FAQs thread is about GUest Assistance Cards.