Wheelchairs and Rain and Heat

[kylieh]

For our trip DD9 will be in wheelchair. I've arranged a pediatric wheelchair. Quick questions, how do you handle the wheelchair in the rain and heat?

On rain, do you need to go inside, I'm guessing they can get wet, are they harder to push?

On heat, the seats look they would get pretty hot. Do you put a towel or similar down on the seat so you don't stick? Any other suggestions?

Any suggestions for either would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[SueM in MN]

For our trip DD9 will be in wheelchair. I've arranged a pediatric wheelchair. Quick questions, how do you handle the wheelchair in the rain and heat?

On rain, do you need to go inside, I'm guessing they can get wet, are they harder to push?

On heat, the seats look they would get pretty hot. Do you put a towel or similar down on the seat so you don't stick? Any other suggestions?

Any suggestions for either would be appreciated. Thank you.

Rain can cause a couple of problems.
Not harder to push, but the wheels can splash if you are going thu puddles and DD's feet sometimes get splashed on.
Also, some of the concrete pathways can get slippery when wet - we notice this more at Epcot. Slippery means less traction and it may be harder to stop when going down hills.

We try to go in, but also use a poncho fitted over her and over the wheelchair as she sits in it. Just be sure to leave open spots for your hands to reach the push handles and to keep the poncho edges out of the wheels.

We have tried umbrellas, but have not had much luck. An umbrella attached to the wheelchair will be in the Face of the person pushing the wheelchair. If we put it high enough to keep the pusher dry, DD gets wet and it is hard to push a wheelchair and hold an umbrella.

If it's a vinyl seat, a towel works the best. It will keep the seat cool and dry.

 

[kylieh]

Thank you Sue for your help. Much appreciated. I'll put a towel in bag kit for the seat. The seats look like vinyl. I'm hoping that it won't be too much rain, or only rain when we're inside! But if I'm prepared it will make it a lot easier.

 

[KPeveler]

I also go to the Dollar Store (or whatever your equivalent discount store is in Australia) and buy LOTS of ponchos. They are thin pieces of plastic, not meant to be reusable, but they are a lot easier to carry than the Disney ones. They are about the size of a wallet, and I just throw them away after I am done. I even keep them with me for Spalsh mountain and other rides like that - sitting in wet pants is just terrible! Your keister never dries out!

 

[Nanajo1]

Remember to sun screen hands and exposed knees. I usually take a towel to sit on and use to block the sun if it is bearing down on my legs and to shield my feet during rain. I don't sit on the poncho but drape it over the back of the w/c. If you sit on the poncho the rain runs down and get the seat wet. As Kpeveler said you cannot have too many ponchos.

 

[SueM in MN]

Remember to sun screen hands and exposed knees. I usually take a towel to sit on and use to block the sun if it is bearing down on my legs and to shield my feet during rain. I don't sit on the poncho but drape it over the back of the w/c. If you sit on the poncho the rain runs down and get the seat wet. As Kpeveler said you cannot have too e knees many ponchos.

Good points.
I forgot to mention sunscreen, but you can get a nasty burn on the knees since they are not usually pointed right at the sun.

That was what I meant with the poncho placement. My DD can't stand up, so we put the poncho on her while she is seated in the chair. The back of the poncho goes over the back of the chair, not under her.

 

[kylieh]

Thanks for ideas on the ponchos and how to use themk. I'm going to the shopping centre this weekend so I'll pop into Hot Dollar (our $ store!) and pick a heap up.

Sunscreen is a big one for us - all of my family, with the exception of DH, have very pale skin and we're coming out of our winter.

 

[DuchessOnWheels]

In the past I have just gleaned information from this site. Thought I'd chime in for you, kylieh.

Depending on the reason for the chair and attitude of your DD9, staying out in the rain can be an advantage. Showers tend to be short-lived and, if the temp is warm enough, you'll dry out rather quickly. We just stay in line, grab our ponchos from the backpack on the chair, and put them on while moving ahead in line. Many people duck out of line quickly when the rain starts. Bonus!

The worst part of staying out in the rain is the feet. Anything but sandals stay wet forever! Ponchos do a good job for the rest of the body and many include hoods.

A towel to sit on is a good idea if she is wearing shorts. Skin and vinyl make a bad combination. In the extreme heat the armrests are more of a concern. Because they aren't covered all the time, they heat up quickly in the sun and become very uncomfortable.

 

[Coloradomom]

We've also found it handy to have one of the microfiber towels (I think that is what they are called). They are the super absorbant but quick drying towels. We keep it in a wheelchair pocket and it is helpful to wipe down the seat, (we do not put a poncho over it and I can get out of it and do much of the time). The towel could also be useful to wipe away the water that inevitably still falls on the chair when you remove the poncho. We've used it for a lot of things with the chair.

 

[SueM in MN]

We've also found it handy to have one of the microfiber towels (I think that is what they are called). They are the super absorbant but quick drying towels. We keep it in a wheelchair pocket and it is helpful to wipe down the seat, (we do not put a poncho over it and I can get out of it and do much of the time). The towel could also be useful to wipe away the water that inevitably still falls on the chair when you remove the poncho. We've used it for a lot of things with the chair.

Good idea.
Microfiber is the right name.