{"id":30833,"date":"2021-03-23T09:38:08","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T01:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/?p=30833"},"modified":"2023-03-15T16:17:28","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T08:17:28","slug":"when-is-the-proper-time-for-my-child-to-start-using-a-power-wheelchair-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/2021\/03\/when-is-the-proper-time-for-my-child-to-start-using-a-power-wheelchair-2\/","title":{"rendered":"When Is the Proper Time for My Child to Start Using a Power Wheelchair?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have shown that for a child with mobility impairments, the early introduction of power mobility enhances the development of skills (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jones et al., 2012; Guerette et al., 2013; Livingstone &amp; Field, 2014<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). It\u2019s also widely recognised that early independent mobility improves self-esteem and confidence and reduces apathy and depression (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guerette et al., 2013<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"row row-collapse row-full-width align-center\"  id=\"row-1735008064\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-157193648\" class=\"col medium-8 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\" style=\"background-color:rgb(244, 244, 244);\" >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_1478835787\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KML-4-1024x756-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KML-4-1024x756-1.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KML-4-1024x756-1-300x221.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_1478835787 {\n  width: 100%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have shown that early access to independent mobility improves self-esteem and confidence but <span style=\"color: #008080;\"><a style=\"color: #008080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/2021\/03\/how-do-you-know-if-your-child-is-suitable-for-a-manual-or-power-wheelchair\/\">how do you know if a child is suitable for a power wheelchair?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#col-157193648 > .col-inner {\n  padding: 20px 15px 1px 15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not long ago, people thought the best time to use power mobility was pre-school (3 years old) or even later. They thought that younger children were unable to learn how to drive a power wheelchair at such an early age because they thought that the children would get hurt or bump into other objects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is this really the case?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how early is a child ready for powered mobility? According to previous research, children as young as 18 to 20 months have learned to drive a power wheelchair within a period of 2 to 4 weeks (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Butler et al., 1983 &amp; 1984; Jones et al., 2003<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although children with complex developmental delays and cognitive limitations need longer time to practice, they still successfully develop the skills to drive powered mobility (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bottos et al., 2001; Guarrera-Bowlby &amp; Deutsch, 2007<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). In a recent study, children as young as 14-17 months old have shown the ability to learn power mobility skills when provided with frequent opportunities to practice (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Casey et al., 2013<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key to success for powered mobility is to provide encouragement and repeated learning opportunities. Generally, <\/span><b><i>a child who demonstrates emerging skills and motivation to drive, with sufficient control for the joystick, is already ready for powered mobility.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>Featured Product:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n  \n    <div class=\"row large-columns-3 medium-columns- small-columns-2 row-small slider row-slider slider-nav-reveal slider-nav-push\"  data-flickity-options='{\"imagesLoaded\": true, \"groupCells\": \"100%\", \"dragThreshold\" : 5, \"cellAlign\": \"left\",\"wrapAround\": true,\"prevNextButtons\": true,\"percentPosition\": true,\"pageDots\": false, \"rightToLeft\": false, \"autoPlay\" : false}'>\n\n  \t\n\t     \n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"product-small col has-hover product type-product post-10076 status-publish first instock product_cat-outdoor-indoor-positioning product_cat-pediatric-others-pediatric product_cat-pediatric-others-power-wheelchair has-post-thumbnail shipping-taxable product-type-grouped\">\n\t<div class=\"col-inner\">\n\t\n<div class=\"badge-container absolute left top z-1\">\n<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"product-small box \">\n\t\t<div class=\"box-image\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-fade_in_back\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/product\/kameleon\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kameleon_S-1050x960-300x274.png\" class=\"attachment-woocommerce_thumbnail size-woocommerce_thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kameleon_S-1050x960-300x274.png 300w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kameleon_S-1050x960-768x702.png 768w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kameleon_S-1050x960-1024x936.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kameleon_S-1050x960-600x549.png 600w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kameleon_S-1050x960.png 1050w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KameLeon-1050X960-liftntilt-210603-1-300x274.jpg\" class=\"show-on-hover absolute fill hide-for-small back-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KameLeon-1050X960-liftntilt-210603-1-300x274.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KameLeon-1050X960-liftntilt-210603-1-1024x936.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KameLeon-1050X960-liftntilt-210603-1-768x702.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KameLeon-1050X960-liftntilt-210603-1-600x549.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/KameLeon-1050X960-liftntilt-210603-1.jpg 1050w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-tools is-small top right show-on-hover\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-tools is-small hide-for-small bottom left show-on-hover\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-tools grid-tools text-center hide-for-small bottom hover-slide-in show-on-hover\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"box-text box-text-products text-center grid-style-2\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"title-wrapper\"><p class=\"name product-title woocommerce-loop-product__title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/product\/kameleon\/\" class=\"woocommerce-LoopProduct-link woocommerce-loop-product__link\">Leon F Kameleon<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"price-wrapper\">\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t            \t        <\/div>\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1835312775\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1170198109\" class=\"col medium-4 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 80%;\">Sneak peek at Kameleon before our official launch. Approx. 2021 Q4<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-918451083\" class=\"col medium-4 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-519566920\" class=\"col medium-4 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-center\"><div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\" style=\"max-width:893px;height:2px;background-color:rgb(228, 228, 228);\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t<div id=\"gap-1699529383\" class=\"gap-element clearfix\" style=\"display:block; height:auto;\">\n\t\t\n<style>\n#gap-1699529383 {\n  padding-top: 30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1188441432\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1727228851\" class=\"col show-for-small medium-2 small-12 large-2\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  data-parallax-fade=\"true\" data-parallax=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_55067813\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150-64x64.png 64w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_55067813 {\n  width: 48%;\n}\n@media (min-width:550px) {\n  #image_55067813 {\n    width: 100%;\n  }\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 90%;\"><b>Ken Chen, <\/b><b>PT, MS, ATP<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 90%;\">Global Product Training and Development Manager<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 85%;\">Ken has 10 years of experience as a physical therapist in the area of wheelchair seating\/mobility. Ken took on the role of Product Manager for Karma in 2012 and was responsible for the research on user needs and market trends for product development. In 2015, Ken got certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) accredited from RESNA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 85%;\">In 2018, Ken was transferred to the sales department in Taiwan to provide custom products and services for disabled users. He has provided a variety of continuing education courses and lectures in the area of seating\/mobility for Taiwanese therapists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 85%;\">In 2020, Ken was appointed as Product Educator in Karma Group. Now he provides a variety of product training and clinical education courses to the global dealers, distributors, and therapists with Karma&#8217;s clinical consultant Pau-Lee.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<style>\n#col-1727228851 > .col-inner {\n  padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t<section class=\"section hide-for-medium\" id=\"section_68658198\">\n\t\t<div class=\"bg section-bg fill bg-fill  bg-loaded\" >\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"section-content relative\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1023743096\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1498831690\" class=\"col medium-3 small-12 large-3\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_508300990\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150-64x64.png 64w, https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/\u5bb6\u7def-150x150-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_508300990 {\n  width: 65%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 90%;\"><b>Ken Chen<br \/>\n<\/b><b>PT, MS, ATP<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.2em;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 90%;\">Global Product Training and Development Manager<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1972793180\" class=\"col medium-9 small-12 large-9\"  >\n\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.3em;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 80%;\">Ken has 10 years of experience as a physical therapist in the area of wheelchair seating\/mobility. Ken took on the role of Product Manager for Karma in 2012 and was responsible for the research on user needs and market trends for product development. In 2015, Ken got certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) accredited from RESNA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.3em;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 80%;\">In 2018, Ken was transferred to the sales department in Taiwan to provide custom products and services for disabled users. He has provided a variety of continuing education courses and lectures in the area of seating\/mobility for Taiwanese therapists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.3em;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 80%;\">In 2020, Ken was appointed as Product Educator in Karma Group. Now he provides a variety of product training and clinical education courses to the global dealers, distributors, and therapists with Karma&#8217;s clinical consultant Pau-Lee.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n<style>\n#section_68658198 {\n  padding-top: 0px;\n  padding-bottom: 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/section>\n\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Studies have shown that for a child with mobility impairments, the early introduction of power mobility enhances the development of skills (Jones et al., 2012; Guerette et al., 2013; Livingstone &amp; Field, 2014). It\u2019s also widely recognised that early independent mobility improves self-esteem and confidence and reduces apathy and depression (Guerette et al., 2013). Not [&#8230;]\n","protected":false},"author":52647,"featured_media":46555,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538,580,702,581],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30833"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52647"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30833"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46584,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30833\/revisions\/46584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.karmamedical.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}