Her first wheels were the zip-zac. She got this when she was 9 months old, so it's been here for over a year now. It has been the most beneficial thing for her movement, and will probably end up being one of the most important things she's ever had. Because she was so young when she got it, she was able to learn how to use it at the same age that she would have been if she was learning how to walk. The zip-zac is what we use inside and what we take over to others' houses. It is low to the ground and lets her pick up toys off the floor and reach books on shelves. We don't take it outside much because it doesn't hold her in very well, and I prefer to have a chair inside that stays clean.
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She also has a big wheelchair, though some people may look at it and say that it's so small. This is the chair that goes outside and to school and to the grocery store. It's bigger and heavier, and she has to be strapped in with a seatbelt and shoulder strap. She cannot reach something from the floor and it's harder to get something from a shelf, so this chair is really tough for her to use in the house. Admittedly, I haven't been as good about putting her in the chair when we're out in public. It is easier to put her in the shopping cart or wear her in a carrier, but recently I have been better about using the chair. We've done a couple short trips to the grocery store and to the mall. I was really surprised at how well she did! She still needs a little help and doesn't always go in the direction I want her to go... oh, wait, that sounds like a typical toddler!
In addition to her 2 wheelchairs, she has a dynamic stander. This is the stander on wheels, which she really loves to use outside. She stands on a platform and has 2 big wheels that seem to be pretty easy for her to push. She should be spending about 30 minutes or so each day standing up, and she likes being in it to roll up and down the street. It's pretty big and she can't really reach anything so it is better for outside. It's great that she likes it so much because standing is really good for her. She tires in it after a while so it's perfect to take outside or to the playground.
Just recently I borrowed a walker from another SB mom. Leah will hopefully walk someday, though it might be sooner than we thought. The first time I brought the walker in, she was very interested in it. I put on her AFO's and stood her up in it so she could kind of get the feeling of how it's supposed to be used. Her legs are so weak that I couldn't really do anything, so I put her in her regular stander and put the walker around her. She was so happy! She was rocking back and forth and putting her hands on the walker saying, "la-la's," meaning it's hers. We thought about getting her into full leg braces next spring and starting the process of learning to walk, but we may try to do that a little sooner. I'm sure I'm probably getting my hopes up but it was really neat to see how excited she was.
We donated all of Ben's early equipment that he grew out of to Easter Seals here in town. We donated walkers, trip trap chair, standers, and a couple of trikes/bikes. There are kids that get therapy there that don't have money for those things. Easter Seals also has a check-out program, so that they can try these items at home as well. But, with no one to pass them on to that we knew, it seemed perfect for them to use them in therapy down there, or just to give them to some child who could use them. (just something to keep in mind!)
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