autistic daughter has been limited to wheelchair

My daughter got her autistic diagnosis at the age of 3, she still has no communication and severe sensory overloads. going outside is a big trigger for her sensory issues and she will just drop to the floor and bang her head or hit her face when having a meltdown in the street. The whole experience is traumatising for us both as she looks in pain with the noise, smells, lights etc. Whenever we go outside she refuses to walk or runs away onto roads and traffic, she is now too big for any special pushchairs. As she gets older & bigger its harder to restrain her or calm her down when she's being aggressive, which sadly happens a lot due to her frustration when we don't know what she's saying or wanting. Occupational therapy and the hospital have provided her with a wheelchair,we have used it a few times now and she seems to be a lot less anxious when she's outside in the chair (we also use ear defenders when outside which helps ) I was wanting to know if any other mothers/carers have had to use a wheelchair due to their child's severe meltdowns / autism related symptoms. I feel like we get stared at when outside or looked at when my daughters seen getting in and out of the chair because she is physically able to walk and isn't paralysed I feel like maybe other people think she doesn't need the chair and I don't want people to stop and ask me what's wrong with her or question me which seems to be the case . please any reply's on this subject would be a big help.

  • Despite not being paralyzed, I have a seatbelt on my custom manual wheelchair for Ambulette service nyc. I "earned" it due to a bad habit of failing to correctly calculate my center of gravity when reaching for objects on the ground and failing to break my fall gracefully with my face. Even with the seatbelt, I occasionally slip and have to correct my position, but it prevents that problem. Due to my gravity issues, I learned that one drawback of wheelchairs is that if you flip forward while seatbelted in, it can be challenging to get right into the situation and not panic.

  • Despite not being paralyzed, I have a seatbelt on my custom manual wheelchair [link removed by moderator]. I "earned" it due to a bad habit of failing to correctly calculate my center of gravity when reaching for objects on the ground and failing to break my fall gracefully with my face. Even with the seatbelt, I occasionally slip and have to correct my position, but it prevents that problem. Due to my gravity issues, I learned that one drawback of wheelchairs is that if you flip forward while seatbelted in, it can be challenging to get right into the situation and not panic.

  • Despite not being paralyzed, I have a seatbelt on my custom manual wheelchair for Ambulette service nyc.

  • I agree with all of thay.

    My daughter was diagnosed with erb's palsy as a baby. Took her to cranial osteopath who freed up her right hand side but in the last couple of years she's dropped down on the ground a bit. So going back for check ups as they think she might have cerebral paulsey.

    she's not so bad now but she can get very wound up when we're out especially if we're in places where there's lots of people her age and she feels like people at looking at her.

    you wouldn't know she was autistic if you saw her but she isn't the most confident of people but seems a lot better lately.

    Don't take any notice of what other people think or any funny looks they give you .t's not worth it.if she's in that wheelchair and you can laugh and be jolly  Put s  blanket over her legs and it means you can have a happier time going out..go for it.

    Does she have any friends?

  • thank you, my family members have said the same tbh think I need to realise its whats best for my daughters safety and be less anxious about what other people think around us x

  • Hi, I can't comment on what it is like using a wheelchair with your child but I am sure other people on here will be more helpful, the only thing I can really say is don't let people get to you they are clueless most of the time you do what is right for your daughter.

    Good luck x