As my son Ashley has grown, so have the challenges presented by his mobility.
When he was a tot I could easily lift him, take him upstairs, pop him in the bath and seat him in the car.
However, my back isn’t up to doing this to a 100 pound nine year old.
So we have a variety of aids to help us.
A hoist in the bathroom lifts him in and out.
A motorised car seat swivels and deposits him on the pavement.
A rise and fall bed helps with changing.
He has walked with a frame but can now get about without it on large flat surfaces.
This challenge is compounded with his limited vision. Anything below half way is blurry at best. Imagine walking around with a giant ruff around your neck which makes the meal on your plate disappear and turns the world into an invisible obstacle course.
As he gets bigger and his abilities develop and change his needs change too. What worked a few years ago requires adapting and tweaking today.
So we have just visited a chap in Salford who adapts cars for disabled people. Three years ago, he installed the swivel seat we use for Ashley and was very helpful chatting with us about the possibility of moving the seat into the back. You see, Ashley is inquisitive and he is becoming more of a presence in the front of the car.
These contraptions are a tight squeeze at best and it looks like we may have to change to a sliding door car to fit it in.
We’re hoping that he will develop enough to get in and out without one but that’s for the future.
I can see us getting a minibus at this rate!
