Wheelchair and Equipment Evaluation Services

Our Goal

The goal of our Wheelchair and Equipment Evaluation Team is to help each patient achieve the most mobility and function that is possible by selecting the equipment best suited to his or her unique needs.

The team uses the skills and expertise of our pediatric occupational and physical therapy departments. We perform evaluations at our main campus in St. Petersburg, at All Children’s Outpatient Care locations in Lakeland, Fort Myers, Tampa, and Sarasota.

About the Program

We use an interdisciplinary team approach for each evaluation. This includes a pediatric occupational therapist, a pediatric physical therapist, and a trained adaptive seating specialist from a community vendor selected by the family. This team of professionals works together with the patient and family to identify current and future equipment needs.

The team provides a formal report with detailed recommendations for custom manual and power wheelchairs, positioning equipment and related equipment. We send the formal report to the family, the referring physician, and to the child’s healthcare funding source.

After the wheelchair and other adaptive equipment are delivered, the team makes adjustments and modifications that may be needed.

Our Patients

We evaluate patients at any age, from newborn through adulthood. Our patients have diagnoses that may include cerebral palsy, spina bifida, traumatic brain injury, stroke, muscular dystrophy, osteogenesis imperfecta, cancer, amputation, and mental retardation.

The Evaluation

The evaluation includes:

• Review of current equipment and transportation
• Review of current functional status: mobility in and out of the chair, daily activities, and transfers throughout the natural environment
• Review of the environment, including home, school or work and community-based activities

Together with the family, we develop specific goals to help with positioning and mobility throughout the patient’s natural environment. The team recommends equipment that will promote independence and mobility. We may recommend additional services to help the patient develop functional skills to make the best possible use of equipment.

We can also evaluate a patient’s needs for other equipment such as bathing equipment, standers, or feeding chairs. We add these recommendations to the evaluation report for approval from the patient’s funding source.

Follow-up Visits

After the evaluation, we schedule a custom seating molding (when needed). When the equipment arrives we schedule a delivery appointment to check for correct fit and performance, and to teach the patient and family how to use and take care of the equipment.  You may also contact us later on to make an appointment for any adjustments that may be needed.