Reply To: Personal preference vs evidence based practice

[Anonymous]

Hi Victor: both of your questions are very interesting as they potentially relate to the negative stigma associated with the wheelchair. One suggestion is to understand that the wheelchair does not results in impeding the user to walk. Specific in a child who could walk later in the future. A strategy could be to talk to the parents and siblings about the fact that the wheelchair is a positive tool that will allow the child go to school and to the family to go to places. If the child can walk at home or in the classroom, that can be done, and the wheelchair can be used for longer distances. In this sense the child can use their energy well and not use all of their energy trying to mobilize themselves. One of the values of having a service provider or a service staff who is also a wheelchair user is that it helps to raise awareness of the fact that you can live a happy and productive life as a wheelchair user. You may want to explore how your service can engage more actively experience wheelchair users who can help you fight the negative stigma. If the siblings are at the service, engage them, teach them about the wheelchair and how they can play, go out, and support their sibling that is using a wheelchair.