Caregivers Beth and Rick
We have a son named Paul who has Cerebral Palsy and is a spastic quadriplegic. Paul is in a power wheelchair, and he first got the Up n’ Go about a year and half ago. He had trouble using regular walkers because one side is weaker than the other, and he has low muscle tone in his trunk. This causes him to lean to one side, and it resulted in sever scoliosis. He had back surgery to correct the scoliosis, and uses the Up n’ Go every day at home, and twice a week at school. (Paul just packs it up and puts it in the back of the bus.)
Before using the Up n’ Go, Paul had to periodically have his hamstrings lengthened via surgery, and he could not stand on his own. Now, he is able to stand up straight in the Up n’ Go, walk the entire length of his high school, and he can almost run in the device. He can stay upright longer, he can stretch out his muscles, and he can support most of his weight during transfers. For instance, Beth can walk him from the Up n’ Go to his power chair, and he bears his own weight.
The most important aspect of the Up n’ Go for Paul is the fact that the device supports his weight while he is standing, in particular, it supports his trunk. Paul has such low muscle tone that he has trouble sitting on his own. If you cannot sit up, you cannot walk. Because the Up n’ Go supports Paul’s trunk and takes some of his weight, he is able to walk, almost run, and he even went to the last high school dance. It was a two hour dance, and Paul was able to stand in the Up n’ Go for half the dance!
Sincerely,
Beth and Paul
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