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SnapDragon – Owner's Manual

Dragonmobility Ltd

Issue 1,8

The SnapDragon's effect on your child

Especially if the SnapDragon is the first electric wheelchair your child has had, you will find

that his access to things around him will suddenly expand. He will now be able to reach

from the floor to perhaps three feet high - maybe higher if he has the standing frame. Just

as when toddlers find their feet for the first time, safety must be a prime consideration.

Even older children may have to be carefully introduced to areas of danger, as their

previous experience of less mobility may not have taught them the basic rules of safety.

You will quickly learn what needs to be moved out of reach or protected, to enable your

child to make the most of his new-found freedom. You will also find out what new rules of

behaviour your child must learn, to give you confidence in him.

Because the SnapDragon is highly manoeuvrable, movement will be much more fun than

in a conventional wheelchair - not merely a necessity. You may find that your quiet and

cooperative child becomes a monster for a while! But stick with it! With time and

experience, the novelty element will wear off, and the SnapDragon will become a normal

part of life. Most importantly, his greater capacity for movement should open up other vital

avenues of development to him.

The SnapDragon's effect on you

More freedom for your child should eventually mean more freedom for you, but at the

start, it will mean a dramatic change, especially if your child has not had a powerchair

before. One of the things the SnapDragon will do is enable the child to help and to join in

with what is going on, maybe by fetching and carrying - don't forget the carrying platform

on the back when you go shopping. You may find that you are the one lagging behind when

you both go out - machines don't get tired!

But bear in mind that more movement means closer supervision, depending on the age

and ability of your child. It also means that discipline is essential. As with any child, the

boundaries need to be set clearly at the beginning. If a child is not acting safely and

responsibly enough in whatever the circumstances happen to be, he must be aware that

his freedom may have to be restricted. The on/off switch on the back is a last resort in the

case of disobedience, remembering that the SnapDragon can be set to freewheel, and

pushed if necessary, but learning will only take place if other means of persuasion and

incentives for good behaviour have been used first.

One of the changes will be in transporting your child from home to school, or on outings,

shopping or other family activities. How much you need to dismantle the SnapDragon to

transport it (see section 3) will depend on the type of car you have. Although tie-down

systems are possible to allow a person to travel in their powerchair, if the vehicle is

adapted for this, we always recommend that while a child is small enough to be transferred

into a car seat this is by far the safest way to travel.

Maintenance

As for any vehicle, be it a wheelchair, bicycle or motor car, the SnapDragon needs regular

maintenance. If you consider that a SnapDragon typically gets as much wear in 4 months

as the average car does in a year, servicing is important. Some servicing can be done at

home, or by a qualified mechanic at almost any bicycle shop or garage, but a

manufacturer's service every year is strongly recommended. Service information is

available from Dragonmobility, and can be accessed through the internet from

www.dragonmobility.com/support/

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