Page 27 - Mobility Management, November/December 2021

upper-extremity support trays with all of our standard upholstery. We have the opportunity to bundle with more individually configured systems, like a JAY back and cushion. That provides a hybrid between something that’s basic, soft and comfortable for kiddos who don’t need as much support. But for kiddos who are more complex, we can completely configure their seating to meet their needs.”
Just What They Want (& Nothing They Don’t)
Angie Kiger, M.Ed., CTRS, ATP/SMS, Sunrise Medical’s Clinical Strategy & Education Manager, said of the Sphynx’s development, “When we started talking to clinicians a few years ago, the conversation was ‘We have a large portfolio; what are we missing? Who’s being underserved?” Teens were mentioned as among the most difficult-to-support populations.
“They’re big,” Kiger explained. “It’s more difficult for Mom and Dad to place them where they need to go. Examples that were brought up were kids on the autism disorder spectrum who have behavioral difficulties, but also have cerebral palsy. They may be lower on the GMFCS [Gross Motor Function Classification System] scale, so they can ambulate short distances. But they can’t go for a long period of time.
“If you get them a tilt-in-space wheelchair, are you limiting their ability to go places with Mom and Dad? Are you limiting people’s perceptions of them? That’s one
of the most difficult things for families: You don’t want to look more disabled than you actually are.”
The Sphynx became a great fit for the real-life family in the new chair’s marketing campaign. The family’s eldest two children — Ariana (pictured) and Fernando —
are teens who have been diagnosed with Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation, Type Iq; CDG1Q; Coloboma,
Ocular, with Ichthyosis, brain malformations, and endocrine abnormalities.
Ariana has intellectual
disabilities, but Kiger, on hand
for the photo shoot, described
her as “very active, smiley
and happy,” adding Ariana’s
feet “are always marching.”
Ariana’s previous mobility
device was an adaptive stroller,
but “because of Ariana’s significant movement and her constant marching, she broke the lower-extremity pieces multiple times,” Kiger said.
Ariana’s therapist decided to try an ultralightweight chair next, reasoning that Ariana was capable of some self propulsion and that the therapist could achieve some positioning via the adjustable axle plate. So they tried a QUICKIE 2.
“Mom and Dad were a little disappointed because the QUICKIE 2 is created for someone with independent mobility,” Kiger said. “We can set it up to be dependent, but it’s intended to be [self] propelled. So it’s not nearly as ergonomically correct for families to be pushing.”
Upon hearing about the Sphynx, Ariana’s therapist recommended the family for a test, saying, “Mom and Dad are at a loss; there’s nothing out there for them.”
Then Ariana tried the Sphynx. “Now Mom and Dad can change her position while they’re in the community,” Kiger said. “If they’re out for longer days and she needs to rest a bit, they can recline her. She only sits at 10° static tilt; that’s a good position for her.”
The minimalist Sphynx largely disappears when Ariana is in it. “That’s one of the things Mom says,” Kiger said.
She added that Sunrise intentionally refrains from calling the Sphynx a stroller: “If you look at the definition of stroller, it talks about young children. A lot of times, if people have an intellectual disability, they’re just consid- ered a child. And that’s not okay. If someone is 20 years old, we should not be saying, ‘Let’s go get your stroller.’”
Indeed, the Sphynx has two HCPCS codes: E1161 (adult manual tilt in space) and E1232/1234 (pediatric folding tilt in space, with/without seating).
“The chair that Ariana was using didn’t offer as many positioning options,” Kiger said. “[Therapists] get into battles with families: They all agree they don’t need a full tilt-in-space wheelchair. But then families say, ‘We like this chair because there’s not a lot of stuff on it.’ And the ther- apist says, ‘But I can’t get her positioned appropriately.’”
The Sphynx gives Ariana exactly what she needs... without adding more tilt that she doesn’t need and that would make her chair larger and harder to transport and maneuver. “The family loved it,” Kiger said. m
—Laurie Watanabe
The Sphynx can be configured with more basic or more complex seating.
MobilityMgmt.com
MOBILITY MANAGEMENT | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 25