200 chapter 24
Chair and wheelchair cushions
For the child who has lost feeling in his butt, the type of seat
cushion he uses is very important—especially if his paralysis
makes it difficult to lift up or change positions.
All spinal cord injured persons should use a good cushion.
Sitting directly on a canvas or a poorly padded wood seat causes
pressure sores.
Special cushions are made with ‘soft spots’ of an almost-liquid ‘silicone gel’ in the
areas of greatest pressure. However, these cushions are very expensive. Also, the gel
may get too soft and liquid in hot weather.
Good cushions can be made of ‘microcell’
rubber, which is fairly firm. It works best if it is cut
and shaped to reduce pressure on bony areas:
Dip at back
keeps hips
from slipping
forward.
Hollow in
back keeps
pressure off
butt bones.
Raised ‘shelf’ here puts more
pressure under thighs, less
on butt. It also helps keep
the hips from slipping forward.
A ‘thigh
separator’ can
be included if
needed.
A good, low-cost way to make
a fitted cushion is to build a
base out of many layers of thick
cardboard glued together. Cover
it with a 2 or 3 cm.-thick layer of
sponge rubber.
bottom curved
to fit
wheelchair
seat
Wet the cardboard and sit on it
wet for 2 hours, so it forms to
the shape of the butt. Then let it
dry, and varnish it.
Before making a specially-
fitted cushion, you can make
a ‘mold’ of the person’s butt
by having him sit in a shallow
container of soft clay, mud, or
plaster. Note the bony hollows
and form the seat to fit them.
mold of butt
Air cushions made from bicycle inner tubes are excellent for prevention of pressure
sores, and for bathing on a hard surface. Use 1, 2 or more tubes, depending on size of
tube and size of child.
Disabled village Children
Bind loops of the tubes together
with thin straps of inner tube.
Pump in enough air so that the
whole butt is held up by air.
(Idea from wheelchair rider-builders at
Tahanan Walang Hagdanang {House With No
Stairs}, Quezon City, Philippines)