Part 4 in our blog series focusing on Pediatric Mobility Solutions and the TiLite Pilot. See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Is there consideration for transportation, safety and school bus requirements?
Safety and transportation are quite significant concerns for young children. The TiLite Pilot does have transit options available for securement on the bus and in a motor vehicle if needed. The TiLite Pilot comes in two options: a transit option that is WC19 rated up to 90lbs and a transport option. They are both available on the order forms. The only restriction with the WC19 rated one is it’s sensitive to the selection of backrest, as we only tested that option with our TiLite backrests and our Comfort backrests. The transit option has been crash tested for the transit tiedown brackets up to 90lbs.
Refer to the Transit Tie-Down Option Brochure for important information regarding the Transit Tie-Down options.
Is there a tray option?
Due to weight considerations, there is not a tray option that mounts onto the wheelchair, but there is the option to mount an aftermarket tray onto the armrests a large worksurface was needed. Keep in mind that with our optimal seat to floor height consideration, most of our TiLite Pilot navigators can sit at a typical desk or table surface in the classroom. An on-chair solution is to order a GRIP Solutions Lap Board, which similar to a lap tray but features a very thin non-skid material that holds many different objects on the child’s lap.
How big does the chair grow?
There is 2” of width growth available with parts. The only exception to that is if you start at a 13” wide or at the top range of width availability you will only have 1” of width growth total. There is a total of 3" of seat depth available on the composite molded solid seat pan.
Is the growth kit included in the purchase price?
We do have two options on the order form available. If the funding source prefers the growth kit to be included from the beginning or prefers the growth kit to be ordered separately these two options are available. This is specific to width, depth is built in.
How do you mount a custom backrest?
The three options available for backrests are to order a TiLite backrest, a Comfort backrest with back canes, or order the chair with back canes and omit the back shell. The back cane option allows you to mount whatever aftermarket backrest that works best for your client.
How difficult is it to use a back support other than a TiLite back and how would it be attached?
The back canes allow for use of quick release or fixed mount hardware. The back canes should accommodate almost every aftermarket backrest out there that fits typical back cane tubing sizes. The TiLite Pilot has native integration.
Can you have casters larger than 4”?
The only caster wheel option is 4” in diameter at this time. Due to the design of the TiLite Pilot, more of the child’s weight is over the rear wheels so the 4” casters are successful at what their intended purpose is which is turning. Not a lot of weight is placed on the casters, so a larger caster isn’t necessary to get up and over the obstacles as in a traditional chair. In a traditional chair, more weight would be put on the casters so that if the child hit a large bump there would be the risk of falling out. The TiLite Pilot has more anterior stability and less caster loading so a bigger caster size was not needed.
Can a SmartDrive Power Assist be used with the TiLite Pilot?
Yes, a SmartDrive Power Assist can be used with a TiLite Pilot with a few limitations. The SmartDrive Power Assist can be used with a TiLite Pilot as small as 9” wide. There are a few limitations, and the first is the rear wheel size must be 22” or 24”. There is a potential limitation with a very low seat to floor height of 13.5” in the rear. However, for most of the children who will be using the TiLite Pilot can use the SmartDrive Power Assist successfully as it’s appropriate.
Thank you all for following along with our blog series highlighting the TiLite Pilot. From our first blog on limitations in pediatric wheelchair options, to understanding how children gain independent mobility, and then on to design goals of the TiLite Pilot, we hope you learned something new about pediatric manual mobility. If you have any specific questions regarding pediatric manual mobility be sure to email your questions to us_clinical_br_america@permobil.com.
Jennith Bernstein, PT, DPT, ATP/SMS
Regional Clinical Education Manager
Jennith Bernstein received her masters in Physical Therapy at North Georgia College & State University and returned to complete her transitional DPT at University of Texas Medical Branch in 2014. While at Shepherd Center, Jennith, initiated a “Seating Champion” program to improve the inpatient and day program clinicians understanding of complex seating, pressure management and skin protection as well as research reviews, advanced programming and adjustments. She was also part of a center wide multidisciplinary focus group for reduction of hospital acquired skin breakdown. Jennith has served as a volunteer teacher at the Universidad Mariano Galvez in Guatemala, instructing spinal cord injury curriculum as well as seating and mobility. Jennith has presented at national conferences such as RESNA, ISS, and the APTA NEXT conference. Jennith has been a practicing PT for 12 years and spent the last 10 years at a model SCI center (Shepherd Center) in Atlanta, Georgia. Jennith joined Permobil as the Clinical Education Manager for the Central Region in 2016.