Types of Wheelchairs for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a disorder in which the brain cannot properly control and coordinate the body’s movements. CP is usually caused by damage to the brain during childbirth. Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood motor disability in the U.S.

Not every child with CP needs a wheelchair. In fact, almost 60% of all children with cerebral palsy can walk independently without any equipment.  Many of these children were once in a wheelchair but could later ambulate with the chair. Some children with cerebral palsy who cannot walk independently use handheld mobility equipment, and others require wheelchairs.

Different Types of Wheelchairs

The good news is that in 2025, there are many different types of wheelchairs available specifically designed to accommodate the unique mobility needs of children with all types of cerebral palsy.

Manual Wheelchairs

Traditional, manual-powered wheelchairs are inexpensive and easy to transport. They typically feature two small caster wheels in the front and two large wheels in the back with rims for pushing. Manual wheelchairs can be rigid or foldable, and they offer a variety of customizable features.  The upside of a manual wheelchair is that the user gets exercise navigating and powering the chair.

Some children with cerebral palsy have limited arm strength or control. So they may not be able to move by themselves in these types of chairs. This makes traditional wheelchairs less effective mobility devices for kids with CP.

Electric Wheelchairs

Powered electric wheelchairs have the most to offer for children with cerebral palsy. Electric wheelchairs offer various control options that can give almost any child with cerebral palsy the ability to move around independently.

Most electric wheelchairs for CP feature a joystick-type control that enables the user to move the chair in any direction simply by moving the control stick. More advanced operating systems are available for users who cannot use a joystick control, including touchpad controls and even eye gaze controls.

Electric-powered wheelchairs can be equipped with additional features and operative enhancements to benefit children with cerebral palsy. Many of these features are discussed in the following sections.

Tilt-in-Space

One of the most common wheelchair enhancement features for cerebral palsy users is power tilt or tilt-in-space. Tilt-in-space chairs have special seats that can pivot 30-60 degrees upward with the push of a button (or manually) while keeping the hips and knees at 90-degree angles.

In other words, the user remains in the fixed seated position with their knees bent while the entire chair pivots backward.

Tilting offers several general benefits. It shifts body weight to relieve pressure from specific areas of the body, such as the lower back, which is very important for users who spend all day in their wheelchairs. It also helps improve circulation.

Tilt-in-space chairs provide mobility benefits. They are particularly useful for children with cerebral palsy. With a tilt chair, a child with CP can be moved into a postural position, making them more functional in performing specific tasks.

Children with CP often cannot control spastic muscle responses, frequently triggered by moving the legs out of a seated position. The tilt-in-space avoids this by pivoting the user with the legs in the fixed seating position. Various studies have shown that tilt-in-space chairs benefit children with cerebral palsy.

The main drawbacks of tilt-in-space chairs are that they are large and cumbersome, making them difficult to transport and maneuver. They also seat the user much higher than other chairs, making it harder to fit under tables.

Reclining Chairs

Reclining wheelchairs enable users to open the seat-to-back angle and elevate the legs. The movement is that of a typical reclining easy chair. The reclining feature offers many of the same benefits as tilt-in-space, including relief of pressure, comfort, and improved circulation.

They can also move the user to more functional positions, but not as effectively as a tilt-in-space chair.

One significant problem with reclining chairs, however, is shearing and sliding. When the user reclines back, gravity causes the body to slide downward. This can be very problematic for kids with CP who have problems with spastic muscle control.

Standing Wheelchairs

Some children with CP might be able to use standing wheelchairs. These types of electric-powered chairs look a lot like a Segway or scooter. They support the user in an upright position with back and head stability. Movement is usually controlled with a joystick on the armrest.

Customized Seating Wheelchairs

These wheelchairs have customized seating and positioning options for maximum comfort and support. They often include features like specialized cushions, backrests, and headrests tailored to the user’s unique needs.

Transport Wheelchairs

Lightweight and compact, transport wheelchairs are designed for easy transportation and storage. A caregiver typically pushes them and is suitable for short trips or medical appointments.

Rehabilitation Wheelchairs

These wheelchairs are used during rehabilitation to improve mobility, muscle strength, and posture. They may have adjustable features to accommodate changing needs as the individual progresses.

Sports and Recreation Wheelchairs

These wheelchairs are specially designed for adaptive sports and recreational activities. They are lightweight, agile, and equipped with features that enable users to participate in various sports and games.

Kids born with cerebral palsy generally have a host of special educational needs and requirements that should be addressed when it comes to basic things such as school and child care. Fortunately, in the United States, we have a high-quality special education system for children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. This page will review the basic educational services and other benefits available under this system, as well as supplemental assistance programs.

Assistive Technology for Children with Cerebral Palsy

In addition to the variety of wheelchairs available, assistive technology plays a critical role in helping children with cerebral palsy enhance their mobility and independence. Communication devices, such as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, can help children with CP who have difficulty speaking by allowing them to communicate using symbols, pictures, or text-to-speech tools. These devices can be customized to meet each child’s specific needs, making communication more accessible.

Additionally, adaptive switches can be used in conjunction with powered wheelchairs to control various features, such as adjusting seat positions or using entertainment devices like computers and tablets. These switches can be activated by different parts of the body, such as a slight head movement or a foot press, making them especially useful for children with limited motor control. Smart wheelchairs with integrated technology are also becoming more common, offering features like GPS, obstacle detection, and automatic braking to increase safety and independence for children with cerebral palsy.

The integration of assistive technology alongside traditional wheelchairs and other mobility aids can significantly enhance a child’s quality of life, allowing them to engage more fully in education, social activities, and daily living tasks.

2025 Wheelchair Innovations for Children with Cerebral Palsy

The newest generation of wheelchairs in 2025 is transforming mobility and independence for many children with cerebral palsy. These devices go far beyond basic movement. They integrate smart technologies, responsive support systems, and adaptive controls to accommodate a range of physical challenges.

Some advanced manual chairs, like the PulseRide, use real-time heart-rate data to adjust push-assist, helping kids maintain healthy exertion levels without overstraining. These chairs support longer use with less fatigue, especially for children who can self-propel but tire easily.

Electric chairs have become dramatically more advanced. The CoNav chair includes shared-control navigation that helps avoid obstacles while letting the child remain in control. This is especially helpful in tight spaces, such as classrooms or hallways.

For children with limited motor control, hands-free systems are becoming more available. New prototypes let users operate a wheelchair using eye blinks and brain signals. Others respond to facial muscle movements, such as jaw clenches or eyebrow raises.

Chairs like the Phoenix Instinct use sensors and artificial intelligence to prevent tipping and improve balance on uneven terrain. These ultra-lightweight models also help reduce shoulder strain when pushing.

Dynamic seating systems, sometimes called active seating, are another major advance people are excited about. These chairs shift slightly with the child’s movements, improving posture, reducing pressure injuries, and helping with core stability.

Many of these technologies can be combined with soft exoskeletons like the MyoStep or the SoftExo, which wrap around the legs to help with walking and standing. These wearable supports promote muscle use and can even improve gait over time.

Education Programs for Cerebral Palsy

Early Intervention Services

The term “early intervention” refers to certain public educational support services that are available for infants and toddlers with certain developmental delays and disabilities such as cerebral palsy. The early intervention (EI) program is actually part of the federal education assistance system mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975. IDEA requires state public school systems to identify children with special needs and provide them with certain support services for which the states receive large amounts of federal funding. One of the support service programs required by IDEA is the EI program.

The EI program offers free developmental services to certain qualified children 0-3 years old. Infants and toddlers can become qualified for the EI program in one of 2 ways:

1. Parents with concerns can request that their child be evaluated for developmental delays. If the testing and evaluation determines that the child is developmental delayed they will be approved for the program. Pediatricians will often refer children for EI evaluation but any concerned parent can have their child tested and assessed on request.
2. Children who are diagnosed by doctors with certain birth injuries or disorders that are known to cause developmental delays or cognitive impairment will be automatically qualified from EI services based on solely on that diagnosis.

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will automatically qualify a child for the EI program without testing or evaluation. The following link provides information on state specific eligibility requirements: State EI Programs.

Early intervention programs are administered by the state and services are typically provided through the local school system or in some states they are contracted out to private companies. Individual EI services are provided in various settings (e.g., at home, daycare, clinics, etc.) depending on the child’s needs and situation. The preliminary assessment testing and evaluation are entirely free and most EI services are also provide entirely free of charge. However, some states do assess small fees for families who have household income over a certain level.

A very broad range of distinct services are offer under the EI program. The specific services provided through the EI program will vary depending on the unique needs and requirements of each child. Once a child is admitted into the EI program parents have an initial meeting with program providers at which time a customized support plan and developed based on the evaluated needs of the child and what services they might benefit from. The customized service plan is called an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). The primary categories of support services offer through early intervention programs include:

• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Medical / Nursing Assistance
• Speech Development
• Education Assistance
• Social Services
• Nursing Care
• Counseling for Parents
• Nutritional Counseling
• Mobility Devices
• Assistive Technology
• Transportation

Children who are evaluated and assessed with limited, specific developmental needs may only receive 1 of these services. For example toddlers with speech delays will typically just receive speech development therapy. Children with any type of cerebral palsy, however, will typically be provided the full range of EI services. The physical and occupational therapy services available through EI can be very beneficial at helping children with CP.

Educational Services for Children Over 3

For the first 3 years, children with cerebral palsy can receive support services through the EI program. Children older than 3 years fall under different IDEA programs which are usually described as Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and Special Education. Special education programs provide children with one-on-one teaching and other special educational resources (e.g., speech therapy).

Special education is provided to children within their public school. Still, new program rules prevent them from being isolated in a special class so they remain in a regular classroom setting most of the time. Most children with cerebral palsy will meet the qualification criteria for special education services. The IEP is a customized support service plan similar to the IFSP but for children over 3 years old.

Daycare and Preschool Programs

Kids with cerebral palsy often need to be in daycare and/or preschool just like other toddlers and young children. The problem is that many young children with cerebral palsy have significant special needs that cannot always be accommodated at standard daycares. Most states have programs that provide special funding to childcare centers that are certified to provide care and services to children with disabilities and special needs. Moreover, children with IEPs are automatically entitled to free enrollment in state sponsored preschool programs. These preschools are usually provided through the local public school.

• More thoughts on measuring and picking the best possible wheelchair for a child with cerebral palsy
• What is ataxic cerebral palsy?
• Children with CP sometimes have torticollis or hypertonia, or frequently arch their back.
• Does my child have CP?  Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy (symptoms specific to toddlers)

How to Pay for Wheelchairs and Other Costs

If a birth injury has seriously disabled your child, they will need long-term medical assistance, rehabilitative therapy, and additional support.

Disabled kids need many expensive services and devices not always covered by insurance. This often requires a lot of money to help your child.

The challenge is more significant than people understand.  Many children require 24-hour trained supervision. Children with severe birth injuries require very different care than a child without disabilities. Often even the parents need special training to care for their own child.  So you just can’t hire a babysitter or even ask the child’s grandparents to take over for a break. When the child’s parents are working or otherwise unable to care for the child directly, trained nurses are needed.

Fortunately, numerous ways exist to obtain financial support and assistance for families with children with birth injuries.

Government Sponsored Assistance

There are quite a few assistance programs to help disabled children that are sponsored and/or directly administered by the federal government. The two primary government programs are SSI and SNAP.

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI): If you have a disabled child and you don’t make too much money, you can apply for SSI. You can get up to $914 per month if you qualify for SSI. To receive this benefit, you need to satisfy two basic requirements. First, your child has to meet the SSI disability requirements. Any sort of significant developmental disability resulting from a birth injury (e.g., cerebral palsy) will easily satisfy this requirement. Second, your family has to meet the income eligibility requirements. If you make too much money, you will not be eligible for SSI benefits even if your child is severely disabled.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): SNAP is a government-subsidized program that helps pay for food. Families enrolled in the SNAP program receive a SNAP account card that looks and functions just like a credit card. When checking out at the grocery store, you just swipe your SNAP card, and it will pay for all of your essential items that SNAP covers. SNAP assistance is available for low-income families and families with disabled children (subject to some income limitations). So if your child has a disability resulting from a birth injury, you could qualify for SNAP and get most of your grocery bill paid for.
• State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): While Medicaid provides health coverage for low-income individuals, SCHIP, also known as CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), covers children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private health insurance. The specifics of what is covered can vary by state.
• Early Intervention Services: Many states provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. These programs offer various services, including physical therapy, speech therapy, and other developmental services. This assistance falls under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C.
• Medicaid: Depending on the family’s income, the child might qualify for Medicaid, which provides health coverage to eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.
  • Waiver Programs: Medicaid waiver programs allow states to offer services to individuals who might not typically be eligible for Medicaid. These waivers often cover services for children with significant medical needs, allowing them to receive care at home.
• Non-Profit Organizations: Many non-profit organizations provide financial assistance, equipment, or support for children with specific disabilities or medical conditions. For example, the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) organization supports individuals with cerebral palsy and their families.
• Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund (CICRF): This program helps families bear the financial burdens of caring for children with special healthcare needs and disabilities.
• Assistive Technology Programs: Some states provide programs to help children with disabilities access the assistive technology they need, be it devices or software.
• Protection and Advocacy Systems: Every state has a protection and advocacy system to assist individuals with disabilities in securing their rights.

In addition to programs like SSI and SNAP, children with disabilities may also be eligible for government-subsidized healthcare coverage through Medicaid. The state and federal governments jointly fund Medicaid. The Medicaid program is administered at the state level, so each state’s benefits and eligibility rules vary. Medicaid provides qualifying disabled children with healthcare coverage. The program also covers medical equipment, mobility aids, and in-home support and services.

Legal Settlements

The reality is that the best way to afford the best care for your child is to get a birth injury settlement or verdict through the legal system.

The government-sponsored programs described above have significant limitations. First, families that make too much money may not even be eligible for these programs (as insane as that may be). Second, the benefits provided by these programs are minimal.

Fortunately, the civil legal system provides another source of financial support for some children disabled by birth injuries. When your child’s birth injury directly results from medical negligence, the responsible healthcare providers can be obligated to provide financial assistance. You will not automatically get this assistance. You have to “apply” for this type of financial support like you do for government benefits. The application for private financial assistance comes in the form of a claim or lawsuit for medical malpractice. A lot of money is at stake, and the hospitals fight these cases… whether they think they are right or wrong. The civil justice system is set up to process to sort these claims, and doctors and hospitals have medical malpractice insurance to pay for them.

When birth injury claims are successful, the responsible parties and their insurance carriers must pay for most or all of the reasonable care your disabled child will need during their lifetime. This includes medical expenses for treatments, surgeries, and therapy. It also includes the cost of necessary support services or mobility devices such as electric wheelchairs.

Private settlements will also include “economic damages” to cover lost income resulting from your child’s disability. A Life Care Plan is a combination of all these estimated lifetime costs and losses associated with a child’s disability. Many birth injury malpractice claims or lawsuits are resolved with a financial settlement based on a Life Care Plan for the disabled child. A financial settlement based on a Life Care Plan should cover all future expenses for your disabled child, including 24-hour attendant care if needed. Depending on the severity of your child’s birth injury and resulting disability, his or her Life Care Plan can easily involve payments over $25 million.

• Learn more about Life Care Plans
• Settlement value of birth injury cases