Seating and Mobility Clinic
Children who have trouble sitting, walking, standing or moving independently deserve mobility solutions that are designed specifically for them. The Phoenix Children’s Seating and Mobility Clinic does just that. We bring together experts to evaluate your child or adolescent and provide seating and mobility equipment that works for them. We are dedicated to helping your child be properly positioned and mobile enough to participate in activities with family and friends.
Your Referral to the Seating and Mobility Clinic
Our Seating and Mobility Clinic (SMC) is available to outpatients up to age 21, if their disability began when they were a child and they are still in the care of specialists at Phoenix Children’s. Your Phoenix Children’s provider will refer you to the SMC, where you and your child will meet our team.
Making the Appointment
The SMC is held on Monday afternoons. Once we have your referral, we’ll call you to set up a date for your visit. After we check your insurance for mobility equipment coverage, and ask about your preferred vendor, we’ll call you again to arrange the specific time of your appointment.
The clinic is located on the first floor of the Ambulatory Building, via the entrance off Cambridge.
Your Child’s Evaluation
The SMC process begins with an evaluation by a multidisciplinary team of experts. This team evaluation includes a pediatric physiatrist and you’ll also see a physical therapist and an assistive technology professional from one of the equipment companies listed below. Your child’s own therapists are welcome to make recommendations as well.
These mobility experts will be checking your child’s limitations and needs so they can personalize your choice of equipment or make adjustments to your child’s current equipment. The evaluation is also necessary to ensure that your choice of equipment is covered by your insurance.
You’ll also be working with an assistive technology professional (ATP) from one of the mobility equipment vendors. These vendors include:
The ATPs will contribute to your child’s evaluation by making suggestions for specific equipment. They also take measurements to make sure children and adolescents get exactly what they need. They may bring sample equipment to the clinic.
Types of Mobility Equipment
Our SMC provides mobility equipment for first-time users, as well as replacements for outgrown or broken equipment. We provide:
- Wheelchairs, both manual and power
- Adaptive strollers
- Early intervention seating
- Standers
- Gait trainers
If your child has seating or positioning issues with their existing equipment, we can help with advice and counseling to resolve the problems.
We also provide complex bath equipment that goes beyond a shower chair, simple bath chair or tub bench. (Simple equipment can be obtained directly from home health equipment companies.)
Delivery of Mobility Equipment
We will notify you when your child’s wheelchair or other mobility equipment arrives and set up an appointment for a final fitting. Your team will determine whether this appointment will be at your home or in the clinic. We want to make sure that you receive the most appropriate item to meet your child’s needs. If there are any problems with the equipment, we will make sure they are solved.
Questions?
Our intent is to offer a streamlined process that makes it easy for each child to get the equipment they need. If you have any questions, please use these steps to get answers:
- For questions about the equipment status, call the specific vendor or use the company’s online portal if you have enrolled. Their representative will give you an update on the status of the order and answer any questions you have.
- If the vendor can’t answer your questions, call Maira Espinoza at 602-933-4644.
- You can also call Maira with questions about the Seating and Mobility Clinic process.
To Refer a Patient
Phoenix Children’s Medical Group (PCMG) providers and Phoenix Children’s Pediatrics (PCP) groups should enter an order in SCM under Seating and Mobility Clinic and follow the prompts. Other non-Phoenix Children’s providers can call Maira Espinoza at 602-933-4644 to refer a patient. You can also email her at mespinoza2@phoenixchildrens.com.