Are you trying to decide which bath chair to choose for your child with additional needs?
We reached out to parents of kids with different disabilities to hear which bath chair works best for them.
Before choosing your child’s bath chair, here are a few factors to consider:
- Does your child need a transfer system to go to-and-from the bathtub?
- What is your current bathroom setup? Do you have a bathtub or a walk-in shower?
- Do you need the bath chair to be portable?
- Does your child enjoy bath time in the water?
Based on these considerations, these are the top 3 bath chairs for kids with disabilities.
Parents’ Choice: Top 3 Bath Chairs For Kids With Disabilities
- Splashy Multi-Purpose Bath Seat (click to check the current price on FireFly) – This is the parents’ go-to chair for daily life activity, from baking in the kitchen to family vacations at the beach. It’s lightweight and portable design makes it easy for parents of kids under eight years old to have the support they need to play.
- Otter Bath Chair (click to check the current price on Inspired By Drive) – The Otter is a fabulous choice for children over eight years old. Like Splashy, kids can easily enjoy water activities.
- Rifton Wave (click to check the current price on Rifton) – While the Rifton Wave is placed third on this list, this may be the best bath chair for older kids with more physical limitations.
Why Parents’ Picked the Splashy
- It’s lightweight and portable design makes the bath chair versatile for many daily activities. It serves as an excellent chair for beach trips, splash pads, and even playing in the snow.
- The chair’s floor sitter feature makes it easy for kids to play in the water while being supported by the harness.
- The antimicrobial plastic makes it easy to wipe the surface clean.
- The Splashy harness adapts to your child’s postural support needs, with a 5-point or 3-point pelvic support option.
When we asked parents about their favorite bath chair, many agreed that they have more than one option at home.
For daily outings, many parents with children under 66 lbs (30kg) choose Splashy.
Parents of older children often choose the Otter Bath Chair for daily excursions due to its lightweight design and 250 lb (113 kg) weight capacity.
Additionally, parents have bath chairs that they only use at home. Most of the time, these chairs have more accessories, such as a sliding transfer system. These chairs can also be used as shower chairs.
Features To Look For In A Quality Bath Chair
- Ensure that the chair is lightweight so you can easily move the chair without injury. Or, if you need a bath chair with a transfer system, measure your bathroom to make sure the transfer system will fit.
- Easily reclines
- Height adjustment so your child can safely play in the water while having support.
- Soft and supportive bands.
- Machine washable fabric, or an antimicrobial plastic surface
Best Bath Chair With Transfer System
If your child is older than eight years old and requires more physical assistance, getting a bath chair with a transfer system may be best for you. If you need a transfer system, many parents will recommend the Rifton Wave.
Like the Splashy, the Rifton Wave is transportable for daily outings, although it has more weight.
One of the best features of the Rifton Wave is the accessories. Depending on your child’s needs, you can choose from the following:
- Shower stand
- Tub transfer base
- Tub base
- Freestanding
You find the full list of components here on Rifton’s website.
How To Get A Bath Chair
There are several ways to obtain a bath chair for your child:
- Talk with your doctor and/or child’s therapists. Depending on your current insurance plan, you may be able to have insurance cover the cost.
- If you don’t want to deal with the headache of insurance, you can order through Amazon.
- If you can’t find the bath chair on Amazon, your next best bet is ordering directly through the company’s website. Firefly and Inspired by Drive offer warranty options.
- Explore options on Little Wins – a site dedicating to buying, selling, and donating medical equipment.