 FAQ's
Where are you located?
Will my child be able to use the MkII Hart Walker?
My child lacks head control, could she still be a candidate for the MKII Hart Walker?
How easily transportable is the MkII Hart Walker?
How quickly will I see my child progress and improve?
Will my child be able to us the MkII Hart Walker in school and how will his school Physical Therapists and/or Aids know how to use it?
How often will my child need a growth adjustment?
How will I know when my child needs a growth adjustment?
How long does it take to get an appointment?
Why do you only have Friday afternoons and Saturday’s available?
Will our Insurance cover the cost of the MkII Hart Walker?
How long does it take from the time we have a trial to the time my child is delivered her MkII Hart Walker?
What other private funding organizations can we contact?
How long has the MkII Hart Walker been available in North America?
Are there other providers of the MKII Hart Walker in the United States and beyond?
Who can be a provider of the MkII Hart Walker?
Why do you have to be a Certified Orthotist in order to become a provider of the MkII Hart Walker?
Where are you located?
We are located in Cheshire, Connecticut, the Northeast part of the USA approximately 15 minutes from New Haven and 20 minutes from Hartford.
Will my child be able to use the MkII Hart Walker?
Every child with musculoskeletal involvement present with different challenges. If your child can initiate step voluntarily, we suggest you fill out the Request for Assessment form and we will contact you after we review all your information.
Not only children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy are using the MkIl Hart Walker.
We invite you to visit a wonderful web-site a Mother of one of our “Hart Walkers” created about her son, Jimmy.
Jimmy was diagnosed with with Hydrocephalus, Microcephaly, Colpocephaly, Agenesis of the Corpus Collasum, Chorioretinitis, Macular Colobomas, Cerebral Palsy (Spastic Quadriplegia) with Hyperreflexia, Lennox Gastaut Seizure Disorder, an asymmetric aortic valve, and nerve deafness in one ear. This was all secondary to Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV), which is due to my exposure (during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of my pregnancy) to a pet guinea pig infected with the virus.
Go to: www.holmesmania.com/walker.html and click on the link: Jimmy’s Story.
Another one of our “Hart Walkers”, Daniel was diagnosed with Polymicrogyria (PMG) a rare, malformation of the brain.
You can see his photo and hear his Mom’s words on our Testimonial page as well.
My child lacks head control, could she still be a candidate for the MKII Hart Walker?
Yes, there is an attachment called the Head Restraint that will help keep your child from throwing her head backwards.
If you would like to see a photo of this attachment, visit www.holmesmania.com/walker.html , our “Hart Walker” Jimmy has a Head Restraint on his walker.
How easily transportable is the MkII Hart Walker?
As you can see from our Testimonials and Photo Gallery, parents take the MkII Hart Walker everywhere… to school, the grocery store, the hardware store, the parks, on vacations, anywhere you would like. The bracing system detaches from the base making it much easier to transport, but like any piece of equipment, it takes time, practice and consistency to get used to. There are parents out there who would be happy to give you tips on how they incorporate the MkII Hart Walker into their child’s daily routine.
How quickly will I see my child progress and improve?
Every child is different based upon their personal physical abilities. You must understand the more your child is in the MkII Hart Walker, the better!! This is true for them, for you and for your child’s school. There is a boy in our Photo Gallery, Michael Huhn that is in his walker ALL DAY! His physical improvements are astonishing “because” his parents (especially his Mom) consistently put Michael in his walker, makes sure he uses it at school and through the summer. Michael has progressed to the 2-Wheeled walking base AND can now walk the ENTIRE length of a football field INDEPENDENTLY!!
It is very frustrating for us to hear that a child’s MkII Hart Walker is ONLY used at school and is left at school throughout the summer. That is a wonderful time to have your child upright and able to interact with your family during vacations, events, even walks at night to look at the stars.
Will my child be able to us the MkII Hart Walker in school and how will his school Physical Therapists and/or Aids know how to use it?
Yes!! Absolutely your child should use his walker in school. Our Clinician, John Olin, will come to your child’s school to In-Service/teach the staff how to put your child into and take out of the MkII Hart Walker. He will also inform them what to look for when your child grows and needs a growth adjustment. We make ourselves available via e-mail and phone for the Physical Therapists and/or Aids if they have any questions.
How often will my child need a growth adjustment?
Hard to say…we find it could be anywhere from 3-6 months, depending on how quickly, how much and how often your child grows.
How will I know when my child needs a growth adjustment?
You will notice that his heels may hit the back bar, he is slouching, the wheels on the base will start losing contact with the ground during a step and the chest pad will be lower than the chest area.
How long does it take to get an appointment?
It depends on your availability. We schedule appointments for trials, deliveries and adjustments here in our Cheshire Ct. office, 2 Saturdays of the month. John will visit your child’s school on Friday afternoons for In-Services to the school staff.
If you contact us in advance, your chances of getting a quick appointment are very good.
Why do you only have Friday afternoons and Saturday’s available?
John is a Certified Orthotist that practices Full-Time out of a private office in Bethel, CT.
The business of Great Strides needs to be kept separate from his full-time practice, he can only see patient’s on his own time.
Will our Insurance cover the cost of the MkII Hart Walker?
Most Insurance Companies will cover, at least a portion if not all of the cost of the MkIIHart Walker. We will need a prescription from your child’s Doctor (that we provide), a Letter of Justification from your child’s Physical Therapist and other extensive documentation that we send to the Insurance Company.
If your Insurance is New York State Medicaid, we advise that you seek other private funding as it has been very difficult to get approval from them.
How long does it take from the time we have a trial to the time my child is delivered her MkII Hart Walker?
It depends on how long it takes for the Doctor and Physical Therapist to get us the proper paperwork, then how long the Insurance Company takes to approve coverage. It could range from approximately 3 weeks to 2 months.
What other private funding organizations can we contact?
Your local United Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Department of Mental Retardation (DMR), the Kiwanas, the Shriner’s, The Rotary Club. Call your town’s Social Services, they can direct you to other organizations as well.
We had a Mother who received funding from a local Radio Station.
How long has the MkII Hart Walker been available in North America?
The original Hart Walker was developed in 1989 by David Hart in Keighley, England, it became the Mk I Hart Walker. After
Working with the Mk I Hart Walker for four years, Mr. Hart redesigned the walker making it lighter and easier to use, thus the development of the MkII Hart Walker in 1993. In the fall of 1998 a clinical team from OrthProActive Consultants Inc. was trained and became the first clinicians to have the expertise to bring the MkII Hart Walker to the children in North America.
Are there other providers of the MKII Hart Walker in the United States and beyond?
Yes, they are as follows:
PENNSYLVANIA :
Golden Orthotics & Prosthetics - 1792 Old Route 220, Duncansville PA 16635 Tel: (814)-317-5041
tgolden@goldenoandp.net
VIRGINIA :
Orthotic Solutions - 2802 Merrilee Drive, Fairfax VA 22031 Tel: (703) 849-9200
orthotist@orthoticsolutions.com
MARYLAND :
Orthotic Solutions - 188 Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick MD 21702 Tel: (301) 682-8712
orthotist@orthoticsolutions.com
TEXAS :
Dynamic Orthotics and Prosthetics LP - 11155 South Main Street , Houston TX 77025-5600 Tel: ( 713) 747-4171
tomd@dynamicoandp.com
www.dynamicoandp.com
COLORADO :
Ascent Wellness Centers - 2222 South Fraser Street, Aurora CA 80014 Tel: (303) 283-0300
lisa@ascentwellnesscenters.com
www.ascentwellnesscenters.com
OREGON :
Hangar - 2824 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland OR 97201 Tel: (503) 243-1974
www.hangar.com
CALIFORNIA :
J & J Artificial Limb & Brace - 15644 Pomerado Road, Poway CA 92064 Tel: (858) 613-0958
jason@jandj.org
CANADA : North American Training Centre ** Contact Paul Osborne at the following information if you are a Certified Orthotist interested in becoming Certified to become a MkII Hart Walker Provider in your area.
OrthoProActive Consultants Inc.
7181 Woodbine Avenue, Markham Ontario L3R 1A3 Tel: (905) 415-9888
orthopro@orthoproactive.com
www.orthoproactive.com
Who can be a provider of the MkII Hart Walker?
A Certified Orthotist can become certified to be a provider of the MkII Hart Walker. If you know of a Certified Orthotist interested, have them contact Paul Osborne at (905) 415-9888. He is located in Ontario, Canada and is head of the North American Training Centre.
Why do you have to be a Certified Orthotist in order to become a provider of the MkII Hart Walker?
The bracing system of the MkII Hart Walker is extensive and a Certified Orthotist has the knowledge, education and training needed in order to service, provide and adjust the MkII Hart Walker to maximize your child’s walking ability in a safe manner.
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