Product Review of Scallop by R82
Social Media & Community Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Best reached out to me during Silas' most recent hospital stay to see if Convaid/R82 could help us in any way. We have owned and borrowed many of their products in the past and we're very intrigued by their newest product that launched earlier this year called the Scallop. The Scallop seat is a portable lightweight seat that you can use just about anywhere. On the go, at home, in the park, at a restaurant. It is one of those really handy products that make a huge difference in the lives of children like Silas. Children who need a little extra help to sit in a seat, or swing at the park. At first I was a little hesitant to try this product because Silas does not have great trunk control or balance, and only okay head control. With the Scallop's design it has a higher back than most toddler or child booster seats, but still lacks head support, and lateral support which are very important when it comes to seating options for Silas and kiddos like him with similar presenting CP. Because I tend to have major hope for Silas and his abilities I thought maybe there was a chance he'd do well in the seat. I was so excited to see it when it arrived. It comes in a very slim box, unfolded and very colorful. I love when Special Needs products are bright and colorful because it allows for other kiddos to be drawn in, it's inviting and fun looking to others and not intimidating like some of the other special needs products on the market. It's a very simple but smart design. You simply fold up each edge and velcro it together depending on how wide or slim you want it to be for your child to sit in. For Silas we can't have it too wide due to his balance issues, but we also can't have it so slim that it causes his legs to scissor inwards. I like that it's adjustable based on the child's needs. The velcro and very strong and durable and I can see it withstanding everyday use and still holding together to support him. I've also found that once you've put it together with the velcro it's easily hung right on his wheelchair to take with us because they have sewn on two handles for carrying. It's slim when hanging and doesn't bother me at all to take along. I will often place items inside as well as it acts like a basket when hung on his chair, so I will place his hat or sunglasses in it for easy storage, which of course is just an added bonus! It has two sets of straps on it so you can secure the Scallop to chairs, grocery carts, swings and more. I do wish in some circumstances that those straps were a little bit longer or they offered extra extension straps so we could use it easier at the park on the swings there, or for situations where the width it needs to wrap around is too big for what they have provided to secure it with. I think having just a little more length would really help to be able to use it anywhere we would need. I do love seeing special needs swings provided in our community parks but often even those aren't enough support for Silas. So when we were able to secure the Scallop in the swing as best we could given the strap length, it provided just enough support for him to safely swing! Like I said I was a little hesitant if this product would work for him, but the way it hugs his body it gives him enough input to sit pretty well. Even when he hyper extends his body in it, the three point harness allows his bottom to stay secured in the seat and the back is just high enough so he doesn't tip backwards. With that said I really wish they would have given the option to have a three point harness with the bigger sizes. I am not sure why they didn't but when Silas outgrows this size (Size 2) he would need a three point harness verses the lap belt to keep him positioned safely in the seat. I think that companies are smart in developing products for younger and older audiences, like the Scallop, but the carry though of accessories and options is not quite there yet for a lot of products when it comes to sizing up. Just because they get older and taller doesn't mean their needs will be less. In some circumstances they might need more support with growth. I think if they choose to add a choice of a three point harness to the Scallop in all sizes, that their product sales would increase, because then it would target a larger audience and wider range of needs. We have trailed this product in a number of places and environments so far, and all have been very successful. I tried him in a regular kitchen chair to see if he might be able to sit in that. He was able to sit for very short periods (seconds) at a time without needing my help, but due to the severity of his CP and his low trunk tone he would need something more supportive in this scenario. As for floor sitting it was absolutely great! He sat alone without my help for very long periods and only needed small prompting here and there for balance so he wouldn't tip over onto his side. Silas doesn't have the ability to catch himself from tipping over, so having the product hug his body gives him some of that input he needs to stay upright without using his arms to balance. The Scallop will be great for story time at the library, circle time at school, sitting down at the park, and just sitting in our own living room on the ground playing with toys. I love that it can be used multiple ways, by itself not accessing the straps, or strapped into something like a chair or swing. One of the swings at the park it worked really well in was the platform swing. Typically these swings are used in a laying position, but Silas is far to long for that now and when sitting up the way a typical kid his size would use this he would not have the trunk control to sit solo or the grip to hold onto the swings chains. With the use of the Scallop on the platform swing Silas was able to swing fast side to side, upright, without me having to sit with him holding his weight. That was one of our most favorite spots we have used the Scallop so far! We also secured the Scallop into our neighbors tire swing! It was the first time he has ever been able to use a tire swing without sinking into the middle. It secured him in the swing and lulled him to sleep because he was so comfortable and relaxed! We have already been creative with where we have used our Scallop and cannot wait to see where else it takes us! Silas is one adventurous guy and i'm sure we will find many more uses for this awesome seat. We are very impressed by just how portable and easy this seat is to bring everywhere and we are so happy to have the opportunity to own this awesome product! The Scallop seat did not disappoint for us! Our only hope is that R82 add the three point harness option to all Scallop seat sizes and that they add extension strap accessories for families to purchase to expand the areas where the product can be used. Thank you so much to Sarah Best and Convaid/R82 for gifting this great seat to Silas. Please share with others who you know that might benefit from this product, I am happy to answer any questions you may have!
Social Media & Community Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Best reached out to me during Silas' most recent hospital stay to see if Convaid/R82 could help us in any way. We have owned and borrowed many of their products in the past and we're very intrigued by their newest product that launched earlier this year called the Scallop. The Scallop seat is a portable lightweight seat that you can use just about anywhere. On the go, at home, in the park, at a restaurant. It is one of those really handy products that make a huge difference in the lives of children like Silas. Children who need a little extra help to sit in a seat, or swing at the park. At first I was a little hesitant to try this product because Silas does not have great trunk control or balance, and only okay head control. With the Scallop's design it has a higher back than most toddler or child booster seats, but still lacks head support, and lateral support which are very important when it comes to seating options for Silas and kiddos like him with similar presenting CP. Because I tend to have major hope for Silas and his abilities I thought maybe there was a chance he'd do well in the seat. I was so excited to see it when it arrived. It comes in a very slim box, unfolded and very colorful. I love when Special Needs products are bright and colorful because it allows for other kiddos to be drawn in, it's inviting and fun looking to others and not intimidating like some of the other special needs products on the market. It's a very simple but smart design. You simply fold up each edge and velcro it together depending on how wide or slim you want it to be for your child to sit in. For Silas we can't have it too wide due to his balance issues, but we also can't have it so slim that it causes his legs to scissor inwards. I like that it's adjustable based on the child's needs. The velcro and very strong and durable and I can see it withstanding everyday use and still holding together to support him. I've also found that once you've put it together with the velcro it's easily hung right on his wheelchair to take with us because they have sewn on two handles for carrying. It's slim when hanging and doesn't bother me at all to take along. I will often place items inside as well as it acts like a basket when hung on his chair, so I will place his hat or sunglasses in it for easy storage, which of course is just an added bonus! It has two sets of straps on it so you can secure the Scallop to chairs, grocery carts, swings and more. I do wish in some circumstances that those straps were a little bit longer or they offered extra extension straps so we could use it easier at the park on the swings there, or for situations where the width it needs to wrap around is too big for what they have provided to secure it with. I think having just a little more length would really help to be able to use it anywhere we would need. I do love seeing special needs swings provided in our community parks but often even those aren't enough support for Silas. So when we were able to secure the Scallop in the swing as best we could given the strap length, it provided just enough support for him to safely swing! Like I said I was a little hesitant if this product would work for him, but the way it hugs his body it gives him enough input to sit pretty well. Even when he hyper extends his body in it, the three point harness allows his bottom to stay secured in the seat and the back is just high enough so he doesn't tip backwards. With that said I really wish they would have given the option to have a three point harness with the bigger sizes. I am not sure why they didn't but when Silas outgrows this size (Size 2) he would need a three point harness verses the lap belt to keep him positioned safely in the seat. I think that companies are smart in developing products for younger and older audiences, like the Scallop, but the carry though of accessories and options is not quite there yet for a lot of products when it comes to sizing up. Just because they get older and taller doesn't mean their needs will be less. In some circumstances they might need more support with growth. I think if they choose to add a choice of a three point harness to the Scallop in all sizes, that their product sales would increase, because then it would target a larger audience and wider range of needs. We have trailed this product in a number of places and environments so far, and all have been very successful. I tried him in a regular kitchen chair to see if he might be able to sit in that. He was able to sit for very short periods (seconds) at a time without needing my help, but due to the severity of his CP and his low trunk tone he would need something more supportive in this scenario. As for floor sitting it was absolutely great! He sat alone without my help for very long periods and only needed small prompting here and there for balance so he wouldn't tip over onto his side. Silas doesn't have the ability to catch himself from tipping over, so having the product hug his body gives him some of that input he needs to stay upright without using his arms to balance. The Scallop will be great for story time at the library, circle time at school, sitting down at the park, and just sitting in our own living room on the ground playing with toys. I love that it can be used multiple ways, by itself not accessing the straps, or strapped into something like a chair or swing. One of the swings at the park it worked really well in was the platform swing. Typically these swings are used in a laying position, but Silas is far to long for that now and when sitting up the way a typical kid his size would use this he would not have the trunk control to sit solo or the grip to hold onto the swings chains. With the use of the Scallop on the platform swing Silas was able to swing fast side to side, upright, without me having to sit with him holding his weight. That was one of our most favorite spots we have used the Scallop so far! We also secured the Scallop into our neighbors tire swing! It was the first time he has ever been able to use a tire swing without sinking into the middle. It secured him in the swing and lulled him to sleep because he was so comfortable and relaxed! We have already been creative with where we have used our Scallop and cannot wait to see where else it takes us! Silas is one adventurous guy and i'm sure we will find many more uses for this awesome seat. We are very impressed by just how portable and easy this seat is to bring everywhere and we are so happy to have the opportunity to own this awesome product! The Scallop seat did not disappoint for us! Our only hope is that R82 add the three point harness option to all Scallop seat sizes and that they add extension strap accessories for families to purchase to expand the areas where the product can be used. Thank you so much to Sarah Best and Convaid/R82 for gifting this great seat to Silas. Please share with others who you know that might benefit from this product, I am happy to answer any questions you may have!
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