Question: Conjoined Twins FAQ: Are There Car Seats for Conjoined Twins?
Answer:
One of the first things that babies require in life is a car seat for transportation home from the hospital. Although many conjoined twins will require hospitalization after birth, obtaining a specialized car seat will be a priority for parents.
There are no car seats manufactured specifically for conjoined twins, because every set of conjoined twins has different needs and will require a seat configuration that is customized especially to accommodate their shape.
- Jake Herrin, father of Kendra and Maliyah Herrin said that they used standard car seats that were customized for them by The Utah Center for Assistive Technology.
- Melissa Buckles, mother of Jade and Erin Buckles said they used a car bed. (This item is no longer being manufactured, but may be available on the secondhand market. Contact Snug Seat for further information about their products and alternatives.) However, the seat could not accommodate the girls, so doctors at the hospital where the girls were being treated fashioned another car bed to fit them. Once the girls outgrew that, an engineer from Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. created another one that was large enough for them to grow into.
- Sunny Hill Health Centre created a seat for Canadian twins, Tatiana and Krista Hogan, in 2007. The device took up the entire back seat of a minivan and was designed to fit in a stroller base.
- Another company that specializes in adaptive equipment for children is Rifton Equipment.
Conjoined twins, also known as Siamese twins, are a rare type of monozygotic (identical) twins. Find more answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Conjoined Twins.
