Market Trends of Pediatric Wheelchairs Industry
Manual Wheelchairs Segment Dominates the Market and is Expected to do so in the Forecast Period
There has been a growing demand for manual pediatric wheelchairs globally, owing to their affordability, lightweight, and non-dependability on charging. These features and advances in pediatric wheelchairs are expected to promote the demand and expand the segmental growth in the market.
According to an article published in Abilities Medical Equipment in June 2021, Children's manual wheelchairs come in a variety of designs and sorts. While some chairs are made to be propelled using leg effort, the majority are propelled using arm strength. such variations in the usage for movement make pediatric patients choose and demand the comfortable one. In addition, they occur in a range of configurations, from standard to ultra-lightweight, requiring less space for storage with various customization options, such as foldable or completely collapsible wheelchairs. The advantages provided by manual wheelchairs are expected to boost segment growth during the forecast period.
Furthermore, the growing number of pediatric minimally invasive surgical procedures requires manual wheelchairs for the movement of patients from one place to another in hospitals or at home. For instance,an article published in the journal Annals of Pediatric Surgery in February 2022, reported that 7 pediatric surgery referral Centers (Ancona, Bologna, Brescia, Genova, Pavia, Pescara, Siena) with a total of 303 patients were included in the study, 164 males (54%) and 139 females (46%). The same source quoted that the most commonly performed interventions for each anatomic area were respectively atypical pulmonary resection (38%), pyeloplasty (49%), and fundoplication (30%). Pediatric robotic surgery is a field in development and is leading to the high demand for wheelchairs, thereby contributing to the growth of the studied market.
Therefore, the above-mentioned factors are expected to drive segmental growth in the market during the forecast period.
North America is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share Over The Forecast Period
North America is expected to dominate the pediatric wheelchairs market owing to the factors, such as the high burden of physical disability diseases in children, the high presence of market players, and established healthcare infrastructure.
According to the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, data updated in November 2021, every 4 minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. That means nearly 120,000 babies are affected by birth defects each year. This rising number of disabled children need a pediatric wheelchair for movement and transportation and others help too. This leads to the acceleration of the usage of wheelchairs and boosts the market.
Furthermore, as per the Cross River Therapy December 2022 article, about 1 in 44 children was identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States in 2022. Additionally, as per the Asthma and allergy foundation of America published in March 2021, asthma affects children, adults, and elderly people, with about 5 million American children having asthma in 2021. Wheelchairs can help improve day-to-day function when symptoms become severe in children with asthma and autism in the region, thereby propelling the growth of the market during the forecast period.
Additionally, according to the National Institute of Health, Estimates of Funding for Various Research, Condition, and Disease Categories (RCDC), May 2022 update, the spending on R&D in the United States for Pediatric Cardiomyopathy was USD 20 million in 2021 and USD 21 million in 2022. The grant provided by the government for the research of Pediatric Cardiomyopathy is expected to create opportunities for market players to develop innovative wheelchairs that is further expected to propel market growth in the upcoming years.
Therefore, the above-mentioned factors are expected to accelerate the market in the region during the forecast period.
