12 Best Highchairs for Special Needs G Tube Feeding
Finding the right highchair for a child is tough enough but add in a feeding tube and it gets really difficult! I have gone through a massive number of reviews from real moms of kids with feeding tubes, and here is a list of the top 12 recommended highchairs. These highchair recommendations really vary as far as price, so I am starting this list with the lowest price and ending with the highest. Please note that price does not always indicate the best option. In reality the lowest price chair may work best for you, it really comes down to the features that will benefit you the most.
What are features that are important in a special needs highchair?
In general highchairs that work best for special needs are ones that have the ability to recline, easy to clean, supportive, and are comfortable to sit in. Depending on your child’s diagnosis, other features may become very important too like having a foot rest, supportive for low tone, 5 point harness, and a large weight limit.
Not every special needs child has the same issues, so the highchairs on this list will be helpful for some issues but not helpful for all.
Will Insurance pay for a highchair?
Every health insurance provider is different in what benefits they cover and what they will not cover. You can look under the DME (Durable Medical Equipment) benefits on your insurance policy for more information. Insurance typically only covers medical grade adaptive chairs, not the highchairs typically available in stores.
I recommend that you call your insurance provider and ask what they cover. Some will explain that they need a prescription from a doctor and for what highchairs they will cover.
Even if you think they will not cover a highchair, I still recommend you call because some will cover part of one or give you a referral that may save you some money. You don’t know unless you call!
12 Mom Recommended Highchairs for Special Needs Kids
This list is compiled based on recommendation of real moms of special needs kids with feeding tubes. The order is based on price and not on the best one for your child. Only you can decide which one is best for your child’s needs.
1. Fisher Price SpaceSaver Highchair ($54.99)
The Fisher Price Space Saver is designed to be used on top of a dining chair, but it can also be used on the floor. This chair is designed for babies and toddlers. One mom said she is able to still use it for her 4-year-old child who is 3 feet tall. According to their website, the tray and tray liner is dishwasher safe so clean up is relatively easy. Some other benefits include the pommel, 3 recline positions, and the 5-point harness.
What special needs moms had to say:
- worked well for low muscle tone
- swivels
- not great for no head control
- not great for good posture positioning
- wish it had a footrest
- works well for short stature & short arms
- best price
- if you’re not super picky on color, you can get it a little cheaper on amazon by checking the color options!
2. Ingenuity Trio 3-in-1 High Chair ($79.99)
The ingenuity highchair looks like a regular highchair, but it is actually 3 styles in one. It is a highchair, but it is also a booster chair and a toddler chair. So, this chair can go from infant to toddler up to 50 pounds.
The benefits of this chair include the tray being dishwasher safe, 3-point and 5-point harnesses, and on wheels to be able to move easily.
What special needs moms had to say:
- you can have one setup for 2 kids (baby in the booster and toddler in the chair)
- Very difficult to clean and food gets stuck inside the chair.
3. Graco DuoDiner ($129.99)
This highchair also has 3 different transitions that start at a reclining highchair to toddler highchair to a booster seat for toddler. The maximum weight is only 40lbs though.
What special needs moms had to say:
- worked great for a child with little to no head control
- not easy to store when not in use
4. Graco Blossum 6 in 1 ($179.99)
The Graco Blossum is another highchair that transitions into 6 different positions that can go from infant to toddler up to 60lbs.
The benefits of this chair include front locking wheels, 6 height positions, dishwasher safe tray.
What special needs moms had to say:
- works well if you have 2 small children and only want one setup (multiple ways to make this work)
- reclines too much and unable to maintain a 90 degree
- hard to clean with the fabric seat
5. HEAO Convertible Baby High Chair 3 in 1 ($109-199.99)
This style of highchair comes in a couple of different options so that is why the price range is kind of large for one chair. The basic functions of HEAO convertible highchair are a reclining seat for baby, a toddler booster seat, and a youth chair that can fit most 6 year olds as well.
It does have the removable tray liner that is dishwasher safe, 5-point harness, it can be used with or without the tray, and has a storage area under the seat.
What special needs moms had to say:
- folds flat
- lots of support for kids
6. Keekaroo Height Right High Chair ($189.95-199.95)
This highchair is all about adjustable to any size from 6 months to 250lbs! The tray and tray cover are both dishwasher safe. This chair does not have the ability to recline but does encourage good posture.
What special needs moms had to say:
- still able to use on child that is 16 years old
- no shoulder straps
- seat cushion is contoured and supportive
- easy to adjust height
- half the cost of a Special Tomato Chair
- not supportive for low tone/hypotonia
7. Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair ($199.95-249.99)
This highchair is very similar to the Keekaroo highchair in design. The major differences will be the Abiie has shoulder straps that can be put in a 3-point or 5-point harness. The cushion is on the seat and the back, as well as waterproof and stain resistant.
What special needs moms had to say:
- chair itself is easy to clean but the straps are not easy to clean
- very comfortable
- doesn’t recline but does encourage good posture
- doesn’t fold flat but very easy to take apart to store out of the way
- not supportive for low tone/hypotonia
8. Joovy Foodoo Highchair ($239.99)
This very modern looking highchair comes with 8 adjustable height positions, 5 recline positions, and 2 footrest positions. It only goes up to 50 lbs though. It does have a very soft padding and can be stored standing up.
What special needs moms had to say:
- easy to clean except if food gets into the leather stitching
- it is very tall
- not for small spaces
9. Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair ($279.00)
This highchair is very similar in design to both the Keekaroo and the Abiie highchairs. The main difference is that the Stokke Trip Trapp comes with a removeable baby set up that works for age 6 months to 36 months. This chair will eventually grow all the way up to adulthood and has no set weight limit. The chair is also available in a ton of different colors.
One downside is that the highchair itself only comes with the removeable baby set up, lots of other desirable accessories are sold separately like an infant seat (before 6 months old) and any cushions.
What special needs moms had to say:
- Super expensive
- will grow with them to any size
- no side supports
(Pro Tip: if you like the style of the Keekaroo, Abiie, or the Tripp Trapp, but wan a cheaper alternative, check out the Badger Basket Embassy for $89.99)
10. Peg Perego Siesta ($239.99-399.99)
The price range on this chair really depends on what color you would like, for instance Berry and Lime Green is cheaper than Ambience Brown. This made in Italy chair is very high-end with eco-friendly leather seats, 5 reclining positions, 9 different height adjustments, adjustable footrest, dishwasher safe tray insert, and automatically locking wheels. This highchair only goes up to 45 lbs.
What special needs moms had to say:
- amazing recline ability
- folds easy and flat
- difficult to roll forward, have to roll it behind you
- 5-point harness
11. Special Tomato Chair ($293-5000)
The Special Tomato Chair is a medical grade chair that is highly adaptable for lots of different abilities. The design is very specific and is designed to improve posture. The material is soft, tear/peel resistant, waterproof, easy to clean and latex-free.
You will see these chairs in a lot of clinical situations or therapy offices due to being microbe resistant and easy to sanitize.
These chairs can also be used as part of a multi-positioning system or catch-up chair. There are tons of options for different accessories and mobility options.
What special needs moms had to say:
- very expensive
- sometimes insurance will pay for the chair
- their website offers a free way to raise money for the chair with a fundraiser that you can share to friends and family.
- designed to be able to sit comfortably for a long time
12. Rifton Activity Chair ($1400-8000)
The Rifton Activity Chair is a medical grade chair that is made for multiple activities not just for feeding. The main benefits of the Rifton Activity chair are that it is completely adaptable to every size, shape, and conditions and needs.
These chairs are used a lot in therapy or school settings as well as at home. Very easy to adjust and to clean.
The Rifton Activity chair can also be used as part of an overall system or by itself. There are many optional upgrades and extra safety equipment that can be added.
What special needs moms had to say:
- works for older kids all the way up to adulthood
- worked great for low muscle tone and for kids that can’t sit well for long
- very expensive, but insurance may cover the cost
Lower Cost Alternatives to Higher Priced Highchairs
Lots and lots of moms mentioned that they were able to find some of the higher priced chairs available for purchase on Facebook marketplace. They seemed to have better luck if they lived in a larger city or if they were willing to travel.
So, if you have your heart set on a highchair that is out of your affordable price range, definitely check into buying a used chair online!
I do recommend that you take advantage of safe places like police stations and fire departments to complete online transactions and do not pay upfront. Always pay in person once you see the item first.
