Special Tomato LARGE User Manual

User’s Guide

Multi-Positioning Seat

LARGE

March 2012 Edition
USA

Read Instructions Before Using!

Save This Guide For Future Reference

This product is NOT a certified car seat in Canada.

Made
in the

USA

For Customer Service Support:

Contact your dealer directly.

Or...

Special Tomato® Customer Service

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.specialtomato.com

Before Contacting Customer Service Support:

Please ll in the following. We will be able to help you more quickly if you have the

exact information indicated.

Serial number1: _________________________________________
Model: ________________________________________________
Date of Purchase: __________________________________________

Notice:
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.

No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored
in a retrieval system or translated to another language or computer language, in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise
without the prior written consent of Bergeron Health Care.

Use only Special Tomato accessories and parts on Special Tomato products. Special
Tomato parts are not interchangeable with other manufacturers’ products. Replace any
worn parts immediately for safety.

1. Located on back of seat shell.

Copyright Bergeron Health Care. All rights reserved.

2 Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat - LARGE: User’s Guide

Table of Contents

…………………………………………………………………………………………
What is a

Special Tomato™ Story behind the brand…........ 4

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Setting Up Your MPS* Unpack..………………......... 5

Assembly……………......... 5

Footrest Assembly….............. 6

Adjustments…………..............… 7

………………………………………………………………………………..............

MPS Optional Accessories Mobile Floor Base..................… 9

Extended Seat Cushion........ 9

Tray................................... 11

Push Chair Base...........… 11

……………………………………………………………………….......……………

Car Seat Installation** Safety Information................... 12

General Information............... 15

Lap/Shoulder Belt..................... 17

Lap Belt..................................... 19

5-Point Harness...................... 21

Securing Your Child................. 22

...........................................................................................................................

Consumer Information Maintenance....………….............. 23

Warranty………………........… 23

………………………………………………..........................................................

Please Note:
Special Tomato™

products are latex-free.

*MPS = Multi-Positioning Seat

**All users MUST read and
understand this instruction manual
before using this product. Store

instruction manual in pocket on
back of MPS so that it can be

consulted at any point to ensure
proper use!

Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat - LARGE: User’s Guide 3

The Story Behind the Brand...

Special Tomato™ is Tim Bergeron’s latest product line. He has over 25 years of experience designing, building,

and selling adaptive positioning equipment, including founding the Tumble Forms® product line as its original

designer. Tim has coupled his design experience with a new manufacturing process

that provides soft durable, impermeable cushions for positioning children with

special needs. The rst Special Tomato™ Brand Product is the Multi-Positioning

Seat.

Now you may be asking, “What’s so Special about Tomatoes”? Tim is

pictured here with his youngest daughter, Carrie, a young adult with

Down syndrome. Carrie’s story, “The Special Tomato”, summarizes what

Tim believes that most parents feel about their child with special needs.

“Every child is special in their own unique way. It’s a parent’s job to nd ways

to facilitate their child’s growth in a way that includes them equally within the

family and community.” For children with physical disabilities, adaptive equipment

can play an important role in helping them reach their highest functioning level.

The Special “Tomato” on the Bergeron Bush

y dad and mom had four children. The rst three

children were healthy and regular people. Then I came
along, a baby with a difference, Down Syndrome. I had
a hole in my heart, a rip in my heart valve, jaundice, a big tongue and a
wobbly head. As I got older I also realized that I am a slow learner.
One day it was bothering me that I was having a hard time doing my

school work. I told my dad about this problem and he shared a story about
when he was out in his garden picking tomatoes the year I was born. Every

year my dad grows a garden and loves to plant tomatoes. At harvest time

there were Beefsteak tomatoes on a bush. When he saw a differently shaped

tomato it got his attention. It had a large, smooth, bright red enlarged side

that made my dad want to pick it up and study the bump because it was
so unique and looked appetizing. At supper, that tomato was just as

juicy as the others.

Even though I’m different like the tomato as a person with Down

Syndrome, my family and friends love me even more and want to
help me when I need it. My dad tells me that even though I have

more difculty learning than my brother and sisters, my lovable
and outgoing personality and strong character make me just

as special as they are. I guess I am the special “tomato”
on our family’s bush!

M

Carrie Bergeron, copyright 2001
www.carriebergeron.org

4 Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat - LARGE: User’s Guide

Illustrateur : Michael Johnson

www.psln.com/sharingds/Michael/

Setting Up Your MPS

Unpack

Check to see that the following items are included

with your Multi-Positioning Seat (MPS):

· Seat Shell

· Head Cushion installed

· Back Cushion installed

· Seat Cushion (Regular or Extended size) installed

· Two Safety Attachment Straps installed

· Five Point Harness System installed

· Left and Right Leg Rest Extensions

· 2 Leg Rest GROOVED Knobs (1 3/16”)

· 2 Footrest BALL Knobs (1 1/2”)

· Footrest with 2 Foot Straps

· Headrest Tether Strap

Assembly

First attach the MPS to the appropriate base of choice
with the Attachment Straps:

Mobile Floor Base

- Secure tightly the Rear Strap
under lip of Mobile Floor Base

- Secure tightly the Bottom Strap
under Mobile Floor Base

between both sets of wheels

Figure 1.

Push Chair Base

- Secure tightly the Rear

Strap around back of Push

Chair Base, between the fab­ric and the cross bars

Figure 2a.

- Secure tightly the Strap
under Push Chair Base un-

der the seat making sure to
thread between the seat back

frame and the front leg frame

Figure 2b.

Standard Chair

- Secure tightly the Rear Strap around

back of chair (spiral method below or

straight method in Figure 1.)

- Secure tightly the Bottom Strap un­der seat of chair Figure 3.

- Note: Make sure the chair is stable!

Figure 1.

Figure 2a.

Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat - LARGE: User’s Guide 5

Figure 3.Figure 2b.

Setting Up Your MPS

Footrest Assembly

Your Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat (MPS) comes partially assembled for your
convenience.

1. Insert both ends of the Leg Rest Extensions into the corresponding holes in the front
of the seat shell.

2. Make sure to insert the leg rests far enough so that the Leg Rest GROOVED Knobs

(1 3/16”) go through one of the three corresponding holes in the leg rests, giving the
appropriate depth for your child. Figure 4.

3. Tighten the 2 Leg Rest GROOVED Knobs (1 3/16”). Overtightening is not

necessary! Turn it until you feel resistance. There is a block to prevent tightening it too

much.

4. Place the footrest at the appropriate height, depth, and angle for your child. Figure 5.

5. Insert the 2 Footrest BALL Knobs (1 1/2”) into one of the three appropriate holes on
the side of the footrest. These Footrest BALL Knobs (1 1/2”) should be tight!

Figure 4.

Please Note: It is NOT necessary to overtighten any of the knobs. They are designed to hold
with a SNUG t!

6 Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat - LARGE: User’s Guide

Figure 5.

Setting Up Your MPS

Adjustments

The Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning
Seat provides a comfortable and
adjustable seating surface for your child.

The durability of this unique product along

with built-in adjustability allow for years of
use as it grows with your child.
Adjustability is accomplished as follows:

Seat Cushion:

Head Cushion & Back Cushion:

Adjust up and down easily. Hook
and loop strips and our track reference
mark system allow you to
quickly reposition the modular
cushions to t your child. Figure 6.

Uses hook and loop strips plus
our track system for easy adjustment. Under

the Seat Cushion are three guide lines. Figure
7a. The middle line positions the hips at 90°.

The top line provides 15° of Hip Extension. The
bottom line provides 15° of Hip Flexion. Our
Hip Flex™ Adjustment provides 15° of Hip
Flexion or 15° of Hip Extension without recline.

Figure 7b.

Small

105°

90°

75°

75°

Figure 7a.

Figure 6.

Foot Rest:
Provides maximum
adjustment allowing for height,
depth, and angle adjustability.

hook and loop straps secure your

child’s feet to the footrest for
proper positioning. Figure 8a.
Adjust the depth of the footstraps
as needed. Figure 8b.

15° of Hip Flexion

Neutral Hip neutre

Figure 7b.

Figure 8a.

15° of Hip Extension

Figure 8b.

Special Tomato™ Multi-Positioning Seat - LARGE: User’s Guide 7