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It Takes a Collaborative Village: The Integration of Early Mobility Experiences in a Community-Based Early Intervention Center Ana-Marie Rojas, MD 1 ; Arun Jayaraman, PhD, PT 2 , Susan Klinger, BA, MS. PT 3 ; Heather A. Feldner, BS, MPT 4 , Deborah Gaebler-Spira, MD 1 1 Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Il; 2 Northwestern University, Chicago, Il; 3 Oak Leyden Developmental Services, Oak Park, Il; 4 University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Il Contact Information: Ana-Marie Rojas, MD [email protected] Deborah Gaebler-Spira [email protected] Discussion Objective •The Kiwanis Club (KC), a service organization with a mission to improve quality of life for children, solicited projects that could impact children with disabilities in their community. •We developed a collaboration team including early intervention center director, and therapist, volunteer engineers, a local Go-Baby-Go champion, and KC members. •The KC purchased and fabricated 4 cars in various sizes to use at Oak –Leyden Early Intervention Center (OL) 0-3 program. •Therapists allowed the cars to be used in the homes, offering families a way to trial the effects of self-directed mobility. •Currently 15-20 children use these vehicles. • The goal of Go-Baby-Go is to challenge the status quo that children with disabilities must wait until 3-5 years for self-directed powered mobility. The ride-on cars are child-friendly, socially welcoming, and are used by children with and without disabilities around the world. •Many families struggle with the concept of using these cars in everyday life. The ability to trial the cars in a therapist group setting not only provides a validation of the efficacy of early mobility in any form, but also becomes a “try-before-you-buy” experience to empower the families, their energy, and money. •By working with community groups, we highlight grassroots awareness of the multi-modal mobility needs of children with motor impairments •We encourage the children and families to play a central role in advocating for early access to self-directed mobility options as well as challenging physical and attitudinal barriers about what mobility is, and should be, for children. 1. Butler C, Okamoto GA, McKay TM. Motorized wheelchair driving by disabled children. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1984;65:95-7. 2. Go Baby Go! (Accessed June 25, 2015 at http://www.udel.edu/gobabygo/) 3. Guerette P, Furumasu J, Tefft D. The positive effects of early powered mobility on children's psychosocial and play skills. Assist Technol 2013;25:39-48; quiz 9-50. 4. Murphy N, Trovato M, Kim H, Kim CT, Moberg-Wolff E. Pediatric rehabilitation: 2. Environmental factors affecting participation. PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation 2010;2:S12-8. 5. Tefft D, Guerette P, Furumasu J. Cognitive predictors of young children's readiness for powered mobility. Dev Med Child Neurol 1999;41:665-70. 6. Tefft D, Guerette P, Furumasu J. The impact of early powered mobility on parental stress, negative emotions, and family social interactions. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2011;31:4-15. 7. Toys Cars Offer Mobility to Children with Disabilities. 2012. (Accessed June 25, 2015, at http://www.livescience.com/23572-assistive-robotics-aide-young-children-nsf-bts.html. ) 8. Wiart L, Darrah J, Cook A, Hollis V, May L. Evaluation of powered mobility use in home and community environments. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2003;23:59-75. To describe a unique opportunity to provide children ages 0-3 years with motor impairments access to a trial of a Go-Baby-Go powered ride-on cars providing self-directed mobility in an early intervention center. Description References "Interacting with kids and adults out in the world and gaining a little independence are crucial to early development. The disability no longer causes them to miss out on playtime or making friends—now they are able to participate. Other kids see the girl in the Barbie car and say, 'Wow, can I play with you?‘” - Cole Galloway, PhD
Transcript of It Takes a Collaborative Village: The Integration of Early ... · It Takes a Collaborative Village:...
It Takes a Collaborative Village: The Integration of Early Mobility Experiences in a Community-Based Early Intervention Center
Ana-Marie Rojas, MD 1; Arun Jayaraman, PhD, PT2, Susan Klinger, BA, MS. PT3; Heather A. Feldner, BS, MPT 4 , Deborah Gaebler-Spira, MD 1 1Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Il; 2 Northwestern University, Chicago, Il; 3 Oak Leyden Developmental Services, Oak Park, Il; 4 University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Il
Contact Information: Ana-Marie Rojas, MD [email protected] Deborah Gaebler-Spira [email protected]
Discussion
Objective
•The Kiwanis Club (KC), a service organization with a mission to improve quality of life for children, solicited projects that could impact children with disabilities in their community. •We developed a collaboration team including early intervention center director, and therapist, volunteer engineers, a local Go-Baby-Go champion, and KC members. •The KC purchased and fabricated 4 cars in various sizes to use at Oak –Leyden Early Intervention Center (OL) 0-3 program. •Therapists allowed the cars to be used in the homes, offering families a way to trial the effects of self-directed mobility. •Currently 15-20 children use these vehicles. • The goal of Go-Baby-Go is to challenge the status quo that children with
disabilities must wait until 3-5 years for self-directed powered mobility. The ride-on cars are child-friendly, socially welcoming, and are used by children with and without disabilities around the world. •Many families struggle with the concept of using these cars in everyday life. The ability to trial the cars in a therapist group setting not only provides a validation of the efficacy of early mobility in any form, but also becomes a “try-before-you-buy” experience to empower the families, their energy, and money. •By working with community groups, we highlight grassroots awareness of the multi-modal mobility needs of children with motor impairments •We encourage the children and families to play a central role in advocating for early access to self-directed mobility options as well as challenging physical and attitudinal barriers about what mobility is, and should be, for children.
1. Butler C, Okamoto GA, McKay TM. Motorized wheelchair driving by disabled children. Arch
Phys Med Rehabil 1984;65:95-7.
2. Go Baby Go! (Accessed June 25, 2015 at http://www.udel.edu/gobabygo/)
3. Guerette P, Furumasu J, Tefft D. The positive effects of early powered mobility on children's
psychosocial and play skills. Assist Technol 2013;25:39-48; quiz 9-50.
4. Murphy N, Trovato M, Kim H, Kim CT, Moberg-Wolff E. Pediatric rehabilitation: 2.
Environmental factors affecting participation. PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and
rehabilitation 2010;2:S12-8.
5. Tefft D, Guerette P, Furumasu J. Cognitive predictors of young children's readiness for
powered mobility. Dev Med Child Neurol 1999;41:665-70.
6. Tefft D, Guerette P, Furumasu J. The impact of early powered mobility on parental stress,
negative emotions, and family social interactions. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2011;31:4-15.
7. Toys Cars Offer Mobility to Children with Disabilities. 2012. (Accessed June 25, 2015, at
http://www.livescience.com/23572-assistive-robotics-aide-young-children-nsf-bts.html.)
8. Wiart L, Darrah J, Cook A, Hollis V, May L. Evaluation of powered mobility use in home and
community environments. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2003;23:59-75.
To describe a unique opportunity to provide children ages 0-3 years with motor impairments access to a trial of a Go-Baby-Go powered ride-on cars providing self-directed mobility in an early intervention center.
Description
References
"Interacting with kids and adults out in the world and gaining a little independence are crucial to early development. The disability no longer causes them to miss out on playtime or making friends—now they are able to participate. Other kids see the girl in the Barbie car and say, 'Wow, can I play with you?‘”
- Cole Galloway, PhD
