Modified toy cars for mobility and socialization: case report of a child with cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE: Children with cerebral palsy have limited opportunities to explore their physical and social environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using a "ride-on toy car" as a readily available, low-cost, fun, and functional option for children with special needs. METHODS: Brenden, a 21-month-old child, was provided a modified ride-on toy car for a 15-week study period divided up into a 1-week baseline, 12-week intervention, and 2-week postintervention. We coded mobility and socialization measures from video recordings. RESULTS: Brenden was more mobile and had more vocalizations during the 12-week intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Modified toy cars have serious potential to be a fun and functional power mobility option for children with special needs. The opportunity now exists to quantify several effects, including peer socialization, cognitive measures, and body structure/function goals involving neural, muscular, and skeletal physiology. Group study is required to formally test these findings.

Short-term, early intensive power mobility training: case report of an infant at risk for cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE: This case report describes the feasibility of quantifying short-term, intensive power mobility training for an infant soon after a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. KEY POINTS: An 11-month-old infant with significant mobility impairments and her parents were filmed during 14 consecutive daily training sessions. The infant moved the power chair with hand-over-hand assistance and performed open exploration of the joystick and toys. Mobility measures, coded from video, were compared across training. Frequency and combination of looking at and interacting with the joystick, percentage of time of moving independently, and average percentage of success in moving when prompted, all increased across the training. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Quantifying short-term, intensive power mobility training for infants is feasible and may have yielded positive short-term effects for this infant. The "who," "when," and "how" of early power mobility training, as well as the critical need for paradigm shifts in power mobility training, are discussed.

Power mobility and socialization in preschool: follow-up case study of a child with cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE: Our previous study found it feasible for a preschooler with cerebral palsy (CP) to use a power mobility device in his classroom but noted a lack of typical socialization. The purpose of this follow-up study was to determine the feasibility of providing mobility and socialization training for this child. METHODS: Will, a 3-year-old with CP, 1 comparison peer, 2 preschool teachers, and 2 therapists were filmed daily during a training and posttraining phase. Adult-directed training was provided in the classroom by therapists and teachers during the training phase. Mobility and socialization measures were coded from video. OUTCOMES: During training, Will demonstrated greater socialization but less mobility than the comparison peer. Posttraining, Will socialized less but was more mobile, though less mobile than the comparison peer. DISCUSSION: Short-term, adult-directed power mobility and socialization training appear feasible for the preschool classroom. Important issues regarding socialization and power mobility are discussed.

Design of a novel mobility device controlled by the feet motion of a standing child: a feasibility study.

Self-generated mobility is a major contributor to the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development of infants and toddlers. When young children have disorders that hinder self locomotion, their development is at risk for delay. Independent mobility via traditional power mobility devices may prevent this delay, but do little to encourage the child's development of gross motor skills. This research aims to develop a bio-driven mobile-assistive device that is controlled and driven by moving the feet, which may encourage the development of gross motor skills. In this study, system feasibility is shown by experiments on five typically developing toddlers and one special needs toddler with spastic cerebral palsy. Children were placed in the bio-driven device and instructed to navigate through a maze. All subjects were able to successfully complete the maze in multiple trials. In addition, two toddlers showed evidence of improved driving skill by completing the maze in shorter times in successive trials on a given testing day. The results suggest that such a device is feasible for purposeful driving. Recommendations are given for the device and protocol redesign for related future testing.

Design of a novel mobility device controlled by the feet motion of a standing child.

Self-generated mobility is a major contributor to the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development of infants and toddlers. When young children have disorders that hinder self locomotion, their development is at risk for delay. Independent mobility via traditional power mobility devices may prevent this delay, but do little to encourage the child's development of gross motor skills. This research aims to develop a bio-driven mobile-assistive device that is controlled and driven by moving the feet, which may encourage the development of gross motor skills. In this study, system feasibility is shown by experiments on five typically developing toddlers and one special needs toddler with spastic cerebral palsy. Children were placed in the bio-driven device and instructed to navigate through a maze. All subjects were able to successfully complete the maze in multiple trials. Additionally, two toddlers showed evidence of improved driving skill by completing the maze in shorter times in successive trials on a given testing day. The results suggest that such a device is feasible for purposeful driving. Recommendations are given for the device and protocol redesign for related future testing.

Power mobility and socialization in preschool: a case study of a child with cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE: Power mobility training for young children and infants appears feasible under controlled conditions. Dynamic, natural environments provide the ultimate test of training. The purpose of this case study was to determine whether it was feasible for Will, a 3-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, to use a power mobility device (UD2) in his preschool classroom and to quantify his classroom mobility and socialization. METHODS: Will, 2 peers (typically developing), and 2 teachers were filmed daily in class during a baseline phase without UD2, followed by a mobility phase with UD2. We coded socialization and mobility measures from video recordings. RESULTS: Will was more mobile and interactive when driving UD2 than during the baseline phase; however, he remained notably less mobile and interactive than his peers. CONCLUSIONS: The use and assessment of power mobility in a preschool classroom appear feasible. Issues important to maximizing children's use of power mobility for classroom participation are discussed.