WELLNESS
Scooter builders keep the kids mobile
Physical therapists at Bayside hospital create fun rides to help children get around
Four-year-old Lucas Spina goes for a ride in his toy ride-on car in the hallway of St. Mary’s Hospital
for Children. Photo by Carlotta Mohamed/QNS
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
With tools and a power
drill in hand, physical
therapists at Bayside’s
St. Mary’s Hospital for
Children participated in
a workshop altering toy
ride-on cars for patients
and community kids with
limited mobility.
St. Mary’s pediatric and
occupational therapists
received hands on training
modifying six red toy rideon
cars over the course of
two days at the first-ever
Go Baby Go workshop held
at the hospital on May 10.
Go Baby Go is a 150
chapter international
organization that is
dedicated to getting adults
and kids with significant
disabilities moving in their
real world, according to Cole
Galloway, a professor at the
University of Delaware and
founder of Go Baby Go.
“They’re learning how
to strip wires, change
electronics, and use
everyday materials like
kickboards and pool
noodles — things you can get
at a local hardware store for
low-cost modification,s so
that kids with any types of
abilities will be able to drive
these cars,” said Galloway.
“We’ve done probably about
8,000 cars worldwide with
trainings like this.”
It takes about 38 minutes
to an hour to modify the
level one toy cars that are
equipped with a big red
switch to help kids maneuver
the vehicle exploring
their surroundings.
The workshop is part of a
bigger initiative of a cist of
technology in finding ways
to have St. Mary’s patients
who have restricted mobility
to partake in something
that is different and fun,
said Elizabeth Alfonso,
physical therapy supervisor
of Rehabilitation Services.
“We found that once
we put a child in the car it
was completely amazing,”
said Alfonso. “He had such
a good time – his eyes
were bright and lit up just
exploring. We’re all very
excited so far. Everyone
loves it and once we get
good at modifying and our
principles and basics down,
we can continue to grow
and make more cars for all
of our kids.”
With a push of a button,
4-year-old Lucas Spina
rolled out into the hallway
with a smile on his face.
“We struggled with
trying to find toys given
restrictions on his
abilities,” said Greg Spina.
“It’s been hard to find
things that he can use as
a kid without us being
involved. This is awesome.
I feel like it gives him a
chance to do something on
his own and be mobile on
his own. He really hasn’t
had that before, so I think
it’s a wonderful thing and
I’m grateful that they’re
doing this for him.”
According to Jillian
Cohen, a physical therapist
at St. Marys, the modified
cars gives children — who
are mostly in wheelchairs
or seating systems
requiring assistance — an
opportunity to be a little
bit more independent,
she said.
“With Lucas, we adapted
the car because he’s better
at using his left hand for
steering. We just changed
out the steering wheel so
that he can use his left
hand to try to steer and
giving him use of his right
arm which he tends to
neglect,” said Cohen. “We
put the switch in a place
that encourages him to use
that right arm and still be
able to steer with the left
working on two tasks at the
same time.”
For Cohen, working on
the cars was an overall
fun experience.
“Trying to figure out all of
the wiring, it’s a tricky thing
but it’s so cool to see how we
can take such a simple toy
and change it to something
that is better for other kids
to be able to use,” said Cohen.
“I don’t even know if there
are words to describe how
awesome it is to see these kids
be able to move when we’re
working so much with them
in our sessions with learning
how to stand, walk and crawl.
But to see them get into the
car and figure out that they
can actually find a way to
move themselves without
working as hard while they’re
developing skills gives
them a great opportunity to
self-explore.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
or by phone at (718) 260–4526.
Staff members help assemble a scooter at St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital.
Photo by Carlotta Mohamed/QNS
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