Adapting ride-on toy cars as a tool to promote leisure: A feasibility study in Colombia

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation Engineering
• Assistive Technology for Children with Disabilities
• Global Health Initiatives in Pediatric Mobility

Background:

• The Go Baby Go program successfully adapts ride-on cars for children with disabilities at the University of Delaware.
• Colombia's healthcare system faces challenges in providing early mobility devices, lacking dedicated programs like Go Baby Go.
• Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have limited access to recreational mobility solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of implementing a Go Baby Go program in Colombia.
• To adapt and describe electronic and seating modifications for ride-on toy cars.
• To evaluate the satisfaction of children with CP and their parents with the adapted cars.

Main Methods:

• Adapted electronic and seating features of ride-on toy cars.
• Recruited three participants with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System IV).
• Measured participant and parent satisfaction using a Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Parents reported children found riding the adapted cars "extremely fun".
• Parents deemed access to these devices "extremely important" for children's recreational involvement.
• The study demonstrated the potential for adapting mobility devices in resource-limited settings.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a Go Baby Go program in Colombia is feasible and highly beneficial.
• Adapted mobility devices significantly enhance recreational opportunities and child engagement.
• There is a critical need for accessible, adapted mobility solutions for children with disabilities in Colombia.