Page 24 - Mobility Management, June 2017

Pediatric Series
Alternative Drive Controls
Endless Possibilities
Finally, does a child’s lack of independent mobility indicate that switches will likely be a more successful answer?
“Not necessarily,” Doherty said. “I have started
many children without any mobility with a propor-
tional input device. If the child has the control to use a proportional input device, it may take them a little longer
to understand the device, but once they can use it, they have the best control over the power wheelchair.”
Therefore, Doherty said, a history of previous independent
mobility (or lack thereof) doesn’t define a child’s future mobility. “The child with mobility already may have a leg up on the child with no mobility because they
have some understanding of moving themselves through space,” he said. “The advantage lies in that
they understand mobility already; this doesn’t neces- sarily provide them with an advantage for using an input
device. In my experience, some children who have never experienced independent mobility in any other way and do so for the first time with power, gain a desire to be more independent in other ways as well.” m
Wild Thing (continued)
and Romero anticipates working with other manufacturers’ pedi- atric seating as well.
Despite upgrades to the driving controls and seating, Wild Thing looks unmistakably like a toy, with a low-to-the-ground stance, diminutive size and bright colors. And Romero said early evaluations have borne that out.
In describing Wild Thing’s very first evaluation — with a toddler named Adrian who had a high cervical spinal cord injury — Romero said, “When we walked in there, he just lit up. Because it’s a toy. He had an older brother who also lit up.”
Adrian did so well with his Wild Thing evaluation that the rehab team evaluated him for a power chair immediately afterward.
“He did great in it,” Romero said. “We got the proper sizing, and because of his success in the Wild Thing, there wasn’t the fear that the therapist normally would have. But the mom was still telling us, ‘I’d rather have that Wild Thing.’”
Which brings up the question: Is Romero concerned that fami- lies enamored with Wild Thing will refuse to put their children in fully functional power wheelchairs?
Actually, Romero expects the opposite response.
“A lot of people said, ‘You’re going to be taking away from power sales.’ But there are families who are not getting into power. I’ve heard more parents saying, ‘I’ve got a power chair, and it’s sitting in the garage.’ What we’re doing is we’re preparing power sales for the future.
“I love what therapists are saying: ‘This is the most comfort- able we’ve seen her while using [a power mobility device],
without everyone jumping in and trying to stop her from hitting something.’ With [Wild Thing], it’s okay if they get close to the
wall because it’s not going to do any damage. Therapists have mentioned, ‘This is the most training we’ve gotten using a mobility device. Every other time, we’ve had to cut it short because the family doesn’t feel comfortable or I don’t feel comfortable.’”
A Bridge to Power Mobility
Wild Thing seating and specialty electronics will be easily removable, thus preserving Wild Thing’s original functionality and controls. The result: a toy that’s accessible to kids with disabilities, and to able-bodied siblings and friends as well.
Stealth plans to introduce a Wild Thing app with Remote Stop
and a Tethering Mode option.
“Wild Thing cannot get away
from a parent,” Romero said.
“It will stay within the distance
needed to receive a signal from
the app. Our phones send a
Bluetooth signal out, so the
app will connect to the device
and will be pinging it. When it
sees Wild Thing pass a certain
distance, it will stop the device:
You’re too far away from your
parent. It’ll allow the parent to come up to it, restart it, and the child can go.”
Stealth has priced its Wild Thing at under $800, a price point that allows providers to sell it as a retail product and family members to band together to buy it. “What would be included is the Wild Thing and our driver control, a very simple one so kids could start exploring and playing,” Romero said. (An out-of- the-box Wild Thing retails for $260 on Fisher-Price’s Web site.)
He anticipates that ATPs and therapists will apply for funding for the seating, if needed, and perhaps a manual wheelchair base. Wild Thing could then be a cash add-on.
More importantly, Wild Thing could help families — and clinicians — to overcome doubts they have about the viability of independent mobility for their very young children.
“Many children miss the opportunity for independence because their families are not ready,” he said. “When you look
at even a small power chair, it still has motors that can take the chair through the wall. It can outpace a family member and pull a family member if they’re trying to hold it back. Once parents see they can’t control it, the fear comes. Already the fear is there of not understanding their child’s diagnosis and what the outcomes are going to be. There’s just a lot of fear when it comes to their child’s safety.”
Wild Thing’s size makes it easy to stash in a car, and best of all, it’s a toy, one that will appeal to all kids.
“The occupation of a child is to play,” Romero said. “We’re going to start creating an organization in our company to connect and bridge the able-bodied to people with disabilities.” m
24 JUNE 2017 | MOBILITY MANAGEMENT MobilityMgmt.com