Modified Ride-on Toy Cars for Early Power Mobility

In Brief Background and Purpose: Children with significantly decreased mobility have limited opportunities to explore their physical and social environment. A variety of assistive technologies are available to increase mobility; however, no single device provides the level of functional mobility that children developing typically enjoy. The purpose of this technical report is to formally introduce a new power mobility option–-the modified ride-on toy car. Key Points: This report will provide (a) an overview of toy car features, (b) examples of basic electrical and mechanical modifications, and (c) a brief clinical case. Clinical Implications: With creative use and customized modifications, toy cars can function as a “general learning environment” for use in the clinic, home, and school. As such, we anticipate that these cars will become a multiuse clinical tool to address not only mobility goals but also goals involving body function and structure such as posture and movement impairments. This report introduces a new power mobility option–the modified ride-on toy car. Modifications to these toy cars are described and illustrated. The authors anticipate that these cars will become a multiuse clinical tool to address mobility goals and goals directed at reducing postural and movement impairments.