‘Go Baby Go’ Mobility Program for Children with Disabilities Launched at Wooster School

 

Wooster School is excited to announce that it has brought the Go Baby Go project to Southwestern Connecticut. Started at the University of Delaware by Dr. Cole Galloway, Go Baby Go addresses the lack of assistive technologies, in particular wheelchairs, for children under the age of 3 with mobility problems.

To solve this problem, Dr. Galloway decided it best to play with toys -- electric toy cars, to be exact. By retrofitting a battery powered toy car, Dr. Galloway produced a mobility device that was fun, safe and effective. But his cars have an even greater benefit -- a degree of physical therapy. In one instance, a boy had to stand up to make his car go, which helped strengthen his leg muscles. The benefit of physical therapy is a key part of the Go Baby Go project and integral to the design of each vehicle.

Wooster’s 9th grade “Intro To Makerspace” classes have been divided into teams, and each team has been paired with a family and given a toy car to modify.

Student teams have been working closely with their patients and their families to design appropriate modifications that meet the needs of the child, address therapy requirements, and fit the families’ lifestyle. Wooster students have been hacking the cars during their Makerspace class to fit the needs of each child. This process has involved rewiring, reinforcing, repainting, and rebuilding each vehicle as well as sharing progress updates with each family to keep them involved.

Vehicles will be presented to recipient families on campus during the next few weeks.

About Wooster School

Wooster School is an independent, co-educational college preparatory day school, serving students from Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Located in Danbury, Connecticut, the School serves students from Pre-K through grade 12. A leader in classroom innovation and teaching, Wooster School is a place where thinking and learning are personal, meaningful, and visible; and where faculty work closely with students in small classes and cohorts to think and communicate critically and creatively. At Wooster, every student participates, every student contributes, and every student learns and develops the necessary skills to be a life-long learner and leader in college and life beyond.

To learn more, visit http://www.woosterschool.org/ or contact Wooster School Admissions at (203) 830-3916.