Mobility vehicles helping preschool children with disabilities gain independence
- lison435
- Nov 29, 2024
- 1 min read
Five new mobility vehicles are helping preschool children with disabilities unlock opportunities for more independence.
For the past six years, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) have been designing and building emPOWER Car Project mobility vehicles.
On Thursday, they were given to their new owners to enjoy, each one is customized to each child's needs.
APEGA says they were given to children who typically wouldn’t have access to a mobility device until they’re older.
The mobility chairs feature a joystick, a speed dial and a variety of buttons to move it around. They’re described as lightweight, easily transportable, can be driven on various terrain and more cost effective than a traditional mobility device.
Ashley Harrison’s four-year-old daughter Priscilla has bilateral dystonic cerebral palsy, a condition that requires her to have a wheelchair.
Priscilla uses a manual wheelchair and a walker to get around but has been upgraded to the mobility vehicle.
“This is something that's giving her the ability to actually make her own decisions about where she goes and which direction she's going,” Harrison said.
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