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How to fit the belt
Choose the frame based on environment
Choose the frame based on environment
December 16, 2018
Practice in the playroom. Matias is wearing his belt cane, walking and holding his dad's hand. The tight-spaces cane frame contacts the sofa, plush rocking toy and wooden toy cart he was scene stepping on when guided without a cane. His tears result when made to let go of his dad's hand.
December 16, 2018
Practice in the playroom. Matias is wearing his belt cane, walking and holding his dad's hand. The tight-spaces cane frame contacts the sofa, plush rocking toy and wooden toy cart he was scene stepping on when guided without a cane. His tears result when made to let go of his dad's hand.
The belt cane should be worn most of the day, because there is no benefit to walking without effective path information.
The daily frame provides a two-step preview of the path ahead. The daily frame is intended to be worn inside, in roomy indoor spaces, in the mall, at school and outside, on the playground, in the backyard, on the beach, everywhere.
Safe Toddles
nonprofit 501(c)(3)
Every donation helps build a path to safe mobility
For more information:
Current Research Projects
1. Investigation of the Use of Pediatric Belt Canes with Young Children with
CHARGE Syndrome Not Meeting Gross Motor Milestones (seeking participants)
2. Early Intervention Orientation and Mobility App with Pediatric Belt Cane and
Smart Belt for Toddlers with Visual Impairments (seeking participants)
CHARGE Syndrome
We're seeking up to 10 families to participate in this pilot study.
The project:
1. Participants will be sent a custom-made belt for the child to wear. The belt will have a step-counter.
a. We will ask for child's daily step count
b. During weekly meetings we will ask you questions about your child's walking, concepts, language and social skill activities.
c. Families will be asked to submit approximately five to seven minutes of smart phone videos of their children engaged in those walking and play activities.
2. The two cane frames will be sent. You are being asked to have the child wear a cane frame most of the day.
a. We will ask for child's daily step count
b. During weekly meetings will will ask you questions about your child's walking, concepts, language and social skill activities.
c. Families will be asked to submit approximately five to seven minutes of smart phone videos of their children engaged in those walking and play activities.
Payment:
1. A custom-made pediatric belt cane (value $625)
2. $200 cash honorarium for providing data: $25 after first month, $75 after the second month, and $100 after the third month of data sharing.
Voluntary participation:
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Participation in this research study is entirely voluntary. If you decide not to participate, there will be no penalty to you, and you will not lose any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
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Everyone can decide to withdraw consent and stop participating in the research at any time, without any penalty.
Brief Overview
Independent walking (walking at will and without assistance), is fundamental to learning.
Independent walking requires an ever-improving coordination of sensory input with motor output. Children with severely impaired sensory input exhibit delays in independent walking even when they possess the physical potential to walk. This suggests that therapies aimed only at motor function may meet with limited success in improving early walking.
The Pediatric Belt Cane (PBC) was developed to aid walking in children with visual impairment and blindness by providing useful sensory input. The PBC is a custom-made wearable white cane invented in 2017 by collaboration of City University of New York medical device engineering with orientation and mobility professors. It provides tactile, haptic, and auditory feedback about the path ahead. Already, the PBC being successfully used by almost 1000 children in 46 US states and 21 countries.
The PBC is a mobility tool designed to meet the sensory needs of children with mobility visual impairment or blindness (MVI/B). It consists of a (Figure 1) rectangular frame with magnets. Adults easily attach/detach the frames to the belt. The cane base slides along the floor, this contact provides the child sensory feedback about the walking path.
Our central hypothesis is that, in conjunction with motor skill instruction, children with CS may benefit from the addition of reliable, consistent sensory feedback about the path ahead that can be obtained by consistently wearing a PBC. The objective of this study is to determine whether PBCs are a useful addition to interventions designed to address walking attainment by children with CS.
Early Intervention Orientation and Mobility App with Pediatric Belt Cane and Smart Belt for Toddlers with Visual Impairments
Pilot study
We are seeking adult and toddlers with visual impairments to participating in using and providing feedback on the smart belt and early intervention curriculum app for pediatric belt cane. (Dates: September 1- December 15, 2021).
All participants receive early access to the EI/O&M App and Free Pediatric Belt Canes
Activities
Adults:
1. will be asked to complete a pre/post survey about the technology
2. will be asked to rate the usability of the proposed smart phone app
Adults and toddlers with VIs
1. will be asked to try out and give feedback about the pediatric belt cane with smart belt technology.
All participants will be provided with an online workshop instructing them in how to use the EI/O&M app, pediatric belt cane and smart belt with toddler and preschool learners with VIs.
To participate email us or call: or 914-204-9292