This course is will address how to assist children in developing competency with powered mobility.  Paradigms of driver training and equipment configurations will be reviewed and updated to reflect settings for levels of movement and driving competency. Flexible programming options will be reviewed to address the environment, access points and skill level of the learner.  Content will address seating options to support movement in the body and within the system.

Children often do not find success following the traditional driving strategies utilized with adults. Training children to first learn mobility, followed by a specific driving protocol, is crucial to fostering independence. Karen Kangas will share her mobility-to-driving protocol which assists in teaching children how to become more independent. This protocol includes teaching strategies to use at school and at home.

Karen Kangas will share specific configurations of seating and strategies that work. You will learn how to configure and program systems for learning and then how to adjust these systems as competence and experience develop.  This teaching protocol can be customized for each child.

At the conclusion of this course participants will be able to:

• Identify at least three components which need to be configured differently for a first time user than for an experienced driver, for a very young child, and also for a first time driver who is an adolescent.
• Identify three components of the child’s seating as it needs to relate to managing alternative access within multiple environments, again, for first time use, and then progressing and changing with experience.
• Analyze the environment for driving, and create 3 specific strategies based on this analysis for teaching a specific child within his/her environment.

Faculty:  Karen M. Kangas OTR/L, Occupational Therapist, Seating, Positioning & Mobility Specialist, Assistive Technology Specialist, Clinical Educator, Consultant, Adjunct Faculty at Misericordia University.

Audience:  Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists who work with children with moderate to severe motor impairments.

Sponsored by:  P.G. Chambers School

Continuing Education Credits:  This course will award 6 continuing education hours or .6 CEUs. Approval is pending from the N.J. State Board of Physical Therapy.