Mobility Friends Together

Today, there is a medicine available to treat or attempt to treat almost all disorders. One of the most common type of over the counter medication is cold medicine, which usually takes up a large section of most drug stores shelves. While these might be effective for adults, a new study released shows they can actually be harmful to young children.

Doctors are falling back on the tried and true treatment of plenty of fluids and rest. This includes the practice of giving children antihistamines to help them sleep. It is estimated that more than 7000 children are taken to the emergency room every year as a result of side effects of cough medicine. Some of the side effects include drowsiness, hives, and lightheadedness.

A large number of these cases are as a result of overdoses, so several of the leading manufactures are creating a better way to dispense their medicine, to reduce the chance of giving a child too much. They have also changed their recommendations to advise against giving these medicines to children under 6.

The children cough medicine industry usually brings in well over $300 million a year, so while many of the larger companies are changing their ways, it is likely that many will continue to market their products until there is an official ban from the FDA.

Most pediatricians will tell you that children with colds often get better in only a couple of days. They advise against giving the children medication unless they are running a high temperature. When it is necessary to give children over the counter medication, make certain to never give them adult medication and to always follow the recommended dosages. It is also important to keep all medications away from children, so they can not take them without your approval.

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1997, many places in the United States became much more accessible. While the system is not perfect, it generally helps to ensure that businesses and public areas consider the mobility challenged in their design. Many areas in the United States are very accessible, so it is easy to forget that other areas of the world are not fortunate. Recently one student, Tish Scolnik, from MIT has set out to help people who are in areas where being accessible isn’t an everyday reality.

Scolnik is majoring in mechanical engineering and after taking a class that dealt with wheelchair design, learned about in some areas of Africa, obtaining and building a wheelchair was actually very difficult. She set out to use her skills to help others and headed to Tanzania in 2007.

The terrain in Tanzania can be very rough, so if you are in a wheelchair, it can make for hard going. Scolnik helped to design a folding wheelchair that used 3 wheels instead of the traditional 4. This allows for more stability and also allows it to be easily transported. She has also helped to design a chair that hopefully will allow its user to generate some additional income. The chair, called the Small Business Wheelchair, has removable drawers, an umbrella, and a collapsible tray, which is aimed at providing a platform for selling “Top-Up” cards. These cards are basically calling cards that those in Tanzania use with their cellphones.

Inspired by the people she met, Scolnik has continued to help those in Tanzania obtain wheelchairs and provide those who are mobility challenged with support. So far, she has raised over $9,000 towards this goal and, while back in college now, she is still very active in providing aid for mobility challenged people in developing countries.

Find out more about Tish Scolnik and her work by visiting the MIT Website.