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.

When Chuck Killingsworth called Gary Miller of Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center, he was just looking for some used wheelchairs that he could use in one of his classes, so he never expected the generosity that Mr. Miller would extend to him.

Killingsworth, the professor of therapeutic recreation at Pittsburg State University, had been trying to find wheelchairs for one of his classes, so he picked up the phone and started calling some of the local hospitals. His last call was to Gary Miller, who decided to donate six brand new lightweight wheelchairs to Killingsworth. Miller was able to get a slight discount on the chairs, which are valued at around $700 a piece.

One of the major goals that Killingsworth wants to teach his students is how to properly transfer a person into and out of a wheelchair. They also have been brainstorming other ways to use the chairs. One of their plans is to have a wheelchair awareness day, where students spend the entire day in a wheelchair. He hopes that this will help the student have a better appreciation for what it is like for the people they will be working with.

The wheelchairs will also be used in the event of an injury and by the schools nursing department.

This is not the first time that Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center has helped out those at the school. Not too long ago they also donated a few defibrillators to the school.

Frequently those that are a little older or who are mobility challenged, find that it is very difficult to walk for extended periods of time. This can make going to the grocery store very difficult if not impossible and can greatly reduce your ability to travel. A mobility scooter is one type of medical equipment that can help solve this problem.

A mobility scooter is a device that is used by people of all ages who can not walk without difficulty. An electric wheelchair and a mobility scooter are very closely related, but differ slightly in their construction. A mobility scooter uses a larger base and a chair is mounted towards the rear of the base. At the front of the base is a set of handlebars which are mounted to an adjustable tiller.

Many mobility scooters are available to today. Their range can vary greatly, with some able to travel as far as 50 miles on a single charge, but most have a range that is around 20 miles. They use rechargeable batteries though, so if you need to double your range, you can purchase an extra battery pack and swap out the packs when you run out of juice.

One of the great things about a mobility scooter is that it enables you to keep up with your family. You can go to the park with the grandkids or go with your family as they explore New York City. Most travel at speeds of between 4 and 5 miles per hour, but some mobility scooters are capable of speeds over 10 miles per hour.

Those who have difficulty walking will greatly benefit from a mobility scooter, which improves mobility and the ability to move around freely without assistance.