Most parents feel anxious when their children get their first set of wheels, but for a Turner Valley couple, their son’s first vehicle has been a godsend.
Two-year-old Burke Davis received a battery-operated Power Wheels car from Variety - the Children’s Charity of Alberta, which was modified by Calgary Cycle City to meet the needs of the toddler, who has an undiagnosed genetic disorder.
“It’s an incredible gift for our family – it’s not something we would be able to provide for him,” said mom Lauren. “These little things really make a big difference.”
Unlike most toddlers, Burke isn’t yet able to walk or talk and is still on a feeding tube. He was on oxygen most of his life, but has been breathing on his own since February.
“Instead of milestones we call them ‘inch’ stones,” said Lauren. “That’s how we celebrate these little advances.”
Lauren said Burke’s cognitive abilities are similar to that of a six to nine-month-old. Burke now understands certain words, can hold items in his hands, loves to babble and requires assistance sitting up.
“His MRIs, scans and tests all came back clear so the only thing that it could be is something genetic that hasn’t been researched yet,” Lauren said. “We don’t have any other information. We’ve done extensive genetic testing and it all came back clear. Sitting in the unknown is what we’ve gotten used to.”
Young Burke receives support through physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
It was through his therapist at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind that Burke was nominated for Variety’s Go Baby Go toddler mobility program last fall.
The program supports toddlers and preschoolers with limited mobility using ride-on adaptive toy cars with push-button switches, supportive seating and communication devices to provide opportunities for the youngsters to move independently in ways they otherwise couldn’t on their own.
The charity works with families, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to determine how best to adapt the cars for each child. Most vehicles have remote control functionality so parents can control the movement, direction and speed.
Lauren said Variety recruits sponsors to help pay for the modifications needed for the cars. The Davises received support from Calgary Cycle City.
“It was all done via correspondence,” she said. “They asked a ton of questions about his disabilities, likes and dislikes. It was quite awesome that they were able to modify it to his specs.”
The Davises received the car on Aug. 4, and Burke has been cruising up and down Turner Valley sidewalks three or four times a week with a smile on his face.
“There’s not a ton of cool diability-realted products, so the Power Wheels gives him that ability to explore his neighbourhood and community just like his peers would be doing,” said Lauren. “He hasn’t had a ton of independence so the fact that mom and dad (Andrew) and his big brother (Cade) aren’t right beside him is really new to him.”
The car is equipped with a five-point harness, extended head rests created by University of Calgary students, a radio and a remote control for the parents to operate the car with.
“They also put a fake red button on the steering wheel so he can push that to ‘make it go,’ said Lauren. “He loves to push buttons for toys and music.”
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