Innovative Approaches to Promote Mobility in Children with Cerebral Palsy in the Community

Abstract

Given the key role of mobility in life, it is no surprise that community mobility is recognized as a civil right if not a human right. This chapter introduces several key issues and foundational fields of community mobility as well as specific approach examples. The focus is on how innovative community mobility approaches emerge from an embrace of the realities of community mobility in combination with strong theoretical and empirical research fields. Putting these principles and methods into action could reduce the mobility restrictions experienced by individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) and create more inclusive communities. Two innovative examples outline how assistive technology and rehabilitative technology roles can be combined to impact impairments, functional activities, and user participation in the real world. Lastly, the chapter ends with three general principles on the where, who, and how of design and study for highimpact community mobility programs.