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Physical therapists and high school students team up for 'Go Baby Go!' program

Penn State Health initiative adapts toy cars for children with limited mobility

On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build "Go Baby Go!" cars. Credit: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State. Creative Commons

HERSHEY, Pa. — In a pink, motorized toy car adapted especially for her, Elyse Brown can finally keep up with her two active older brothers.

The three-year-old Mechanicsburg girl, who was born with a genetic condition that caused developmental delays and motor challenges, can push a large, red button on the steering wheel of her new Disney Princess ride and get around on her own, thanks to the gift from Penn State Health.

Physical therapists from the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and students from Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon County met in Hershey on Dec. 16 to rewire toy cars as part of a national, community-based outreach program called "Go Baby Go!", which modifies toy vehicles for children with limited mobility.

Jerry Wawrzyniak rewires an electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Thomas Curtin, left, and Jonas Funk, right, of Cedar Crest High School, get directions from Jerry Wawrzyniak. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jonas Funk, left, and Thomas Curtin, right, of Cedar Crest High School, drill holes for a safety harness. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapists Emily Hoffman, left, and Taylor Clark, right, add foam support to an electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapists Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown, left, show Elyse Brown, 3, how to work her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Cedar Crest student Thomas Curtin rewires an electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Miles Bischoff, 2, of Manheim gives a smile to a group of Cedar Crest High School students. Left to right are Patrick Hansell, Jonas Funk, Thomas Curtin and Tim Sheffield. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jared Bischoff and Miles Bischoff, 2, of Manheim give smiles to the Cedar Crest High School students who built Miles' new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg reacts to her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jared Bischoff of Manheim takes his son, Miles Bischoff, 2, on a ride in his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman takes Miles Bischoff, 2, of Manheim on a ride in his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown help Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg drive her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric Physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Jared Bischoff, left, of Manheim teach Miles Bischoff, 2, how to drive his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown help Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg into her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, left, and Jared Bischoff of Manheim help Miles Bischoff, 2, drive his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown help Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg into her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, left, and Jared Bischoff of Manheim help Miles Bischoff, 2, into his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jerry Wawrzyniak rewires an electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Thomas Curtin, left, and Jonas Funk, right, of Cedar Crest High School, get directions from Jerry Wawrzyniak. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jonas Funk, left, and Thomas Curtin, right, of Cedar Crest High School, drill holes for a safety harness. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapists Emily Hoffman, left, and Taylor Clark, right, add foam support to an electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapists Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown, left, show Elyse Brown, 3, how to work her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Cedar Crest student Thomas Curtin rewires an electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Miles Bischoff, 2, of Manheim gives a smile to a group of Cedar Crest High School students. Left to right are Patrick Hansell, Jonas Funk, Thomas Curtin and Tim Sheffield. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jared Bischoff and Miles Bischoff, 2, of Manheim give smiles to the Cedar Crest High School students who built Miles' new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg reacts to her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jared Bischoff of Manheim takes his son, Miles Bischoff, 2, on a ride in his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman takes Miles Bischoff, 2, of Manheim on a ride in his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown help Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg drive her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric Physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Jared Bischoff, left, of Manheim teach Miles Bischoff, 2, how to drive his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown help Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg into her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, left, and Jared Bischoff of Manheim help Miles Bischoff, 2, drive his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, right, and Amanda Brown help Elyse Brown, 3, of Mechanicsburg into her new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Pediatric physical therapist Emily Hoffman, left, and Jared Bischoff of Manheim help Miles Bischoff, 2, into his new electric car. On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

“This gives her more independence and allows her to do something without me,” said Elyse’s mom, Amanda Brown. “Her brothers have bikes and Power Wheels, so this will help her get out and see more friends.”

Emily Hoffman, a pediatric physical therapist at Penn State Health, saw a "Go Baby Go!" car at Penn State Rec Fest and remembered her involvement with the program when she was a physical therapy student.

John Wawrzyniak, supervisor of outpatient physical therapy at Penn State Health, agreed that it would be a great project, so they raised nearly $1,400 to start a local chapter and modify their first cars.

Wawrzyniak’s wife, Lisa, who oversees the gifted program at Cedar Crest High School, recruited students with an interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

Taylor Clark, another pediatric physical therapist at Penn State Health, worked with Hoffman to cut foam pool noodles and kickboards to cushion the ride for Elyse.

“Typically, developing children learn by moving around their environment and exploring,” she said. “This allows Elyse to sit upright at the same level as her peers so she can be visually engaged with them and explore her environment without mom or dad.”

Jonas Funk, a junior at Cedar Crest, worked with six classmates to adapt a red sports car for a young male patient and help get the blue "Frozen" car used in the pediatric outpatient physical therapy clinic going in reverse again.

“I like problem-solving and helping people, so this seemed interesting,” Funk said.

Hoffman, who works with both of the patients who received the cars, said the project has been so rewarding they hope to continue and expand it in the future: “It’s something fun that the children can use at home.”

On Dec. 16, 2018, pediatric physical therapists from Penn State Health and Cedar Crest High School students joined together to build Go Baby Go! cars. The project involved personalizing small, motorized vehicles for young children with disabilities. Credit: Penn State Health. 

Last Updated January 7, 2019

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