A mom in Alabama designed a specialized shopping cart that would help her to be able to shop with her daughter, Caroline. The cart is designed for children who have disabilities. Soon, Caroline’s Carts will be available in grocery stores in Birmingham, Alabama.
Drew Ann Long, and her husband, David, are the parents of three children. One of their children, a daughter named Caroline, has special needs. She has Rett Syndrome. According to Mayo Clinic, Rett Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the way that the brain develops. Nearly all of the children affected with this disorder are girls.
Symptoms can include slowed brain growth, and a smaller than normal head size. Starting between 12 to 18 months of age, a child with Rett Syndrome will begin to lose motor skills. This includes a decrease of hand control as well as losing the ability to crawl or walk normally. The loss of abilities happens fast, and continues on at a more gradual pace. Children with Rett Syndrome also begin to lose the ability to speak and communicate in other ways starting at the same time.
It is typical for parents to bring their children with them when they go grocery shopping. Caroline’s mother was having difficulties with doing this. As Caroline grew older, and bigger, she was no longer able to fit in the seat part of a standard grocery cart. It is nearly impossible to push both a shopping cart and a wheelchair at the same time while also trying to grocery shop.
Drew Ann Long decided to design a shopping cart that would meet the needs of her daughter and of other children with physical disabilities. She named it Caroline’s Cart. It has a large seat, which includes a harness, that faces the parent who is pushing the cart. The seat has a five degree tilt that helps kids who have low muscle tone to have a more comfortable shopping experience. The seating arrangement allows parents to maintain eye contact with their child, and to easily monitor for seizures, asthma attacks, and other serious health conditions.
Soon, Caroline’s Cart will be available for parents and caregivers to use when they go grocery shopping with their child. The Belle Foods store, in Birmingham, Alabama, is where the specialized carts will make their debut. It is possible that other stores, in more locations, will choose to carry these specialized carts in their grocery stores, too.
Image by christine592 on Flickr