Necessity is the mother of invention and this is especially true of one mother who set out to help her young boy with cerebral palsy. Debby Elnatan is a music therapist and mother who came up with an idea that could change lives of thousands of wheelchair-using children around the world.
From left Daniel Smyth, 5, Bethany Watson, and Charlotte Taylor, both 5, with their Upsees
After doctors told her her son Rotem had no understanding of how his legs worked, Debby cried for a week after and then tried to find something that could help him and ended up inventing a harness that attaches to an adult and allows the child to stand upright and walk.
The harness attaches around an adult’s waist to hold the child upright. The child can then walk in step with their parent, as seen here with Charlotte and Cameron.
“When my son was two years old, I was told by medical professionals that ‘he didn’t know what his legs are and has no consciousness of them’. That was an incredibly difficult thing for a mother to hear,” said Debby. “I started to walk him day after day, which was a very strenuous task for both of us. Out of my pain and desperation came the idea for the Upsee and I’m delighted to see it come to fruition.”
Claire and Daniel Smyth, Louise and Bethany Watson and Cameron and Charlotte Taylor go for a walk with their Upsees.
After she developed the Upsee, Debby looked around for a company that could mass produce her design and chose Firefly, a company known for making equipment for children with special needs. Since last year, Firefly has had successful trials with families in the UK, US and Canada.
Debby talks about how she struggled to support Rotem and how the idea for her special harness was formed in the video below.
The Upsee not only helps small children stand and walk while leaving their hands free, it helps them interact with their families. Claire and her son Daniel got to try using the harness during its trial and explains what the device has done for her family.
Firefly believes the product will not only improve special needs family participation and quality of life but also has the potential to help with the children’s physical and emotional development in the longer term.
What a fantastic invention! It’s amazing what a mother’s love can create!
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