Establishing use of crutches by a mentally retarded spina bifida child.

A team worked with one 5-year-old who had spina bifida and an intellectual disability.

The child could not walk with crutches.

The teachers built a 10-step shaping plan.

They started with parallel bars for balance.

They slowly traded bars for crutches while giving praise and treats for each small success.

The child learned to walk with crutches after the 10 steps.

When the skill dipped later, one quick practice with the bars brought it back.

Shaping plus fading worked for this big motor skill.

Taub et al. (1994) later used the same shaping idea with stroke adults.

They added a mitt on the good arm to stop learned non-use.

Both studies show shaping can fix very different motor problems.

Ghaemmaghami et al. (2018) used a stepwise plan like the 10-step one, but they shaped words instead of steps.

Same tool, new job.

Almuhtaseb et al. (2014) reviewed gait work in ID and included this 1971 paper.

Their review says ID often brings short, flat steps.

The 1971 study proves you can still teach better walking even with those limits.

You can borrow the 10-step plan for any big motor goal.

Break the skill into tiny pieces, start with full support, then fade it out.

Use praise or small treats at each step.

If the skill drops, bring back the last safe setup for one quick trial.

This old paper still gives you a clear Monday-morning map for teaching crutch use, walker use, or even bike riding.