December 2018!  


Welcome to the December edition of  CanChild Today! In this issue, we are excited to share opportunities for parents to get involved in research, and highlight recent publications by some of our  CanChild members

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ENVISAGE: ENabling VISion And Growing Expectations!

Parenting is a tough task! Parenting a child whose development might be complicated by a
disability can be even harder. We know that parents want to do a good job with their kids.
We also know that there can be a lot of extra stress and strain on parents as they work to do
all the right things when their child has a disability.

We wish to engage with parents raising children with developmental challenges. We want
to find out if our planned series of five weekly online interactive workshops, called
ENVISAGE: ENabling VISion And Growing Expectations, is useable, understandable and
acceptable to families of children with disabilities. Our goals for this project are (i) to share
with parents and caregivers some of the new and different ways we are thinking and talking
about childhood 'disability', and (ii) to refine workshop content based on caregiver
knowledge, experience, involvement and feedback.

We would love to know what you think!

If you would like to find out more, have any questions, or would like to express your interest
to be involved in the study, please do not hesitate to contact:

Dr Kinga Pozniak
CanChild and McMaster University
Ontario, Canada
Email: pozniakk@mcmaster.ca
Professor Peter Rosenbaum
CanChild and McMaster University
Ontario, Canada
Email:rosenbau@mcmaster.ca
Tel: 905-525-9140, ext 27834


Measure of Early Vision Use! 


Is your child less than 12 years of age? Are you interested in helping test a new online measure of 'vision use' for children with cerebral palsy?

Researchers from Australian Catholic University are testing a new questionnaire ('Measure of Early Vision Use') to describe how a child uses vision in everyday activities. They are seeking:
  • Parents and caregivers of children aged between 3 months and 12 years of age who have a diagnosis or high risk of developing cerebral palsy; and
  • Parents and caregivers of children with a range of visual abilities - good ability to use vision and not so good.
Click here to find out more  http://j.mp/2Nbj4wK  !


Recent Publications by CanChild Members!
Although motivating and interactive tools using play may provide repetitive practice skills for children with disabilities, many virtual reality and active video gaming systems are found to be too challenging for children with specific needs. The objective of this journal article was to develop and analyze a usability evaluation of the Fun, Interactive Therapy Board (FITBoard). The FITBoard is a movement toy and tablet app that brings both digital and physical interactions for children with diverse abilities. It involves games controlled by hand, head, or foot touch of configurable surfaces. This study involved participants verbalizing aloud while completing a series of 26 task actions involving selecting a game and using the FITBoard to achieve their therapeutic goals.  Authors:  Levac D, Dumas HM, Meleis W. JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2018 November 26. doi:  10.2196/10307

To support families and children with medical complexities, it requires the integration of both the medical knowledge of health care providers and family experience. A care plan represents both: it includes health care practitioner information and demonstrates family experience. The intersection between care plans and care maps is critical, as it provides solutions to the tensions between health care practitioner-directed care and patient- and family-centred care. This study used qualitative methods to explore the use and experiences of those who have used care maps using data collected from interviews with both parents of children with medical complexities as well as health care practitioners. Through the exploration and analysis of the relationship and utility of care plans and care maps, the results revealed six primary themes. Authors: Adams S, Nicholas D, Mahant S, Weiser N, Kanani R, Boydell K,  Cohen E. Child Care Health Dev. 2018 November 21. doi:  10.1111/cch.12632

There is a growing movement in pediatric rehabilitation to better understand the importance of thinking beyond body function, and that other factors can contribute to an enhanced psychosocial well-being. One of which is the use of creative arts. This scoping review synthesized current literature on performance and visual arts-based programs and outcomes for children with disabilities. Twelve articles were used from an 11-year period, and majority of these papers addressed changes in physical, cognitive, and communicative function. The authors found that within an emerging evidence base, arts-based programs do show potential to positively impact psychosocial well-being, and should be further investigated with broader populations of children with physical and developmental disabilities to seek out more potential benefits.  Authors: Edwards BM, Smart E, King G, Curran CJ, Kingsnorth S. Disability and Rehabilitation. 2018 November 18.  doi:  10.1080/09638288.2018.1503734
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