We are excited to officially launch CanChild's 2021 Annual Report! In this Report, we spotlight the milestones in our Strategic Plan, research highlights from 16 active projects, our accomplishments by the numbers, and more. Our sincerest gratitude to all the scientists, associate members, research and KT staff, trainees, youth and young adults with disabilities, and family members who contributed to CanChild's success in 2021.

Thank you to Dr. Dina Brooks for her leadership as CanChild's acting director over the past 12 months. We deeply appreciate Dina's contribution to CanChild's cohesive and positive work culture.

We wish to welcome Dr. Briano DiRezze and Dr. Olaf Kraus de Camargo, who will officially take over the CanChild co-directorship as of July 1st. We are excited to see how this new chapter of CanChild will unfold!

Are you a family member, researcher, healthcare professional, policymaker, educator, or student interested in learning about emerging Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) research?

Join us in person on July 6-9, 2022 at the 14th International Developmental Coordination Disorder Conference in Vancouver, BC!

On the CanChild website, you can freely access DCD Educational Materials for Home, School, Physicians, and other Health Professionals. The page compiles evidence-based resources designed to help adolescents, parents, and healthcare professionals identify and manage Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

Occupational therapists aim to partner with families in all aspects of a child’s service. However, in school-based occupational therapy services, families are not typically present at the school when therapists provide services, making it difficult to build relationships. This study explores factors that impact engagement in school-based occupational therapy services in Ontario. The findings contribute to a better understanding of therapists’ and families’ experiences of engagement, and ways of building stronger relationships. Based on these findings, the authors recommend significant changes to practice to increase the overall value of these services for children and their families.

Authors: Kennedy, J. N., Moll, S., Missiuna, C., Yost, J., Terreberry, S., & Campbell, W. N. (2022). Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 15(2), 181–204. doi: 10.1080/19411243.2021.1941494

This study investigated the experiences of children and youth returning to occupations after sustaining a concussion and the impacts on their future engagement in occupation. Eight children and youth ages 11 to 18 years old were interviewed about their experiences of engaging in occupations postconcussion. Analyses revealed three themes of experiences: diverse experiences of concussion, knowledge is key to concussion management, and concussions affect occupational engagement. The findings indicate that children and youth report variable recovery patterns, a lack of knowledge about concussion recovery, and a negative effect of concussion on occupational engagement.

Authors: Moen, E., McLean, A., Boyd, L. A., Schmidt, J., & Zwicker, J. G. (2022). Experiences of Children and Youth With Concussion: A Qualitative Study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(4), 7604205040. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2022.047597