Register now for the F-Words Workshop, an evening of interactive learning about the six key areas of child development: Function, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends and Future.

This training is relevant for a variety of audiences who work with, care for, and/or experience disabilities and/or medical complexities, including, but not limited to:

Register via Eventbrite. Invite a parent/family member and enjoy $25 OFF.

Email fwords@mcmaster.ca to join for FREE.

Do you have questions about interventions for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP)? Here is your chance to ask the expert, Dr. Iona Novak! Just follow these three easy steps:

About the expert: Dr. Iona Novak is a Professor and Head of Research at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, The University of Sydney. She is a also recipient of the Elsass Foundation Research Prize of 1 million DKK, an award that will support her goal in discovering and testing new treatments for CP. Her research interests are in evidence-based practice, intervention efficacy, knowledge translation, and regenerative medicine studies leading to the prevention and potential cure of CP.

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, Moll S, Missiuna C, Yost J, Terreberry S, Campbell W. J Occup Ther Sch Early Interv. 2021 Aug 12. doi: 10.1080/19411243.2021.1941494.

This study aimed to (1) determine if there are differences between the movement compositions of typically developing children and children at risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and to (2) explore the associations between movement behaviours and mental health. Data from 589 preschool-age children show that movement compositions were similar for typically developing children and those at risk of DCD. During a 12-hour wake period, both groups spent almost five hours engaging in activities with varying intensities. Findings also indicate that at pre-school age, the overall composition of movement behaviours does not appear to play a significant role in children's mental health. Future studies should investigate how changes in movement composition impact mental health later in childhood. Authors: Brown D, Kwan M, King-Dowling S, Cairney J. SportRxiv. 12 Aug 2021. doi: 10.31236/osf.io/ue96z.

What are the effects of physical rehabilitation on the recovery of children/youth with acquired brain injury (ABI)? To answer this question, the researchers analyzed nine articles that focused on physical rehabilitation interventions for children/youth (ages 1-12 years) in the subacute rehabilitation phase (the phase directly after the immediate treatment phase in the hospital). None of the included studies reported detailed information on intervention intensity. Rehabilitation frequency and time varied from 1-7 days/week and 25-360 mins/day. This review identified functional training and virtual reality-based therapies as potential interventions for children/youth with ABI. However, future research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of these therapies in relation to frequency, intensity, time, and type of intervention. Authors: Gmelig Meyling C, Verschuren O, Rentinck IR, Engelbert RHH, Gorter JW. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2021 Jul 26. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.14997.