CanChild is Actively Fundraising to Maintain its Knowledge Exchange Services!

CanChild is embarking on a new era in its evolution as a research and educational centre in childhood disability. We have launched a fundraising campaign focused on securing and sustaining our knowledge exchange services, including maintaining an active and current website of high quality. We are genuinely grateful for the support we have received to date!  CanChild researchers will continue to work together to do important research that makes a difference to children and youth with disabilities and their families.

Click here for How to Support CanChild.


 
Assistance to Participate Scale (APS) for Children with Disabilities

The Assistance to Participate Scale (APS) is a brief, psychometrically sound instrument that measures the assistance that a school-aged child with a disability requires to participate in play and leisure activities at home or in the community, from the primary caregiver's perspective. The APS may be used as an outcome measure and to evaluate and predict the amount and type of additional assistance families need to facilitate their child's participation in an important aspect of the child's daily life and development: play and recreation. Click here to view the APS Information Booklet. (Posted on July 15, 2010).



Child's Challenging Behaviour Scale (CCBS)

The Child's Challenging Behaviour Scale (CCBS) is a brief, psychometrically sound instrument that measures a mother's perspective of the challenging behaviours presented by her child with a disability. The 11-item CCBS can assist identifying the mother-child dyads who may be in need of more support and interventions. Click here to view the CCBS Information Booklet. (Posted on July 15, 2010).



Keeping Current - Sensory Integration: A Review of the Current State of the Evidence

Sensory Integration: A Review of the Current State of the Evidence was prepared by Nancy Pollock, who reviewed the current state of evidence about sensory integration and evaluated the evidence for the effectiveness of sensory integration interventions. This document also provides further suggestions for clinicians and families. Click here to read the full article. (Posted on July 15, 2010).



Keeping Current - Dynamic Systems Theory: A Framework for Exploring Readiness to Change in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Dynamic Systems Theory: Readiness to Change was written by Karen Sauve and Doreen Bartlett, who examined how Dynamic Systems Theory could serve as a theoretical framework to identify readiness to change during the acquisition of motor abilities in children with cerebral palsy; thus guiding intervention for this population. This document also addressed the potential application of Dynamic Systems Theory in clinical practice. Click here to read the full article. (Posted on July 15, 2010).

 


Keeping Current - Disability and Child Development: Integrating the Concepts

Disability and Child Development: Integrating the Concepts was written by Heather Skelton and Peter Rosenbaum, who reviewed how "development" and "disability" had been viewed historically. This document further provides contemporary perspectives on ways to conceptualize and implement services that integrate "development" and "disability" more effectively. Click here to read the full article. (Posted on July 14, 2010).



GMFCS E&R - Chinese (Simplified) Version

The Gross Motor Function Classification System - Expanded & Revised Version (GMFCS E&R) is now available in Chinese (Simplified). Click here to view this new Chinese (Simplified) version, or click here to view all versions of the GMFCS E&R. (Posted on June 30, 2010)

 

It's more than a "Playground Disorder" - DCD comes with increased risk of childhood obesity

Five to six percent of children have a little recognized chronic health condition known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Children with DCD often have trouble performing everyday activities such as handwriting, using scissors, doing up buttons or zippers, opening juice-boxes, putting things in their knapsack, or climbing the stairs. These children have been found to shy away from physical activity putting them at an increased risk for the major risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Dr. John Cairney led the Physical Health Activity Study Team (PHAST) to further investigate the association between children with probable DCD and the cardiovascular risk. In the first study (PHAST I), the team examined a feasible screening and intervention for children with probable DCD. In PHAST II, the team looked into establishing the cardiovascular risk trajectory of children with probable DCD.

Dr. John Cairney and colleagues have recently published an article based on the PHAST studies in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). They found that children with probable DCD are more than 3 times as likely to be overweight than typically developing children. This trend was consistent over the two year study period. Further, these children were also at an increased risk for developing abdominal fat. No gender differences were found. Click here to access this CMAJ article.

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(Posted on June 28, 2010)


 

MPOC - Danish Version

The Measure of Processes of Care - 20-item version (MPOC-20), and the Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOC-SP) are now available in Danish. Click here to view the new Danish version of MPOC-20 and MPOC-SP. (Posted on June 25, 2010).

 

Help us Learn about Children's Participation

We are looking for 600 parents in Canada and the United States to complete a new online survey — the Participation and Environment Measure - Children and Youth (PEM-CY). If you are a parent or a service provider and would like to help us develop a tool that is useful for researchers, clinicians and policy-makers, please click here. (Posted on June 22, 2010).