April 2007

What's New on the CanChild Website?

Best Practice Guidelines for Transition to Adulthood for Youth with Disabilities in Ontario: An Evidence-based Approach
The transition from adolescence into adulthood is an important development stage for all young people. Young people with disabilities face numerous barriers in achieving autonomy and independence, and they often need support from their family and community to make a successful transition into the adult world. This Summary Report presents best practice guidelines that include recommendations for communities and service systems. Click here to view this summary report.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to CanChild's Gross Motor Measures
Are you looking for answers to common questions about CanChild's Gross Motor Measures? This document brings together a wealth of information about the GMFM-66, GMFM-88, GMFCS, GMPM and Motor Growth Curves. Click here to view PDF.

Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder:
Role of the Occupational Therapist
Children who are experiencing difficulties with handwriting and other fine motor activities at school are often referred for an occupational therapy assessment. The occupational therapist frequently sees that these problems are just the "tip of the iceberg" and the child is experiencing difficulties across many daily activities. This document will help occupational therapists identify children who may have DCD. Click here to view this document.

Succeeding at School: Accommodations for Students with Coordination Difficulties
Children who have coordination difficulties struggle with many routine tasks that other children do with ease during a typical school day. This document provides information for educators and parents about accommodations that have been found to help children with motor difficulties be successful at school. Click here to read more.

Speaking of…

OACRS Conference 2007...Partnering For Quality: Integrating The Right Services, At The Right Time, In The Right Place
The 2007 OACRS Conference will be held October 21-23, 2007 at the Waterloo Inn in Waterloo, Ontario. Registration and program details are forthcoming. Abstracts for presentations and workshops are being accepted until April 6, 2007. Click here to find out more.

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Occupational Therapy
Mary Law presented a briefing on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Occupational Therapy to the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. This presentation was given in November 2006 on behalf of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. Click here to view the presentation.

Cerebral Palsy Defined
In a recent supplement of the journal Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (DMCN) a broad, comprehensive definition and classification of cerebral palsy has been published. This definition is the work of an international committee of researchers and clinicians, including CanChild researcher Peter Rosenbaum, and it incorporates extensive input from many individuals who responded to early draft definitions.

CanChild has received permission from Mac Keith Press (publishers of DMCN) to make the supplement available free of charge on the CanChild Intranet. Intranet membership is available to service providers and researchers in the field of childhood disability. To access this updated definition and classification of cerebral palsy, you need to log onto the Intranet.

Next Page