CanChild Today

June 3, 2013

Greetings!

We are delighted to distribute our CanChild e-newsletter featuring more resources on the CanChild website (www.canchild.ca)! In this issue, we have highlight evidence-based information about physical activity for children and youth, as well as studies and publications by CanChild scientists, research associates, international collaborators and post doctoral fellows.

Check our What's New page for more postings and announcements. Feel free to share CanChild resources and this newsletter with family, friends and colleagues. They can subscribe to CanChild Today for free by registering here. You can find past issues here!

New CanChild Resources and Updates!

2013 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Active Healthy Kids Canada has released their 2013 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Dr. Brian Timmons is a CanChild scientist and an investigator on the Active Healthy Kids Canada annual Report Card. The findings focus on the decline in active transportation and the implications on overall physical activity levels in children and youth. Recommendations on children with disabilities were also informed by the Stay-FIT program developed by CanChild and led by Dr. Jan Willem Gorter. Click here to read more.

Physical Activity and Preschoolers
The Child Health & Exercise Medicine Program (CHEMP) at McMaster University has released their next two Preschooler Focus newsletters! Issue #9 addresses the role of active video games vs active play in relation to childhood obesity and physical inactivity. Issue #10 offers ways to increase your preschooler's energetic play. Check out valuable evidence-based information about preschoolers and physical activity in these newsletters!

On Track Study: Developmental Trajectories of Children with Cerebral Palsy
The aim of the On Track Study is to better understand how young children who have difficulties with movement activities progress and develop their balance, fitness, strength, health, self-care and participation. The study team recently was successful in their grant application to Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). This will allow enhancement of the duration and frequency of follow-up for some children in the original study funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), permitting a more complete description of developmental trajectories and an understanding of service factors associated with optimal outcomes. Congratulations!

Recent Publications by CanChild Scientists, Research Associates, International Collaborators, & Post Doctoral Fellows

"It's the Participation that Motivates Him": Physical activity experiences of youth with Cerebral Palsy and their parents
The Stay-Fit study team investigated the facilitators and barriers to participation in physical activity for youth with cerebral palsy by conducting focus groups and individual interviews with youth and their parents. Four themes emerged: "environmental and personal factors, limitations related to impairment in body structure and function, the perception that health benefits alone do not motivate youth to be physically active, and variable preferences for activity delivery". Partnerships and collaboration are recommended to raise awareness and address barriers to participation in physical activity. Published in Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. Authors: LJ Shimmell, JW Gorter, D Jackson, M Wright, B Galuppi. Abstract.

Parents' perspectives on the quality of life of adolescents with cerebral palsy: Trajectory, choices and hope
In this qualitative study published in Disability and Rehabilitation, parents' perspectives on the factors that are important for the quality of life of their adolescents with cerebral palsy were explored. Parents described how their life course as parents of a child with a disability has contributed to their adolescents' current well-being. They reported how "hopes for a cure were transformed into hopes for their child's happiness". The investigators conclude that parents' individual characteristics and environmental factors surrounding the lives of the family influenced their adolescents' well-being. Parents, as compared to adolescents, have more concerns about practical aspects in the present and in the future of their child. These factors and the lived experiences of families should be considered when planning interventions, especially during adolescence. Authors: K Shikako-Thomas, A Bogossian, LM Lach , M Shevell, A Majnemer. Abstract.

Addressing the challenges of collaborative goal setting with children and their families
The aim of this paper was to "highlight theoretical concepts relevant to rehabilitation goal setting, review clinical studies directly evaluating relationships between goal setting and pediatric rehabilitation outcomes, and provide recommendations to facilitate collaborative goal processes". A review of four relevant outcome studies found that individualized and collaborative goal setting is an important component of interventions as families are engaged more actively in therapy, and may be associated with positive outcomes. Goal setting should be an essential part of the rehabilitation process and there are strategies that have been shown to foster collaborative goal setting in practice. Published in Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. Authors: K Brewer, N Pollock, FV Wright. Abstract.

Predictors of needs for families of children with cerebral palsy
Investigators of this study published in Disability and Rehabilitation examined risk and protective factors to meeting family identified needs for community, financial, family support, and services. Secondary data analysis was conducted with a sample of 441 mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Results: Limited child gross motor function was a risk factor while perception of family-centered services was a protective factor in having family needs met. Implications for coordination of medical, rehabilitation, and community services for children with CP and their families are suggested. Authors: NA Almasri, M O'Neil, RJ Palisano. Abstract.

Non-surgical prevention and management of scoliosis for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: What is the evidence?
This systematic review (Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health) examined the evidence for non-surgical interventions, specifically spinal orthoses and steroid therapy, for preventing scoliosis in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). There were no studies with high levels of evidence (randomized or controlled trials). There is some evidence that children with DMD who receive steroid therapy might have delayed onset of scoliosis, likely related to prolonged independent ambulation, but more evidence is required about the long-term risks vs benefits. There is weak evidence that spinal orthoses do not prevent and only delay the onset of scoliosis minimally. Authors: A Harvey, L Baker, K Williams. Abstract.

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