About us
The Centre for Leadership in Child Development supports interdisciplinary research and evaluation of interventions for children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders including cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, spina bifida, neuromuscular disorders and others.
The Centre‘s initiatives facilitate collaboration, enhance evidence-informed clinical practice and research that improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
2017-18 Centre for Leadership in CDP projects
- Putting weighty topics into action: Sharing stories “from the floor” through a knowledge translation casebook to foster positive weight-related conversations
- KneuroKnits: Evaluating the impact of a knitting group for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. autism) on social skills and anxiety
- Enhancing care for young people with muscular dystrophy: Addressing the human elements of progressive illness
- Evaluating the benefits of providing information to families in advance of their health care visit
- Project LEApp (Learning to Eat App): Developing an iPad-based video modeling intervention for increasing food variety in children with autism spectrum disorder
- What are the mental health and wellness needs of young adults with spina bifida? A community based participatory research study
2016-17 Centre for Leadership in CDP projects
- Strengthening practice through partnerships: Supporting parents of children with cerebral palsy as they transition from neonatal follow-up to developmental rehabilitation services
- Addressing Primary Health Care Services Gaps for Transition-Aged youth with Cerebral Palsy: Phase II
- Parental Perspectives on Advance Care Planning for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy
- Understanding the transition needs and perspectives of young adults with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Neuromuscular disorders as they transition to adult health care: Phase 2
- Characteristics and Determinants of Families Missing Appointments at a Pediatric Rehabilitation Centre and Improving Access to Care: PHASE II
- Examining the roles of general paediatricians serving smaller communities in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders
- How should we talk about obesity and weight-related topics with children with autism spectrum disorders and their families?
- An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Functional Electrical Stimulation paired with intensive therapy to Improve hand function in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
2015-16 Centre for Leadership Project Summaries
Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiatives
Community leadership and capacity building
- Screening practices and factors Influencing autism spectrum disorder screening by community paediatricians*
- Providing training to community pediatricians in the management of children with autism spectrum disorder*
- Autism spectrum disorder: Early identification and diagnosis workshop*
- Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders-Network (POND-Network)
- Social ABCs training for early childhood educators at Humber College
Autism spectrum disorder research
- Theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder: The role of inhibitory control and working memory*
- Physiological responses in children with autism spectrum disorder
- Genetic analysis of autism spectrum disorder and associated neurodevelopmental disorders
- A pilot study of Riluzole vs. placebo in the treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
- Treatment of overweight induced by antipsychotic medication in young people with autism spectrum disorders
- Intranasal Oxytocin for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders
- Intranasal Oxytocin for the treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
- A pilot dose finding study of pioglitazone in children with autism spectrum disorder
- Social ABCs for toddlers with suspected autism spectrum disorder: Evaluation of a parent-mediated intervention
- Early development in infants at risk of autism spectrum disorder: Identifying early bio-behavioural markers
- Understanding early development trajectories in autism spectrum disorder: From infancy to middle childhood
* Centre for Leadership funded initiative
Cerebral Palsy Initiatives
Community leadership and capacity building
- Developing a hip surveillance pathway for children with cerebral palsy at Holland Bloorview*
- A practical guide to implementing constraint therapy and bimanual training for children with cerebral palsy*
- Cerebral Palsy Discovery Project (CPDP) - The Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry (GTA Division)
- Childhood Cerebral Palsy Integrated Neuroscience Discovery Network “CP-NET” – Clinical database platforms
- Childhood Cerebral Palsy Integrated Discovery Network "CP-NET" - MEG measures of sensorimotor plasticity in hemiplegic cerebral palsy during constraint-induced movement therapy
- Childhood Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Integrated Neuroscience Discovery Network “Hemi-CP-NET” – Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) – Neuroimaging predictors of positive response to constraint
- Childhood Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Integrated Neuroscience Discovery Network “Hemi-CP-NET” – Clinical database platforms
Clinical research and interventions
- An evaluation of the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation therapy to improve hand function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy*
- BOTOX® Treatment in pediatric upper limb spasticity: Open label study
- BOTOX® Treatment in pediatric upper limb spasticity: Double-blind study
- An evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of Botulinum toxin in children with spastic cerebral palsy
- Physical and social benefits of multi-player interactive computer play games in youth with cerebral palsy
- Identifying risk factors associated with pain in children and youth with cerebral palsy and evaluating the effectiveness of spasticity interventions in alleviating pain & improving health-related quality of life in children with cerebral palsy
- A randomized trial evaluating the effectiveness of the Lokomat (robotics intervention) for enhancement of walking skills, functional abilities and participation in children with cerebral palsy.
- The Challenge Module for evaluating advanced motor skills of children with cerebral palsy (CP)
* Centre for Leadership funded initiative
Child Development Initiatives
Child Development research
- Retrospective chart review of fat embolism syndrome in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy*
- Reliability and validity of the French FOCUS (FOCUS-F)
- Ministry of Children and Youth Services & CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability: Preschool Speech and Language Initiative Project