Childhood development
Resources for families with special needs
Just under three years ago, the O&P profession was startled by the publication of the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the efficacy of cranial remolding orthoses. Wren’s plagiocephaly and helmet journey –
… READ MOREAngie McIntosh noticed her baby boy couldn’t turn his head to the right when he was six weeks old. Dylan McIntosh also had a strange flat spot on the left side of his head. Angie McIntosh’s baby Dylan has plagiocephaly, an
… READ MORECranial asymmetry occurring as a result of forces that deform skull shape in the supine position is known as deformational plagiocephaly. Orthomerica Starband Carl Cummings MD, Principal author, Canadian Paediatric Society, Community
… READ MOREThe South Health Campus is a big step closer to opening a pediatric emergency care space because of an anonymous donation of $3.9 million. Kids covers their hands in paint and are joined by dignitaries for the announcement of a $3.9
… READ MOREParents naturally start to worry if a flat spot began forming on the back of your baby’s head. It can be scary not knowing if it will go away. Since 47% of infants have some sort of flat spot, and one in 10 needing treatment,
… READ MOREBMJ Helmet study — Our response. On May 1, 2014, the NY Times published an article discussing the recent British Medical Journal study that hypothesized that cranial helmets for babies don’t work to improve flat head syndrome.
… READ MOREJack. Orthomerica Starband Orthotic (helmet) therapy in the treatment of plagiocephaly, Goh JL, Bauer DF, Durham SR, Stotland MA. Neurosurg Focus. 2013 Oct;35(4):E2. doi: 10.3171/2013.7.FOCUS13260. Review. ▽ Table of Contents
… READ MOREFrequent re-evaluation of orthotic devices is important because children quickly outgrow them and can undergo skin breakdown from improper use of this equipment. Summer camp for children with cerebral palsy. CerebralPalsy.org Author:
… READ MOREAn infant sleeping chair linked to dozens of deaths in the United States has been recalled in Canada. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Fast Company Ryan Flanagan, CTV News May 15, 2019 Health Canada says four models of the
… READ MORESummer campers get creative, interact with nature in pop-up play area. Campers collaborate to build structures from a variety of natural materials. Danielle Chicoine, Faculty of Kinesiology Justina Contenti, University of Calgary
… READ MOREIn healthcare, transition refers to planning for and making the move from child to adult services. When the process isn’t managed well, young adults can fall into gaps in care and declining function, health, and quality of life.
… READ MORECome discover your abilities! Explore a variety of adapted sport, recreation and leisure activities – sledge hockey, climbing, swimming, wheelchair sports, dance, gymnastics and art. Campers take part in a new adapted camp at
… READ MOREAcross Canada, professionals from various disciplines work in the area of plagiocephaly. Most often, nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists manage and run the clinics. The clinic in Calgary was the only clinic
… READ MOREWhen a child has positional plagiocephaly/brachycephaly (PPB) secondary to sleeping in the same position on their backs at night, we are usually asked two questions: 1. Will the flat head shape stay that way? and 2. Can it cause brain
… READ MOREAs parents, we rely on convenient places to keep babies safe and contained, but common pieces of baby equipment could be leading to flat heads and muscle strains. Plagiocephaly, the clinical name for asymmetrical flat-headedness in
… READ MORE“Our results are encouraging. Across 10 different areas of life, adolescents with cerebral palsy only ranked their quality of friend and peer relationships as on average lower than adolescents in the general population,
… READ MORESerena Zitnay, 3, uses her walker to get around as her older sister Emma, 5, looks on at the family home in Orange. Christian Abraham, Hearst Connecticut Media By Pam McLoughlin, New Haven Register November 21, 2018 Three-year-old
… READ MOREPhysical therapy—with helmet therapy if needed—is the recommended treatment for most infants with position-related flattening of the skull (plagiocephaly), according to a new set of clinical guidelines in the November issue of
… READ MOREFor infants with skull flattening related to sleep position, starting helmet therapy at a younger age, especially before 24 weeks, increases the treatment success rate, suggests a study in the August issue of Plastic and
… READ MORETime Magazine says that a first-of-its-kind water park designed to be fully accessible to people with special needs is among the top 100 places in the world for 2018. Morgan’s Inspiration Island, a fully-accessible splash park
… READ MOREThis morning, Kennedy had her 12-week scan done at STAR. I was so excited to take her, since I was pretty sure this would be the end of our time with the STARband. Kennedy has been wearing her helmet for three months – quite a long
… READ MOREThese children often have wider, more flexible, and more pronated feet than typically developing kids that don’t fit well into conventionally sized and shaped footwear. Ill-fitting shoes are linked to foot-specific disability and
… READ MOREThe higher profile the device, the more it perturbs movement, and sometimes kids reject such orthoses because of discomfort or unwieldiness. Starting with the least restrictive device and responding to subtle changes in children’s
… READ MOREStrength training has the potential to reduce muscle weakness and improve walking ability of children with cerebral palsy (CP), but should be adapted to each child’s muscle response, according to a study published in the Journal
… READ MOREStudy shows neurobiological effects of providing support to others. Both younger and older participants in the Intergenerational Care Project have expressed excitement and joy at being able to interact with each other. Griffith
… READ MOREThe proposed legislation would allow parents to apply for financial support from ex-partners. Christina Ryan reads to her daughter, Emily, who is 18 but still requires constant care due to her Down syndrome and several other medical
… READ MOREAuthor Cassi Young’s son Luke can’t wear standard shoes because they don’t fit over his ankle-foot orthotic braces. Cassi Young photo My son, Luke, was born 18 months ago with myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina
… READ MOREA little girl with cerebral palsy defied doctors’ expectations when she took her first steps much earlier than expected. Maya Tisdale. Her mother said that Maya’s dream “is to walk.” Ann Tisdale in ABC News By
… READ MOREEaston Jordan works on his walking steps with his physical therapist Elizabeth Bailey-Sands Clay at his home in Orchard Park NY. Mark Mulville, Buffalo News By Scott Scanlon, The Buffalo News June 9, 2017 Easton Jordan has seen Lauren
… READ MORELonger strides lead to increased work. Ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are regularly prescribed to children with walking disabilities resulting from cerebral palsy, yet the effects of AFOs on energy recovery and work during gait are still
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