Pediatrics

Kids orthotics are us!

AFO Tips from Complex Child

AFOs, or Ankle Foot Orthoses, are very common types of braces worn by children with a wide variety of conditions. When used properly, AFOs can greatly enhance a child’s function, by helping her stand or walk, and may also help … READ MORE

Natural Adventure Park returns to campus after successful pilot

Summer 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 MORE

Transitions: Helping kids make the leap to adult care

In 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 MORE

Positional plagiocephaly – A survey of services across Canada

Across 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 MORE

Heads-up on positional plagiocephaly and whether it can affect a child’s development

When 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 MORE

How restrictive baby equipment can hinder development

As 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

Adolescents with cerebral palsy report similar quality of life to their able-bodied peers

“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 MORE

Girl, 3, is Orange family’s inspiration to change the world of pediatric walkers

Serena 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 MORE

Can virtual reality really transform physical therapy?

Researchers have long seen the potential of virtual reality in rehabilitating patients with movement disorders. But do treatments using VR have advantages over traditional physical therapy? While traditional physical therapy can be … READ MORE

What’s the best treatment for positional plagiocephaly in infants?

Physical 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 MORE

Earlier helmet therapy yields better results for infants with skull flattening

For 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 MORE

Inclusive water park named to ‘World’s Greatest Places’ list

Time 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 MORE

3D printed ankle-foot orthotics for functionality and comfort

3D printing has played a large and varied role in medical implants, devices, and more. Australian researchers from the University of Sydney recently published a methodical review, outlining the challenges in traditionally made … READ MORE

New research gives parents a heads-up (on plagiocephaly)

This 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 MORE

When the shoe doesn’t fit: footwear in Down syndrome

These 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 MORE

Path of least resistance: Sequencing orthotic care

The 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 MORE

Orthosis use in children with Down syndrome

The literature on preschool-aged and older children with Down syndrome tends to be consistent with conventional understanding of orthotic principles, but in very young children clinical decision-making about orthoses must also … READ MORE

Personalized strength training may benefit mobility of children with cerebral palsy

Strength 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 MORE

NYU collaboration aims to help young cerebral palsy patients get needed hand orthotics

To help cerebral palsy patients get the needed therapeutic braces and prosthetics that insurance companies can be reluctant to pay for, experts and innovators from New York University (NYU) are collaborating on a new, low-cost … READ MORE

Canadian study sheds surprising light on the causes of cerebral palsy

Wider use of genetic testing in children with CP should be considered. Dr. Michael Shevell and Dr. Maryam Oskoui both study co-authors and researchers at the Research Institute of the MUHC from the Child Health and Human Development … READ MORE

Pectus carinatum bracing – FAQs for parents

Help your child wear the brace exactly as recommended by your health care provider. This will help your child get the best results from it. Bracing in pediatric patients with pectus carinatum is effective and improves quality of life. … READ MORE

Finding shoes for kids with disabilities is hard. It shouldn’t be

Author 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 MORE

4-year-old Michigan girl with cerebral palsy takes first steps: ‘I’m walking!’

A 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 MORE

Dancer’s path offers hope of walking for Orchard Park boy

Easton 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 MORE

Energy efficiency with AFO use varies in cerebral palsy patients

Longer 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 … READ MORE

Cerebral palsy patients test Canadian researchers’ virtual rehabilitation system

Canadian researchers developed an at-home virtual rehabilitation system for people with weakness on one side of their body, then tested it in a two-month-long cerebral palsy related clinical trial – Functional Engagement in Assisted … READ MORE

Learning to improve foot control in cerebral palsy

A device to measure foot control is being trialled to improve walking ability for adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy. Learning to improve foot control in Cerebral Palsy, Shari O’Brien. School of Human Movement and … READ MORE

Intensive physical therapy helps preserve motor skills in children with CP

Children with cerebral palsy may benefit significantly over the long-term from intensive physical training that prevents deterioration of their motor skills. Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield, Mass Alice Melão, Cerebral … READ MORE

Students showcase their award winning accessibility related designs

National competition aims to find innovative, practical and low-cost solutions to make our communities more accessible for persons with disabilities. Innovative Designs for Accessibility – The IDeA competition. Universities Canada … READ MORE

Physical therapy is highly effective for infants with congenital muscular torticollis

Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) is a common postural deformity in infants, and one that can be effectively treated by physical therapy. A set of updated, evidence-based recommendations for physical therapy management of CMT is … READ MORE

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