Neuroplasticity

Experimental therapy could boost stroke recovery

Spinal injection and rehabilitation efforts shown to increase connections between the brain and spinal cord. Anna Wiersma and Ian Winship found they were able to enhance stroke recovery in an animal model by inducing amplified … READ MORE

Rhythmic auditory cueing improves gait in CP patients

Rhythmic auditory entrainment — a process that provides a timing cue for a biological rhythm — improves gait performance in patients with cerebral palsy (CP), research from Germany suggests. The study was published in the journal … READ MORE

Bad habits, not a bad brain, affect many cerebral palsy patients

Just sitting upright is a battle for two-year-old Jack Pankratz, and so his mother Kim Kucher offers a steady hand and lots of encouragement. Two-year old, Jack, who suffers from cerebral palsy, lays on a couch in the home of … READ MORE

Calgary kids with disabilities enjoy ‘Go Baby Go’ program

Angelina Shirley was beaming as she watched her three-year-old daughter Sadie drive a toy car for the very first time. Toy cars children can drive around in are a lot of fun for the little ones. And as Gil Tucker shows us, for some … READ MORE

Adapted physical activity in our community – Guest speakers, February 5, 2018

Camilla Borregaard Voigt & Rasmus Hjorth Peterson. Specialists in adaptive physical activity programming – particularly for people with Cerebral Palsy – with the Elsass Institute in Denmark. Camilla and Rasmus will be sharing … READ MORE

In chronic disease care, family helpers are key, but feel left out

Physicians and policymakers should consider those family and friends who aren’t quite caregivers — but are definitely health supporters — in chronic disease care, a new study finds. Kara Gavin, Michigan Health Lab January 12, … READ MORE

People with tetraplegia gain rapid use of brain-computer interface

A new approach to calibrating the pioneering BrainGate brain-computer interface allowed three clinical trial participants with tetraplegia to gain control of a computer cursor after just one simple calibration step. Brain power. A … READ MORE

A smart phone app for cerebral palsy screening

Early diagnosis appears key for physiotherapy interventions for cerebral palsy, so researchers have developed an app for parents to video their child for remote screening. Baby Lexi Polonidis is taking part in the Baby Moves and VICS … READ MORE

Health Canada approves Dysport to treat kids with cerebral palsy

Health Canada has approved Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) for the treatment of leg spasticity in children and teens ages 2 and older, including those with cerebral palsy. Six months ago, 13-year-old Georges Vermast rode her bike for the … READ MORE

Botox treatments may help your child with spastic CP

Spastic CP means the muscles are tense and tight. This occurs because the brain is not sending the right signals to the muscles. Muscle stiffness affects all aspects of the child’s activities of daily living. A four-year-old who has … READ MORE

Physical challenges no barrier to Calgary policing career

For one girl dreaming of a career in policing, a day spent with Calgary police showed her the possibilities are limitless. Eleven-year-old Erin Donaldson gets fingerprinted at the Youthlink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre as part … READ MORE

Task training seems to improve hand dexterity in kids with cerebral palsy

Task-oriented training (TOT) improves hand dexterity in children with cerebral palsy (CP), according to a preliminary study from South Korea. Children with CP often show delayed development, impaired body movement, and limitations in … READ MORE

Leaning into the Ogo – seated Segway

In a 2016 video, a man seated on a cool-looking modified Segway called an Ogo wowed viewers with a slick demo of the device’s hands-free driving capabilities. By simply leaning in the direction he wanted to go, the rider … READ MORE

Seeking one giant leap for a child’s mobility

With public programs stretched, some parents are turning to private therapies to help kids overcome mobility problems – but the jury is still out on their effectiveness. Therapist Sandi Marshall (left) and mother Nancy Grant (right) … READ MORE

Toy cars help kids with disabilities explore movement

Modified vehicles offer independence to children, hope to parents. Khyla Buium, a two-year-old with cerebral palsy, along with her mom Julie were at the Wascana Rehabiliation Centre to demonstrate a modified ride-on car that was … READ MORE

Gear hacks: setting up a DIY workspace

My disability makes even mundane tasks more complicated than they otherwise would be. And I don’t have a surplus of money to buy every piece of adaptive equipment that might look handy. But I like to do things, and I suspect many of … READ MORE

Woman with eye-tracking software communicates with mom for first time since 1996

Using eye-motion camera and tablet software, breakthrough occurred during Christmas Day visit. A Nova Scotia amendment would have protected Joellan Huntley from government clawbacks. CTV News Atlantic Keith Doucette, The Canadian … READ MORE

Shape-shifting wheelchair transforms from seated to standing

From autonomous wheelchairs to air-powered ones with no electronic parts, we have covered some pretty nifty innovation taking place in the world of wheelchairs. Another one to add to the collection is a wheelchair called … READ MORE

The digital puppy that keeps seniors out of nursing homes

What Happens When We Let Tech Care For Our Aging Parents. As the U.S. population ages, people in need of 24/7 monitoring will outnumber available caregivers. One company’s answer: Let an avatar do the job. Sometimes Jim would … READ MORE

Christmas BA magic for Finlay!

Christmas has come early, with the help of British Airways and Charlbury-based SpecialEffect, for 12-year-old football fan, Finlay Sangster, who has cerebral palsy. Finlay’s mum, Gail, wrote to the airline to ask for some Christmas … READ MORE

Pink custom trike a dream come true for 12-year-old Syrian refugee with cerebral palsy

Elham Albakar and her family came to Canada in 2015 after fleeing conflict in Aleppo. Elham was presented with the bike by the Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba, Freedom Concepts and the Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams … READ MORE

Stroke patients improve their gait with new shoe attachment, early study shows

A therapeutic shoe engineered to improve stroke recovery is proving successful and expected to hit the market by the end of the year. Clinical trials have been completed on the U.S. patented and licensed iStride Device, formerly the … READ MORE

MS liberation therapy fails the test

Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. In 2009, Italian physician Paolo Zamboni published an explosive paper about a new treatment for MS, which became known as MS “liberation therapy.” For the … READ MORE

Children with special needs get their own, special Santa time

“I’d drive 1,000 miles for an experience like this.” Harrison Markin, 6 yrs, experiences a giant snow globe and visits Santa and Mrs Claus at Southcentre Mall in southwest Calgary on Sunday, December 3, 2017. The mall hosted a … READ MORE

Reluctant reliability: a glimpse into cerebral palsy

Erin Kelly, a writer with cerebral palsy, reflects on the mental aspects of an ordinary morning. I woke to the sight of a dull-orange sun bleeding through my bedroom window. I stirred under my covers for a moment before I noticed an … READ MORE

Botox treatment observed less effective for children with CP

More than one injection of botulinum toxin A in children with cerebral palsy (CP) was seen as less effective over the long term and had fewer gait benefits compared to patients injected once or not at all, according to a new … READ MORE

Video game system helps physical therapists, athletic trainers

Motion-based lab technology can help physical therapists, clinicians and athletic trainers analyze how we move—it also is very expensive. Some motion labs can cost upward of $100,000. Now, a team of University of Missouri … READ MORE

Researchers call on province to fund genetic testing for cerebral palsy

New study shows genetic variations are a factor in 20 per cent of hemiplegic CP cases. What was thought to be an almost entirely environmental disorder has a significant genetic component. – Stephen Scherer, Hospital for Sick … READ MORE

Syrian woman with cerebral palsy gives back to Calgary community that supported her dreams

A woman living with cerebral palsy made the bold decision to move halfway across the world despite her disability. In Part 1 of Ready, Willing, and Abled, Tracy Nagai looks at how it transformed her life. Global News By Tracy Nagai, … READ MORE

Calgary’s Morgan Bird determined to be a voice for Paralympic movement in Canada

“She found her niche, right. What she was called to.” Calgary swimmer Morgan Bird has been to two Paralympic games and currently has her name on nine Canadian records. Excelling in the pool is still her passion, but as Brendan … READ MORE

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