Canada is a world leader in children’s pain research. Effective treatments exist, yet Canadian children continue to experience undertreated and preventable pain. This is particularly true for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities who are disproportionately impacted by pain yet face significant inequities in pain care.

To address this, in 2023, our team created the world’s first national health standard for pediatric pain management with Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP) and the Health Standards Organization. National health standards like ours are important because they tell hospital leaders and health professionals how to make sure that every child with a neurodevelopmental disability (from birth to 18 years old) gets the best pain care, every time, at any hospital in Canada. However, hospitals often need support knowing how to put these standards into practice.

Our project brings together expert teams from SKIP, nine children’s hospitals/healthcare organizations, 11 community partners, health professionals, decision-makers, implementation specialists, children, and families. Together, we will create more than 20 new tools to make it easier for hospitals across Canada to improve pain care for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. We expect to reach >50,000 people with the potential to benefit all >700,000 children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in Canada.

 

Award

  • Kids Brain Health Network: $200,000
  • Brain Canada: $200,000

 

Partners

  • Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP), Dalhousie University
  • Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary
  • O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary
  • Azreili Accelerator, University of Calgary
  • Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation
  • BC Children’s Hospital / University of British Columbia Developmental Pediatrics
  • Stollery Children’s Hospital
  • The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
  • CHU Sainte-Justine
  • Shriners Hospital
  • IWK Health
  • Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
  • Children’s Healthcare Canada
  • Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary

 

Team

  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Kathryn Birnie
  • Co-Principal Investigator and Family Partner: Stephanie Paravan
  • Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Christine Chambers
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Samina Ali
  • Co-Investigator: Carly McMorris
  • Co-Investigator: Melanie Noel
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Fiona Campbell
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Condliffe
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Carly McMorris
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Fiona Campbell
  • Co-Investigator: Shiv Kirat Deol
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Melanie Noel
  • Co-Investigator: Emily Gruenwoldt
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Marie-Joëlle Doré-Bergeron
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Marie-Joëlle Doré-Bergeron
  • Co-Investigator: Dr. Emily Gruenwoldt
  • Co-Investigator: Katie MacDonald
  • Co-Investigator: Rachel Martens
  • Co-Investigator: Katie MacDonald
  • Youth and Family Partnership Consultant: Rachel Martens

 

Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP)

SKIP is on a mission to improve children’s pain management by mobilizing evidence-based solutions through coordination and collaboration. SKIP’s vision is healthier Canadians through better pain management for children.