Project Description
Challenge
Raising children with neurodisabilities is often isolating and stressful for families, stretching time, finances and everyone’s resilience. At the same time, the health and education systems both face challenges in meeting all the needs of children and their caregivers.
Project Summary
In addition to promoting physical literacy, community-based physical activity programs provide children with neurodisabilities with the opportunity to participate in activities with peers. Their participation creates the context for cognitive functions development and learning for children, and psychosocial benefits for parents and caregivers.
Projects funded by KBHN and the BC government, including our work with Empowering Steps Movement Therapy, offered at Club Aviva and programs provided by the Special Olympics see participants grow in the capacity for self-regulation, as well as self-confidence. These and other programs also offer judgement-free spaces for parents to connect and build supportive relationships they might not have with parents raising developing children.
Results
As a need-based, goal-oriented and evidence-based program, physical activity programs are effective, low-cost interventions. These interventions have their place along with other home-based programs and treatment programs. Because PAP is rooted in communities, it also allows for social networking among families to strengthen resilience. More importantly, children who engage in physical activity programs report enhanced physical abilities, cognitive functions, executive functioning, social inclusion, and activities of daily living.
To promote a positive and inclusive physical activity environment in Indigenous and rural communities, the team now works with the communities to develop adapted programs. Also underway are new coaching interventions that will be specially adapted for children younger than four years of age. Also, there will be an innovative coaching intervention to support the integration of children with neurodisabilities into schools’ physical activity programs.
Funding
Kids Brain Health Network – $199,150
Partners: $1,981,465
Team
Investigators
Dr. Jean-Paul Collet, University of British Columbia
Dr. William McKellin, University of British Columbia
Dr. Anton Miller, University of British Columbia
Dr.Lise Olsen, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Dr.Stephanie Glegg, University of British Columbia
Mrs. Lois McNary, Special Olympics BC
Partners
Special Olympics BC
Special Olympics Canada
Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children
ParticipACTION
ISPARC (Indigenous Sport Physical Activity, Recreation Council)
BC Ministry of Health
Douglas College
