Projects – Cycle III

Challenge There are few interventions targeted at children three years of age and under who have early signs of autism or a confirmed diagnosis, despite evidence that early intervention is important. Project Summary Social ABC’s is an intervention co-developed by Dr. Jessica Brian (Holland Bloorview, Toronto), together with Dr. Susan Bryson from Halifax. The intervention [...]

Challenge Awareness about infant and early mental health among practitioners in health, social services and education in Canada is low compared to other developed jurisdictions.  In addition, resources and information that respect and support the Indigenous communities in Canada are very limited. This initiative strives to fill both these gaps by creating a one-stop-shop for [...]

Challenge While every neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) has its unique challenges, there are consistencies among them, one of which is the difficulties parents face navigating the system. Project Summary The Integrated Navigational Support Program is working to make it easier for families to access supports and services. The project currently has three sites—Vancouver, Edmonton, and [...]

Challenge Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often struggle with sleeping, which can impair their day-to-day functioning while placing a heavy burden on caregivers. Project Summary Better Days, Better Nights for Children with NDDs (BNBD-NDD) is a behavioural eHealth intervention. The intervention focuses on increasing and encouraging healthy sleep behaviours as a way to help children [...]

Challenge Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities often struggle because of deficits in attention and executive functions/EF (e.g., inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility). These deficits contribute to severe long-term impairments at school and in life. Project Summary Dino Island is a tablet-based game-like intervention designed to improve attention, short-term memory, and self-regulation (EF). It is specifically designed [...]

Challenge Accessing supports and services for FASD can be very challenging, and families and individuals are often unaware of existing supports or face barriers to access. Project Summary The Fetal Alcohol Resource Program (FARP) was established in 2015 in collaboration with Citizen Advocacy Ottawa (now ABLE2). Its purpose was to take on a navigator [...]

Challenge Identifying children who are at risk of FASD early on can be challenging. Often receiving a formal diagnosis requires confirmation of prenatal alcohol exposure, which isn’t always possible. The current FASD diagnostic assessment process also typically happens once a child is school-aged because existing tools lack the sensitivity to identify young children and infants. [...]

Challenge Physical activity is beneficial for all children but has particular benefits for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. However, children living with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families often experience exclusion and lack of opportunities to engage in community recreation opportunities. For children, social isolation can have dramatic consequences because social interactions enable children to learn and [...]