David Nicholas

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 Findings from the Social Determinants of Health Program’s “Support Matters!” project has found that children with neurodisabilities have diverse needs at critical stages of their development, which require different forms of support and services. Parent focus groups further identified a need to improve the experience of navigating these various services. From this need, the [...]

Challenge While there has been a great deal of research into causes and potential therapies for children with neurodisability, there has been a significant lack of support for children and their families as they grow and develop. Therefore, researchers created “Support Matters!” to understand these needs better. Project Summary Researchers conducted individual and focus group [...]

Challenge There has historically been a lack of understanding of the social context of children with neurodisabilities and their family caregivers in Canada: how factors such as income, environment, education, and family life, known as the social determinants of health (SDOH), can impact their lives. Project Summary The Social Determinants of Health project, renamed “The [...]

Challenge There is a lot of academic writing on the challenges faced by children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), however, much of what’s known is based on parent report or researchers’ observations. We know very little about the lived experiences of youth with ASD, from their own perspectives. ‘Giving voice’ (including to those [...]

Challenge Adolescents with autism often struggle with anxiety, depression, stress and attention.  While cognitive behavioural approaches can support many autistic youth, research shows that many participants will fail to respond to these kinds of treatments, and many of these interventions are targeted only at children 12 years of age and younger. Project Summary Based on [...]

A Pilot in Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon Challenge Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) often navigate a confusing patchwork of uncoordinated services. These services span several different sectors, organizations and layers of government. Research shows that families frequently struggle to determine what supports are available, appropriate and accessible —especially at crucial life junctures such [...]

Challenge Right now, autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed based on behaviours and developmental delays, not neurobiological markers. If we knew more about autism’s basis in the brain, this might allow children to get a diagnosis sooner. Project Summary KBHN has played a crucial role in identifying genetic variants associated with ASD as part of its [...]

Challenge Autism spectrum disorder often runs in families. For example, identical twins of people with ASD have roughly a 60 percent chance of having it as well while siblings have a 20 percent chance. This statistic points to genetic risk factors. But which gene variants increase susceptibility to ASD? Moreover, how do genes influence the [...]

Challenge An autism spectrum disorder diagnosis gives parents and guardians only an idea of what to expect in the years to come. Even when children start with similar abilities and disabilities, they can go on to develop in a wide variety of ways, with different speeds of skill progression and various additional health conditions. Unfortunately, [...]