Dr. Keiko Shikako-Thomas

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 [...]

Challenge Intellectual disability (ID) affects 800,000 Canadians and is defined by challenges in cognitive functions and daily living activities. Individuals with ID frequently struggle with other issues such as anxiety, autism, epilepsy, sleep problems, and difficulty living independently. But managing an ID diagnosis presents many challenges: individuals must discover which resources are best for them, [...]

Challenge The Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry initially launched in 2003 as a platform to store data from people diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). It has since expanded to include more than 2,250 participants with the disorder and has resulted in more than 35 academic publications. The next phase of the project is looking to expand [...]

Challenge Taking part in leisure activities is vital in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, for children with disabilities, it is often challenging to participate in active physical and other leisure activities such as organized sports, summer camps and art classes. These challenges can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion. Of course, finding ways to [...]

Challenge It can be challenging for children with disabilities to participate in leisure activities such as summer camps and art classes. Parents often struggle to find programs that are close to where they live, accessible, suitable for their needs and abilities, and in line with their interests. Project Summary The Jooay App (jooay.com) was officially [...]

Challenge More than 80,000 Canadians are living with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Yet, families often feel isolated and are unsure how to find services or where to access the most up-to-date CP-related information. Project Summary The Cerebral Palsy Canada Network (CPCanNet) was created to connect families to information through CP Associations across Canada, by acting as [...]

Challenge While cerebral palsy (CP) researchers continue to make meaningful scientific discoveries, there have been barriers to communicating those findings to other scientists, clinicians, families and the public. Project Summary The Cerebral Palsy Demonstration Project has been helping to address this issue with the Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KT) Strategy. The KT team has worked [...]

Challenge While Canadian scientists are leaders in Cerebral Palsy research, effective communication and geography are barriers to creating connections that could lead to meaningful scientific discoveries. Additionally, knowledge of the root causes of CP is at an early stage. The lack of uptake of new evidence-based medical treatments highlights the need for better knowledge dissemination [...]