Overview

Our start in life has a profound impact on our health and longevity. Early life matters. Early interventions have been proven to improve the developmental and life trajectories for the most vulnerable of our children, including those who have experienced in utero and early life adversity. Relationships also matter in the lives of children and youth; resiliency develops through the interactive effects of nature and nurture, both biology and environment. Brokering trust through respectful engagement and community partnerships creates opportunities for sustained interventions and healthier transition into adult health services.

Our research focuses on addressing disparities in health care engagement and inequities in health outcomes, with an effort to include populations of Canadian infants, children and youth who may be excluded, stereotyped, and/or become less visible in clinical research studies, due to socio-cultural barriers, material disenfranchisement and/or developmental diversity.

Publications

Who is in Your Waiting Room? Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences in Pediatric Surgery Clinics
Journal of Pediatric Surgery
Ethan Ponton and Tanjot Singh and Matthew Carwana and Damian J. Duffy and Rebecca Courtemanche and Douglas J. Courtemanche and Christine A. Loock and Robert Baird
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.04.001
09/2024

Access issues and burden of care in craniofacial orthodontics
Cleft and Craniofacial Orthodontics
DOI: 10.1002/9781119778387.ch47
2023

Assessing the Social Determinants of Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences in Patients Attending a Children's Hospital Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Program
Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal
Ponton, E. and Courtemanche, R. and Singh, T.K. and Duffy, D. and Courtemanche, D.J. and Loock, C.
DOI: 10.1177/10556656211048742
2022

Social inequities and visual function in pediatric ophthalmology populations: a small cross-sectional study
Research Square
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1344245/v1
2022

Social inequities and visual function in pediatric ophthalmology populations: a small cross-sectional study
ResearchSquare
He, B. and Binda, C. and Loock, C. and Gardiner, J.
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1344245
2022

Evaluation of rotavirus vaccine administration among a 22q11.2DS patient population
Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology
McGregor, S. and Boroditsky, M. and Blanchard-Rohner, G. and Loock, C. and Jade Hildebrand, K.
DOI: 10.1186/s13223-022-00693-z
2022

Integrating dermatology services into a social pediatrics network: 8 years of experience in the RICHER (Responsive, Interdisciplinary/Intersectoral, Child/Community, Health, Education and Research) program
Pediatric Dermatology
Wingfield Rehmus and Misha Zarbafian and Saud Alobaida and Clea Bland and Denise Hanson and Gwyn McIntosh and Kristina Pikksalu and Christine Loock
DOI: 10.1111/pde.14762
11/2021

Supporting children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: A rights-centred approach
Paediatrics & Child Health
Shazeen Suleman and Yasmine Ratnani and Katrina Stockley and Radha Jetty and Katharine Smart and Susan Bennett and Sarah Gander and Christine Loock
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxaa086
08/2020

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of choline supplementation in school-aged children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Nguyen TT and Risbud RD and Mattson SN and Chambers CD and Thomas JD
DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.116.142075
PubMed: 32757546
07/2020

Taking steps to improve care and planning for patients in british columbia with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
British Columbia Medical Journal
Boroditsky, M. and Courtemanche, R. and Courtemanche, D. and Robertson, S. and Loock, C.
2020

Treatment algorithm for the use of psychopharmacological agents in individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol and/or with diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (Fasd)
Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology
Mela, M. and Hanlon-Dearman, A. and Ahmed, A.G. and Rich, S.D. and Densmore, R. and Reid, D. and Barr, A.M. and Osser, D. and Anderson, T. and Suberu, B. and Ipsiroglu, O. and Rajani, H. and Loock, C.
DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v27i3.681
2020

Social Pediatrics: A Model to Confront Family Poverty, Adversity, and Housing Instability and Foster Healthy Child and Adolescent Development and Resilience
Clinical Care for Homeless, Runaway and Refugee Youth: Intervention Approaches, Education and Research Directions
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-40675-2_7
2020

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the BC Children’s Hospital Cleft Palate Program Waitlist
Plastic Surgery
Leslie Tze Fung Leung and Christine A. Loock and Rebecca Courtemanche and Douglas J. Courtemanche
DOI: 10.1177/2292550319876664
09/2019

Myelin Water Fraction Imaging of the Brain in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.
Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research
McLachlan K and Vavasour I and MacKay A and Brain U and Oberlander T and Loock C and Reynolds JN and Beaulieu C
DOI: 10.1111/acer.14024
PubMed: 30889291
04/2019

Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder among High-Risk Children and Adolescents in a Correctional Facility.
The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ
Fisher E and Loock C and Melamed A and Blank S and Koren G
PubMed: 30685904
01/2019

Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder among high-risk children and adolescents in a correctional facility
Israel Medical Association Journal
Fisher, E. and Loock, C. and Melamed, A. and Blank, S. and Koren, G.
2019

It takes a village: a realist synthesis of social pediatrics program
International Journal of Public Health
Tyler, I. and Lynam, J. and O?Campo, P. and Manson, H. and Lynch, M. and Dashti, B. and Turner, N. and Feller, A. and Ford-Jones, E.L. and Makin, S. and Loock, C.
DOI: 10.1007/s00038-018-1190-7
2019

ADDRESSING ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES) BY COMBINING PUBLIC HEALTH, SOCIAL PEDIATRIC AND RICHER COMMUNITY BASED APPROACHES.
Paediatrics & Child Health
Loock C and Beaulieu E and Carwana M and Singh T and Hanson D and Suleman S
05/2018

Response to "A critique for the new Canadian FASD diagnostic Guidelines".
Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry = Journal de l'Academie canadienne de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent
Cook JL and Green CR and Lilley C and Psych R and Anderson S and Baldwin ME and Chudley AE and Conry J and LeBlanc N and Loock CA and Mallon B and McFarlane A and Temple V and Psych C
PubMed: 29662519
04/2018

Response to “a critique for the new Canadian FASD diagnostic guidelines”
Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Cook, J.L. and Green, C.R. and Lilley, C. and Anderson, S. and Baldwin, M.E. and Chudley, A.E. and Conry, J. and Leblanc, N. and Loock, C.A. and Mallon, B. and McFarlane, A. and Temple, V.
2018

Unpacking the Heterogeneity of Cognitive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Determining the Role of Moderators and Strengths
Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
McLachlan, K. and Paolozza, A. and Kully-Martens, K. and Portales-Casamar, E. and Pavlidis, P. and Andrew, G. and Hanlon-Dearman, A. and Loock, C. and McFarlane, A. and Nikkel, S.M. and Pei, J. and Oberlander, T.F. and Samdup, D. and Reynolds, J.N. and Rasmussen, C.
DOI: 10.1007/s41252-017-0034-4
2017

Dysregulation of the cortisol diurnal rhythm following prenatal alcohol exposure and early life adversity.
Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)
McLachlan K and Rasmussen C and Oberlander TF and Loock C and Pei J and Andrew G and Reynolds J and Weinberg J
DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.03.003
PubMed: 27286932
04/2016

Relationships between Head Circumference, Brain Volume and Cognition in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.
PloS one
Treit S and Zhou D and Chudley AE and Andrew G and Rasmussen C and Nikkel SM and Samdup D and Hanlon-Dearman A and Loock C and Beaulieu C
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150370
PubMed: 26928125
02/2016

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A guideline for diagnosis across the lifespan
CMAJ
Cook, J.L. and Green, C.R. and Lilley, C.M. and Anderson, S.M. and Baldwin, M.E. and Chudley, A.E. and Conry, J.L. and LeBlanc, N. and Loock, C.A. and Lutke, J. and Mallon, B.F. and McFarlane, A.A. and Temple, V.K. and Rosales, T.
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.141593
2016

Screening and referral to identify children at risk for FASD: Search for new methods 2006-2013.
Journal of population therapeutics and clinical pharmacology = Journal de la therapeutique des populations et de la pharmacologie clinique
Koren G and Chudley A and Loock C and MacLeod SM and Orrbine E and Rosales T and Rosenbaum C and Sarkar M
PubMed: 25019303
07/2014

Evaluation of the neurobehavioral screening tool in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Journal of population therapeutics and clinical pharmacology = Journal de la therapeutique des populations et de la pharmacologie clinique
LaFrance MA and McLachlan K and Nash K and Andrew G and Loock C and Oberlander TF and Koren G and Rasmussen C
PubMed: 24897061
05/2014

Screening and referral to identify children at risk for FASD: Search for new methods 2006-2013
Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology
Koren, G. and Chudley, A. and Loock, C. and Macleod, S.M. and Orrbine, E. and Rosales, T. and Rosenbaum, C. and Sarkar, M.
2014

Additional post-natal diagnoses following antenatal diagnosis of isolated cleft lip +/- Palate
Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition
Burnell, L. and Verchere, C. and Pugash, D. and Loock, C. and Robertson, S. and Lehman, A.
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2013-305390
2014

Evaluation of the neurobehavioral screening tool in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology
LaFrance, M.-A. and McLachlan, K. and Nash, K. and Andrew, G. and Loock, C. and Oberlander, T.F. and Koren, G. and Rasmussen, C.
2014

" They silently live in terror..." why sleep problems and night-time related quality-of-life are missed in children with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Social Science and Medicine
Ipsiroglu, O.S. and McKellin, W.H. and Carey, N. and Loock, C.
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.10.027
2013

The social paediatrics initiative: a RICHER model of primary health care for at risk children and their families
BMC Pediatrics
Wong, S.T. and Lynam, M.J. and Khan, K.B. and Scott, L. and Loock, C.
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-12-158
2012

The RICHER social pediatrics model: fostering access and reducing inequities in children's health.
Healthcare quarterly (Toronto, Ont.)
Lynam MJ and Scott L and Loock C and Wong ST
DOI: 10.12927/hcq.2011.22576
PubMed: 22008572
01/2011

The RICHER social pediatrics model: fostering access and reducing inequities in children's health.
Healthcare quarterly (Toronto, Ont.)
Lynam, M.J. and Scott, L. and Loock, C. and Wong, S.T.
2011

Sleep Health Issues for Children with FASD: Clinical Considerations.
International journal of pediatrics
Jan JE and Asante KO and Conry JL and Fast DK and Bax MC and Ipsiroglu OS and Bredberg E and Loock CA and Wasdell MB
DOI: 10.1155/2010/639048
PubMed: 20706655
07/2010

Social paediatrics: Creating organisational processes and practices to foster health care access for children 'at risk'
Journal of Research in Nursing
Lynam, M.J. and Loock, C. and Scott, L. and Wong, S.M. and Munroe, V. and Palmer, B.
DOI: 10.1177/1744987109360651
2010

Development of Canadian screening tools for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
The Canadian journal of clinical pharmacology = Journal canadien de pharmacologie clinique
Goh YI and Chudley AE and Clarren SK and Koren G and Orrbine E and Rosales T and Rosenbaum C and Taskforce for Development of FASD Screening Tools
PubMed: 18840921
09/2008

Culture, health, and inequalities: New paradigms, new practice imperatives
Journal of Research in Nursing
Lynam, M.J. and Loock, C. and Scott, L. and Khan, K.B.
DOI: 10.1177/1744987108088639
2008

Bridging the research gap: aboriginal and academic collaboration in FASD prevention. The Healthy Communities, Mothers and Children Project.
Alaska medicine
George MA and Masotti P and MacLeod S and Van Bibber M and Loock C and Fleming M and McDiarmid T and Morton AM and Penno E and Prince E and Ranford J and Salmon A and Smith C
PubMed: 17929623
01/2007

Bridging the research gap: aboriginal and academic collaboration in FASD prevention. The Healthy Communities, Mothers and Children Project.
Alaska medicine
George MA and Masotti P and MacLeod S and Van Bibber M and Loock C and Fleming M and McDiarmid T and Morton AM and Penno E and Prince E and Ranford J and Salmon A and Smith C
PubMed: 17929623
01/2007

Bridging the research gap: aboriginal and academic collaboration in FASD prevention. The Healthy Communities, Mothers and Children Project.
Alaska medicine
George, M.A. and Masotti, P. and MacLeod, S. and Van Bibber, M. and Loock, C. and Fleming, M. and McDiarmid, T. and Morton, A.M. and Penno, E. and Prince, E. and Ranford, J. and Salmon, A. and Smith, C.
2006

Preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in aboriginal communities: A methods development project
PLoS Medicine
Masotti, P. and George, M.A. and Szala-Meneok, K. and Morton, A.M. and Loock, C. and Van Bibber, M. and Ranford, J. and Fleming, M. and MacLeod, S.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030008
2006

Are FASD guidelines practical and sustainable?
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
Loock CA and Chudley AE and Conry J and Cook JL and Rosales T and LeBlanc N
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1050135
10/2005

Ensemble des troubles causés par l'alcoolisation fœtale : lignes directrices canadiennes concernant le diagnostic.
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
Chudley AE and Conry J and Cook JL and Loock C and Rosales T and LeBlanc N
03/2005

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis
CMAJ
Chudley, A.E. and Conry, J. and Cook, J.L. and Loock, C. and Rosales, T. and LeBlanc, N.
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1040302
2005

Are FASD guidelines: Practical and sustainable? [5] (multiple letters)
CMAJ
Goulden, K.J. and Loock, C.A. and Chudley, A.E. and Conry, J. and Cook, J.L. and Rosales, T. and LeBlanc, N.
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1050107
2005

Identifying fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in primary care
CMAJ
Loock, C. and Conry, J. and Cook, J.L. and Chudley, A.E. and Rosales, T.
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.050135
2005

Structural and functional brain integrity of fetal alcohol syndrome in nonretarded cases
Pediatrics
Clark, C.M. and Li, D. and Conry, J. and Conry, R. and Loock, C.
DOI: 10.1542/peds.105.5.1096
2000

Identifying fetal alcohol syndrome among youth in the criminal justice system
Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Fast, D.K. and Conry, J. and Loock, C.A.
DOI: 10.1097/00004703-199910000-00012
1999

Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on neuromotor and cognitive development during early childhood: A series of case reports
Physical Therapy
Harris, S.R. and Osborn, J.A. and Weinberg, J. and Loock, C. and Junaid, K.
DOI: 10.1093/ptj/73.9.608
1993

Upper body exercise capacity in youth with spina bifida
Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
Coutts, K. and McKenzie, D. and Loock, C. and Beauchamp, R. and Armstrong, R.
DOI: 10.1123/apaq.10.1.22
1993

Knowledge of fetal alcohol syndrome among native Indians
Canadian Journal of Public Health
Robinson, G.C. and Armstrong, R.W. and Moczuk, I.B. and Loock, C.A.
1992

Management of children with head trauma (III)
CMAJ
Macnab, A.J. and Loock, C.
1990

Pharmacokinetics and Bacteriologic Efficacy of Moxalactam, Cefotaxime, Cefoperazone, and Rocephin in Experimental Bacterial Meningitis
Journal of Infectious Diseases
Schaad, U.B. and McCracken, G.H. and Loock, C.A. and Thomas, M.L.
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/143.2.156
1981

Pharmacokinetics and bacteriological efficacy of moxalactam (LY127935), netilmicin, and ampicillin in experimental gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
Schaad, U.B. and McCracken Jr., G.H. and Loock, C.A. and Thomas, M.L.
DOI: 10.1128/AAC.17.3.406
1980

Research

RICHER
The RICHER (Responsive, Intersectoral, Child & Community Health, Education and Research) Program in Social Pediatrics is a translational research to practice community outreach program seeking to make health services (primary to specialized) accessible to socially vulnerable children and families. Our “place-based” work approach has brought provincial and national, and recently international, attention. We are in our 10th year of collaborative study with UBC, PHSA (Children’s, Women’s and Sunny Hill), and BC regional health authorities. The RICHER Social Pediatrics Initiative (SPI) is co-lead with Dr. Judith Lynam , Professor of Nursing (UBC, CFRI), and is a participatory research program with primary health providers focusing on improving methods to measure health care access, patient trust and engagement, and developmental outcomes for socially and materially disenfranchised children and youth. We recently have partnered with Public Health Ontario and other Canadian Social Pediatrics initiatives on a ‘Realist Synthesis of Social Pediatrics Theory’ literature review, with focus on mechanisms and outcomes for effective service provision and engagement with vulnerable child/youth populations.

Our work with NeuroDevNet on Clinical Community Research with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is addressing gene-environment interactions, predictive biomarkers, and the relationship between structural alterations in the brain and functional outcomes. Thanks to our partnership with the communities engaged with the RICHER Social Pediatrics Initiative, we have been able to assist in the engagement and recruitment of families who often are unable to participate in research studies due to financial and other social barriers. Many of our families have experienced early life adversity with adverse childhood experiences (ACES). We are committed to knowledge transfer and dissemination of new discoveries from this national study of children with disabilities that will inform the development of effective interventions for children, youth and young adults affected by FASD and other disabilities, compounded by poverty, early life adversity and other ACES. This research is on-going, and in collaboration with Drs. Dan Goldowitz and and Tim Oberlander (BC Children's Hospital) and co-lead FASD Principle Investigators, Drs. James Reynolds and Joanne Weinberg,

The Sleep/Wake Behaviour Clinic and Research Lab, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, has developed an innovative and internationally acclaimed approach to pediatric sleep research that uses mixed methods to measure, describe and address sleep problems in children and youth with disabilities, including those with both genetic and acquired craniofacial conditions, including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). This collaborative research partnership is led by Dr. Osman Ipsiroglu (BC Children's Hospital), with our collaborations from the BC Children’s Provincial Cleft Palate Program with Dr. Douglas Courtemanche, Division of Plastic Surgery, C&W Chief of Staff, Dr. William McKellin, UBC Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Amy Salmon, researcher with the Canada FASD Research Network.

Grants

To be updated with input from BB&D Theme lead, T. Oberlander. Please refer to CVs of BC Children's Hospital Investigators

Oberlander, Ipsiroglu and Lynam for prior grants as co-applicant.

Honours & Awards

BC Pediatrics Society Judith Hall Advocacy Award, November 2015

Canadian Pediatric Society Certificate of Merit, 2009

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to the community, Governor General of Canada, 2012, presented by Minister of Parliament, Dr. Hedy Fry, January 17, 2013

Research Group Members

Mary Jane Hornaas
Bonnie Morin, Administrative Secretary Social Pediatrics