- Overview
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Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have difficulty learning motor skills and performing activities of daily living, such as using a knife and fork, printing, and riding a bicycle. The cause of DCD is not well understood, but our research has shown that children with DCD use their brain differently and show subtle differences in their brain pathways compared to typically-developing children. Our research program aims to further unravel the brain differences in children with DCD in an effort to better understand the disorder and to inform rehabilitation interventions for these children.
Critically ill newborns (such as premature infants or infants with brain injury or heart disease) are at risk for motor impairments in childhood. Our research program aims to better understand the relationship of early brain development and motor outcomes of these at-risk newborns, and how rehabilitation interventions may affect brain and motor outcomes.
- Publications
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Transitioning to oral feeding: A retrospective cohort study of a family-centered, hunger-based tube weaning program
Nutrition in Clinical Practice
Rochelle H. Stokes and Anna L. Willms and Heather K. Cowie and Alison Browes and Soleina Karamali and Vishal Avinashi and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1002/ncp.11220
10/2024Effectiveness of Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance for autistic children with developmental coordination disorder
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
Melika Kangarani-Farahani and Sandy Thompson-Hodgetts and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.16058
08/2024Women in Canada are consuming above the upper intake level of folic acid but few are meeting dietary choline recommendations in the second trimester of pregnancy: data from the CHILD cohort study
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Alejandra M. Wiedeman and Kozeta Miliku and Theo J. Moraes and Piushkumar J. Mandhane and Elinor Simons and Padmaja Subbarao and Stuart E. Turvey and Jill G. Zwicker and Angela M. Devlin
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2023-0258
06/2024Success or Failure? Are We Meeting the Needs of Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder?
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Erin S. Klein and Melissa Licari and Skye Barbic and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1177/00084174231197618
06/2024Motor Impairments in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Melika Kangarani-Farahani and Myrah Anum Malik and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05948-1
05/2024Diagnostic services for developmental coordination disorder: Gaps and opportunities identified by parents
Child: Care, Health and Development
Erin S. Klein and Melissa Licari and Skye Barbic and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1111/cch.13230
01/2024Developmental coordination disorder: What can we learn from RI mice using motor learning tasks and QTL analysis
Genes, Brain and Behavior
Kamaldeep Gill and Jeffy Rajan Soundara Rajan and Eric Chow and David G. Ashbrook and Robert W. Williams and Jill G. Zwicker and Daniel Goldowitz
DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12859
12/2023A Dynamic Systems Approach to Understanding Adaptive Locomotion in Individuals with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Systematic Review
Current Developmental Disorders Reports
Victoria Rapos and Griet Warlop and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1007/s40474-023-00278-4
09/2023Assessing children to identify developmental coordination disorder: A survey of occupational therapists in Australia
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
Jacqui Hunt and Jill Zwicker and Erin Godecke and Annette Raynor
DOI: 10.1111/1440-1630.12864
08/2023Preliminary investigation of the student-delivered Community Outreach teleheAlth program for Covid education and Health promotion (COACH)
Family Practice
Michelle C Yang and Cam Clayton and Devin Harris and Chelsea Pelletier and Julia Schmidt and Jill G Zwicker and Brodie M Sakakibara
DOI: 10.1093/fampra/cmac079
02/2023How does brain structure and function on MRI differ in children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
Melika Kangarani-Farahani and Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10228
12/2022Effectiveness of Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance intervention in improving motor skills of children with developmental coordination disorder: A randomized waitlist-control trial
Clinical Rehabilitation
Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Cassandra Gunton and Zara Dureno and Jill G Zwicker
DOI: 10.1177/02692155221086188
06/2022Cerebellar Differences after Rehabilitation in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Brain Sciences
Kamaldeep K. Gill and Donna Lang and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070856
06/2022Investigating mouse motor coordination using quantitative trait locus analysis to model the genetic underpinnings of developmental coordination disorder
Kamaldeep Gill and Jeffy Rajan Soundara Rajan and Eric Chow and David G. Ashbrook and Robert W. Williams and Jill G. Zwicker and Daniel Goldowitz
DOI: 10.1101/2022.06.07.495138
06/2022Beginning power mobility: parent and therapist perspectives
Disability and Rehabilitation
Roslyn Livingstone and Debra Field and Colleen Sanderson and Nicole Pineau and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1842916
06/2022Developmental Coordination Disorder: What Can We Learn From Recombinant Inbred Mice Using Motor Learning Tasks and Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis
Kamaldeep Gill and Jeffy Rajan Soundara Rajan and Eric Chow and David G. Ashbrook and Robert W. Williams and Jill G. Zwicker and Daniel Goldowitz
DOI: 10.1101/2022.05.18.492177
05/2022Brain functional connectivity in children with developmental coordination disorder following rehabilitation intervention
Pediatric Research
Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Shie Rinat and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-021-01517-3
05/2022An interactive serious game to Target perspective taking skills among children with ASD: A usability testing
Behaviour & Information Technology
Parisa Ghanouni and Tal Jarus and Jill G. Zwicker and Joseph Lucyshyn
DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2020.1776770
12/2021Evidence for Pre-printing Interventions: A Scoping Review
Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention
Erin Klein and Ivonne Montgomery and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2021.1875389
10/2021Theory and Evidence for Pre-printing Development: A Scoping Review
Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention
Erin Klein and Ivonne Montgomery and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2021.1875388
10/2021Evidence of altered interhemispheric communication after pediatric concussion
Brain Injury
Julia Schmidt and Katlyn E. Brown and Samantha J. Feldman and Shelina Babul and Jill G. Zwicker and Lara A. Boyd
DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2021.1929485
08/2021Early identification of children with/at risk of developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
Emily J Lee and Jill G Zwicker
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14803
06/2021Early intervention for children with/at risk of developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
Jill G Zwicker and Emily J Lee
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14804
06/2021Web-based early intervention for children with motor difficulties aged 3–8 years old using multimodal rehabilitation (WECARE): protocol of a patient-centred pragmatic randomised trial of paediatric telerehabilitation to support families
BMJ Open
Chantal Camden and Jill G Zwicker and Melanie Morin and Tibor Schuster and Melanie Couture and Thomas G Poder and Desiree B Maltais and Marie-Claude Battista and Jean-Patrice Baillargeon and Mathieu Goyette and Gabrielle Pratte and Karen Hurtubise and Michelle Phoenix and Tram Nguyen and Jade Berbari and Michel Tousignant
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046561
04/2021Awareness and knowledge of developmental coordination disorder: A survey of caregivers, teachers, allied health professionals and medical professionals in Australia
Child: Care, Health and Development
Jacqui Hunt and Jill G Zwicker and Erin Godecke and Annette Raynor
DOI: 10.1111/cch.12824
03/2021Parents’ Experience with the CO-OP Approach: A Consolidation of Three Qualitative Investigations
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Rose Martini and Julie Capistran and Jazz Centauro and Eva Coego and Mayoore Nadarajah and Josée Venne and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1177/0008417420968680
03/2021The Use of Technologies Among Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Barriers and Challenges
Journal of Special Education Technology
Parisa Ghanouni and Tal Jarus and Jill G. Zwicker and Joseph Lucyshyn
DOI: 10.1177/0162643419888765
12/2020CO-OP for Children with DCD: Goals Addressed and Strategies Used
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Sara P. Schwartz and Sarah R. K. Northrup and Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1177/0008417420941980
10/2020Training-Induced Neuroplasticity in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Current Developmental Disorders Reports
Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Kamaldeep K. Gill and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1007/s40474-020-00191-0
06/2020Using a mouse model to gain insights into developmental coordination disorder
Genes, Brain and Behavior
Kamaldeep K. Gill and Jeffy Rajan Soundara Rajan and Daniel Goldowitz and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12647
04/2020Vincristine-induced peripheral neurotoxicity: A prospective cohort
Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Nassr Nama and Mikaela K. Barker and Celia Kwan and Cheryl Sabarre and Veronica Solimano and Anne Rankin and Jennifer Raabe and Colin J. Ross and Bruce Carleton and Jill G. Zwicker and Shahrad Rod Rassekh
DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2019.1677832
01/2020Use of Printing like a Pro! in a School-Based Printing Club to Improve Handwriting Legibility in Primary Grade Students
Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention
Ivonne Montgomery and Jill G Zwicker
DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2019.1604289
01/2020Concurrent Validity of the Bayley-III and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 at 18 Months
Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics
Kamaldeep Gill and Alan Osiovich and Anne Synnes and Jennifer A. Agnew and Ruth E. Grunau and Steven P. Miller and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1080/01942638.2018.1546255
09/2019Comparing Standardized and Parent-Reported Motor Outcomes of Extremely Preterm Infants
Children
Maeve Morgan-Feir and Andrea Abbott and Anne Synnes and Dianne Creighton and Thevanisha Pillay and Jill Zwicker
DOI: 10.3390/children6080090
08/2019Rehabilitation-induced brain changes detected through magnetic resonance imaging in children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review
International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Shie Rinat and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.12.001
04/2019Does the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 at 3 years of age predict developmental coordination disorder at 4.5 years of age in children born very preterm?
Research in Developmental Disabilities
Clarice Kwok and Margot Mackay and Jennifer A. Agnew and Anne Synnes and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2018.04.003
01/2019Participation of children with developmental coordination disorder
Research in Developmental Disabilities
Sara Izadi-Najafabadi and Nikki Ryan and Gelareh Ghafooripoor and Kamaldeep Gill and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2018.05.011
01/2019Electrophysiological Responses to Emotional Facial Expressions in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review
Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Parisa Ghanouni and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1007/s40489-018-0134-8
09/2018Mu Suppression Is Sensitive to Observational Practice but Results in Different Patterns of Activation in Comparison with Physical Practice
Neural Plasticity
DOI: 10.1155/2018/8309483
05/2018Developmental coordination disorder is more than a motor problem: Children describe the impact of daily struggles on their quality of life
British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Jill G Zwicker and Melinda Suto and Susan R Harris and Nikol Vlasakova and Cheryl Missiuna
DOI: 10.1177/0308022617735046
02/2018Severe retinopathy of prematurity predicts delayed white matter maturation and poorer neurodevelopment.
Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition
Glass TJA and Chau V and Gardiner J and Foong J and Vinall J and Zwicker JG and Grunau RE and Synnes A and Poskitt KJ and Miller SP
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2016-312533
PubMed: 28536205
11/2017Intervention and management of developmental coordination disorder: Are we providing evidence-based services?
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Renée Withers and Yoyo Tsang and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1177/0008417417712285
06/2017The content of a virtual reality program for children with autism: Incorporating stakeholders' input
2017 International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation (ICVR)
Parisa Ghanouni and Tal Jarus and Jill G. Zwicker and Kristin Mow and Alyssa Ledingham
DOI: 10.1109/icvr.2017.8007464
06/2017Occupational therapists' awareness of guidelines for assessment and diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder: Mesure selon laquelle les ergothérapeutes connaissent les lignes directrices relatives à l'évaluation et au diagnostic du trouble du développement de la coordination.
Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapie
Karkling M and Paul A and Zwicker JG
DOI: 10.1177/0008417417700915
PubMed: 28730904
06/2017Neuroimaging and Occupational Therapy: Bridging the Gap to Advance Rehabilitation in Developmental Coordination Disorder
Journal of Motor Behavior
Brown-Lum, M. and Zwicker, J.G.
DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2016.1271295
2017BrainNetCNN: Convolutional neural networks for brain networks; towards predicting neurodevelopment
NeuroImage
Kawahara, J. and Brown, C.J. and Miller, S.P. and Booth, B.G. and Chau, V. and Grunau, R.E. and Zwicker, J.G. and Hamarneh, G.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.046
2017Smaller Cerebellar Growth and Poorer Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants Exposed to Neonatal Morphine
The Journal of Pediatrics
Jill G. Zwicker and Steven P. Miller and Ruth E. Grunau and Vann Chau and Rollin Brant and Colin Studholme and Mengyuan Liu and Anne Synnes and Kenneth J. Poskitt and Mikaela L. Stiver and Emily W.Y. Tam
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.12.024
05/2016Reliability of Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Necessity of Repeating MRI in Noncooled and Cooled Infants With Neonatal Encephalopathy.
Chakkarapani E and Poskitt KJ and Miller SP and Zwicker JG and Xu Q and Wong DS and Roland EH and Hill A and Chau V
DOI: 10.1177/0883073815600865
PubMed: 26323498
04/2016Developmental Coordination Disorder and Its Consequences
APAQ
Jill G. Zwicker and University of British Columbia and Vancouver and BC and Canada.
DOI: 10.1123/apaq.2015-0089
01/2016Predictive subnetwork extraction with structural priors for infant connectomes
Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Brown, C.J. and Miller, S.P. and Booth, B.G. and Zwicker, J.G. and Grunau, R.E. and Synnes, A.R. and Chau, V. and Hamarneh, G.
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46720-7_21
2016Parents' experiences of splinting programs for babies with congenital limb anomalies
PRM
Kim M. Durlacher and Cynthia Verchere and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.3233/prm-150337
09/2015Tract-Based Spatial Statistics in Preterm-Born Neonates Predicts Cognitive and Motor Outcomes at 18 Months.
Duerden EG and Foong J and Chau V and Branson H and Poskitt KJ and Grunau RE and Synnes A and Zwicker JG and Miller SP
DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A4312
PubMed: 25929880
08/2015Neonatal Pain and Infection Relate to Smaller Cerebellum in Very Preterm Children at School Age
The Journal of Pediatrics
Manon Ranger and Jill G. Zwicker and Cecil M.Y. Chau and Min Tae M. Park and M. Mallar Chakravarthy and Kenneth Poskitt and Steven P. Miller and Bruce H. Bjornson and Emily W.Y. Tam and Vann Chau and Anne R. Synnes and Ruth E. Grunau
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.04.055
08/2015Diagnosis and management of developmental coordination disorder.
Harris SR and Mickelson EC and Zwicker JG
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.140994
PubMed: 26009588
06/2015Sensory Processing and Sleep in Typically Developing Infants and Toddlers
Am J Occup Ther
Mark Vasak and James Williamson and Jennifer Garden and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2015.015891
05/2015Brain Imaging Increases Our Understanding of Developmental Coordination Disorder: a Review of Literature and Future Directions
Curr Dev Disord Rep
Meisan Brown-Lum and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1007/s40474-015-0046-6
03/2015Effect of internal versus external focus of attention on implicit motor learning in children with developmental coordination disorder
Research in Developmental Disabilities
Tal Jarus and Parisa Ghanouni and Rachel L. Abel and Shelby L. Fomenoff and Jocelyn Lundberg and Stephanie Davidson and Sarah Caswell and Laura Bickerton and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.11.009
02/2015Sensory Processing Patterns in Children Born Very Preterm
Am J Occup Ther
Stephanie C. Crozier and Jennifer Z. Goodson and Margot L. Mackay and Anne R. Synnes and Ruth E. Grunau and Steven P. Miller and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2016.018747
2015Early neonatal pain exposure and brain microstructure interact to predict neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months corrected age in children born very preterm
International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
Jillian Vinall and Jill G. Zwicker and Ruth E. Grunau and Vann Chau and Kenneth J. Poskitt and Rollin Brant and Anne R. Synnes and Steven P. Miller
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.04.132
2015Prediction of Motor Function in Very Preterm Infants Using Connectome Features and Local Synthetic Instances
Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention -- MICCAI 2015
Colin J. Brown and Steven P. Miller and Brian G. Booth and Kenneth J. Poskitt and Vann Chau and Anne R. Synnes and Jill G. Zwicker and Ruth E. Grunau and Ghassan Hamarneh
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-24553-9_9
2015Comment on the Paper by van den Bosch et al. Entitled ¿Prematurity, Opioid Exposure and Neonatal Pain: Do They Affect the Developing Brain': The Impact of Subtle Messaging
Neonatology
Liisa Holsti and Jill G. Zwicker and Ruth E. Grunau
DOI: 10.1159/000442081
2015Parent perspectives on occupational therapy assessment reports
br j occup ther
Elizabeth Makepeace and Jill G Zwicker
DOI: 10.4276/030802214x14151078348396
11/2014Effectiveness of a Summer Camp Intervention for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics
Jill G. Zwicker and Harpreet Rehal and Sharan Sodhi and Morgan Karkling and Alissa Paul and Mike Hilliard and Tal Jarus
DOI: 10.3109/01942638.2014.957431
09/2014Vincristine and fine motor function of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Cheryl L. Sabarre and Shahrad R. Rassekh and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1177/0008417414539926
07/2014Motor impairment in very preterm infants: implications for clinical practice and research
Dev Med Child Neurol
Jill G Zwicker
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.12454
04/2014Quality of life domains affected in children with developmental coordination disorder: a systematic review.
Zwicker JG and Harris SR and Klassen AF
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01379.x
PubMed: 22515477
07/2013Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology–II and Neonatal Pain Predict Corticospinal Tract Development in Premature Newborns
Pediatric Neurology
Jill G. Zwicker and Ruth E. Grunau and Elysia Adams and Vann Chau and Rollin Brant and Kenneth J. Poskitt and Anne Synnes and Steven P. Miller
DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2012.10.016
02/2013Perinatal and neonatal predictors of developmental coordination disorder in very low birthweight children.
Zwicker JG and Yoon SW and Mackay M and Petrie-Thomas J and Rogers M and Synnes AR
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302268
PubMed: 23264434
02/2013Motorische Ungeschicklichkeit aus der Perspektive der Neurowissenschaft
Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie
Jill Zwicker and Benjamin Holfelder
DOI: 10.1026/1612-5010/a000087
01/2013Developmental coordination disorder: A review and update
European Journal of Paediatric Neurology
Jill G. Zwicker and Cheryl Missiuna and Susan R. Harris and Lara A. Boyd
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2012.05.005
11/2012Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Pilot Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Pediatric Neurology
Jill G. Zwicker and Cheryl Missiuna and Susan R. Harris and Lara A. Boyd
DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2011.12.007
03/2012Canadian Pain Society Abstracts, 2012.
2012Developmental Coordination Disorder in School-Aged Children Born Very Preterm and/or at Very Low Birth Weight: A Systematic Review
Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
Jessica Edwards and Michelle Berube and Kelcey Erlandson and Stephanie Haug and Heather Johnstone and Meghan Meagher and Shirley Sarkodee-Adoo and Jill G. Zwicker
DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0b013e31822a396a
11/2011Brain activation associated with motor skill practice in children with developmental coordination disorder: an fMRI study
International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
Jill G. Zwicker and Cheryl Missiuna and Susan R. Harris and Lara A. Boyd
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2010.12.002
04/2011Brain activation of children with developmental coordination disorder is different than peers.
Zwicker JG and Missiuna C and Harris SR and Boyd LA
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2010-0059
PubMed: 20713484
09/2010Effectiveness of Treadmill Training in Children With Motor Impairments
Pediatric Physical Therapy
Jill G. Zwicker and Tanja A. Mayson
DOI: 10.1097/pep.0b013e3181f92e54
2010Neural correlates of developmental coordination disorder: a review of hypotheses.
Zwicker JG and Missiuna C and Boyd LA
DOI: 10.1177/0883073809333537
PubMed: 19687388
10/2009A reflection on motor learning theory in pediatric occupational therapy practice.
Zwicker JG and Harris SR
DOI: 10.1177/000841740907600108
PubMed: 19341020
02/2009Cognitive versus Multisensory Approaches to Handwriting Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial
OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health
Jill G. Zwicker and Allyson F. Hadwin
DOI: 10.1177/153944920902900106
01/2009Quality of life of formerly preterm and very low birth weight infants from preschool age to adulthood: a systematic review.
Zwicker JG and Harris SR
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-0169
PubMed: 18245409
02/2008 - Research
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Current Projects
Developmental Coordination Disorder: Through the DCD Research Clinic at Sunny Hill Health Cenre for Children, we aim to identify and diagnose children with DCD who meet the diagnostic criteria for the disorder and to provide education and resources to children and families with DCD. As part of this clinical service, we will be establishing a database over time of children with DCD from which to answer many important questions about the disorder, including the impact of DCD on children and families, intervention and outcomes for children with DCD, and neuroimaging studies to better understand the neurobiology of the disorder.
Brain Development and Motor Oucomes of Premature Newborns: We have conducted serial MR scans of premature infants (within weeks of birth and again at term-equivalent age) and collected detailed neonatal clincial data to characterize early brain development of these babies. We are following this cohort throughout childhood and assessing their motor development at 18 months and 36 months corrected age, 4.5 years and 8 years. Our aim is to determine brain and clinical predictors of motor impairment in children born preterm.Honours & AwardsCanadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Career Development Award - 2014-2018
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar Award - 2014
Research Group MembersApril Christiansen, Summer Student
Rachael Devenyi, Masters Student - Trainee
Vanessa Dizonno, Research Manager
Melika Farahani, Clinical Trainee
Gisela Gosse, Research Coordinator
Siara Kainth, PhD Student
Erin Klein, Research Coordinator
Jennifer Mauritz, Occupational Therapist
Patricia Mortenson, PhD Student
Namali Ratnaweera, Research Assistant
Farnaz Sahragard, Research Assistant
Sarah Tischer, Clinical Trainee - Masters Student
Olivia Tsihlias, Graduate Student
Dorine Van Dyck, Post Doc
Vivian Wong, Research Coordinator
Five things parents should know about Developmental Coordination Disorder
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) find it difficult to learn motor skills like tying shoes, getting dressed and riding a bike. Even though DCD is common, many children who have it are not diagnosed or treated.
