SSCY Centre hosts a monthly learning series on the second Tuesday of each month, from 8:00-9:00 in the Northern Lights room on the second floor. These sessions will provide an opportunity to learn about and discuss a variety of topics that are relevant to SSCY families, programs, and staff. Everyone (including SSCY staff, staff at other facilities, and families) is welcome to attend! You may also watch the sessions as a webinar, either live or as a recording.
Select a session below to learn more, register for its webinar, or watch a recording of the session.
This talk will focus on the critical role that rehabilitation clinicians at the forefront of care can play in closing gaps between research and practice. Attendees will leave armed with practical take-away strategies for action and inspiration in their settings and lives.
Presented by: Dr. K. Sibley, PhD
When: 8:00 -9:00 am, Tuesday, November 10th, 2020; Via Zoom
The Canadian FASD Diagnostic Guidelines (Cook et al 2015) describes the assessments recommended for individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in various age groups. While a diagnostic team is recommended for infants and preschoolers, there are recognized challenges in the diagnostic assessment in the current guidelines. The interpretation of brain domains constituting global impairment in preschoolers is not well described in the literature and there has been broad clinical reluctance to consider the interpretation of clinical assessments as definitively diagnostic in this age group. Over 15 years of multidisciplinary data of infant and preschool data has been analyzed to described observed patterns and make recommendations for preschool diagnostic guidelines. This presentation will focus on the Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology assessments contributing to the preschooler assessment (3 years – 5 years 11 months) for FASD.
In this session you will learn:
- Briefly review criteria for FASD diagnosis as per the Canadian Diagnostic Guidelines
- Literature review supporting the need for sensory and language assessments
- Illustrate the clinical significance for the inclusion of assessing sensory processing skills in preschoolers
- Review the combined clinical significance of the sensory, motor and language assessments for children with PAE
- Discuss how our findings can enhance the Canadian Diagnostic Guidelines recommendations for FASD diagnosis in preschoolers
Presented by: Kellsey Scheepers, Occupational Therapist & Shelley Proven, Speech- Language Pathologist
View the poster for full details.
Vicarious trauma is the psychological impact of repeatedly bearing witness to another person’s trauma – it can be the hidden cost to caring. Vicarious trauma can occur in the course of our daily work activities when working with children with disabilities and medical complexities. This workshop will review causes of vicarious trauma and some signs we are experiencing it. We will also review self-care practices and support resources for health care practitioners.
In this session you will learn:
- What is vicarious trauma?
- Why does vicarious trauma happen?
- How does vicarious trauma impact health practitioners?
- How to identify signs that additional supports may be needed.
- Identify self-care strategies for health practitioners.
Presented by: Sandi Mitchell, Organization & Staff Development, WRHA
View the poster for full details.
Patients’ views of their health status are not typically sought outside of clinical research. Yet the ultimate measure of health system performance is whether it helps people recover from an illness, live well with a chronic condition, and face the end of life with dignity, and the only way to know whether we’ve achieved this is to ask patients themselves. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are tools that aim to measure the patient’s perspective of the outcomes of their treatment and care. In this presentation you will learn more about what PROMs are and about how we hope to use PROMs to support patient-centred care in Manitoba.
In this session you will learn:
- What are patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)?
- Why are PROMs important?
- How can we use PROMs to support patient-centred care in Manitoba?
Presented by: Sarah Kirby, MPH, & Jeanette Edwards, MHA
View the poster for full details.
Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is an evidence based therapy that promotes development of skills and function in the affected hand and arm of a person with an impairment on one side of their body (this could be due to a stroke, brain injury or other neurological impairment). It involves the use of a constraint on the non-affected hand and arm along with intense and targeted practice of skills with the weaker hand and arm.
In this session you will learn:
- What CIMT is, including evidence to support this therapy
- Current pediatric CIMT practice in Canada/USA
- CIMT at RCC
- What resources are available for therapists wishing to implement CIMT with a client
- Next steps
Presented by: Kim Thiessen, Occupational Therapist
View the poster for full details.
Community Respite Service has helped families and people with intellectual and physical disabilities by providing quality respite in Manitoba, fostering independence and participation within their communities. CRS is a participant and family centered care organization that strives to provide quality service.
In this session you will learn:
- What is Community Respite Service Inc. (CRS) and what programs and features do they offer?
- What are the mission, vision, and goals of the CRS?
- How does the CRS compare with other respite programs?
- CRS’ Office Administered program and how it compares to the Provincial TIPPS program
- CRS’ Self-administered program and how it compares with the Provincial Self-managed program
- Overnight respite through CRS and other community options
- CRS’ Respite apartment uses
Presented by: Michelle Hammond, Executive Director for Community Respite Service Inc.
View the full poster for details.
The RCC/SSCY Family Advisory Council (FAC) is a formal group that was established in 1997 and consists of family members, community members and health care professionals. The advisors meet every other month to provide input and feedback on various strategic goals and initiatives taking place at the RCC/SSCY.
In this session you will learn:
- About the RCC/SSCY Family Council and what we do
- History of the Family Advisory Council
- What makes the Family Advisory Council successful
- RCC/SSCY Family Network’s current initiatives to support families
- Upcoming RCC/SSCY Family Network events, where you can access information, and how to get involved
Presented by: Carrie Felices-Costello, Chair of the Family Advisory Council, & Tessa Plett, BSW RSW, Social Worker at RCC and staff liaison for the Family Advisory Council
View the poster for full details.
In the Prosthetic & Orthotic Department, we assess for, design, fabricate, and fit custom prosthetic and orthotic devices. Prosthetic devices serve the function of replacing a missing limb, or part of a limb. Orthotic devices are provided to support joints that may be affected by a variety of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal conditions.
The devices we provide may help to achieve any number of treatment goals, including improved ambulation, prevention of contracture, improved upper extremity function, and participation in recreational activities. All of the prosthetic and orthotic devices we provide are designed to help kids reach their full potential.
In this session you will learn:
- Who we are and what we do
- The process for designing, fabricating, and fitting a prosthetic or orthotic device
- How families access our services
- What new technologies are being used in P&O
- What special projects we have going on currently in our department
Presented by: Chelsea Korstrom, Certified Orthotist, Clinical Service Lead, & Meghan Guglich, Certified Prosthetist, Prosthetics & Orthotics, Rehabilitation Centre for Children
View the poster for full details.
Complex Care is an emerging field in Pediatrics. Children with Medical Complexity encounter the health care system at many different points and are followed by multiple health care professionals in multiple settings. It can be challenging to navigate our complex medical system and achieve cohesive, coordinated care. Complex Care programs work to improve communication and transitions within the healthcare system as well as to support and empower families in navigating care for their child.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the current definition of children with medical complexity
- Appreciate the medical and social challenges these children and families face
- Appreciate the challenges to the system that care for these children present
- Understand what Complex Care is as a specialty and the benefits the field provides
Presented by: Jenette Hayward, MD, FRCPC and Kyle Millar, MD, FRCPC
View the poster for full details.
The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba (CPAM) offers information, referral, support, advocacy, and use of its library to anyone affected with Cerebral Palsy or to those interested in or working with people affected by Cerebral Palsy.
In this session you will learn about:
- The programs provided by CPAM
- The Locked out of Life Campaign
- Our research with the Rehabilitation Centre for Children and the demographics’ study
Presented by: David Kron, Executive Director (CPAM)
View the poster for full details.
Visit the Locked Out of Life website to learn more about the campaign.
Shared Health Manitoba, the newly created provincial health organization, will provide centralized clinical and business services for the regional health authorities.
In this session you will learn:
- What the Health System Transformation is
- What Shared Health is
- What the Provincial Clinical and Preventive Services Plan is
- How to stay up to date with changes and how they affect your work
Presented by: Jeanette Edwards, OT Reg. (MB), MHA, BOT, CHE, Strategic Lead, Community Health, Quality and Learning, Shared Health
View the poster for full details.
Many of the decisions we make in health and social services work are inherently ethical. They challenge values and principles, and often cause moral distress. With decisions involving children and families, the stakes often seem especially high.
This workshop will provide a brief introduction to ethical decision-making for clinicians and teams working in pediatric rehabilitation settings. Using focused case studies, we will:
- Describe the nature of ethical issues in pediatric rehab
- Examine some strategies for ethical decision making
- Unpack an ethical decision-making framework
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this presentation, the participant will be able to:
- Articulate foundational concepts of ethics in health care
- Describe some of the major ethical dilemmas encountered in pediatrics and rehab settings
- Use a decision-making framework to work through a difficult ethical issue
Presented by: Jennifer Dunsford, RN, MN, MPA. Jennifer is a Registered Nurse with clinical experience in medical, surgical, and oncology nursing, and in project management, quality and patient safety. She has been Regional Director for Ethics Services for the WRHA since 2012, and also has responsibility for Accessibility and Policy within the region.
View the poster for more information.
Every Child Every Time aspires to bring our “comfort promise” to life and prevent and relieve pain as much as possible for all children and adolescents who receive healthcare in Winnipeg, and, in the longer term, throughout the province of Manitoba, Canada.
Every Child Every Time works under the umbrella of the Child Health Program of the WRHA and the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health of the University of Manitoba. We are funded by the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- The regulatory perspective of pain management today
- Why pain in children matters
- Every Child Every Time and its activities
Presented by: Dr. med habil. Kerstin Gerhold, MSc.
View the poster for more information.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- The Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre (MATC)
- Mental health services available to children and teens
- How to access mental health and addiction services
Presented by: Ms. Tina Leclair, Program Manager Youth Addictions Centralized Intake and Program Manager Centralized Intake Child and Adolescent Mental Health, and Ms. Lesli Shafer, Retired Program Manager (Dec 2018) Centralized Intake Child and Adolescent Mental Health and MATC ADHD Service
View the poster for more information.
Extra resources:
- Abbreviations
- Child & Adolescent Community Mental Health Workers in Manitoba
- Services available to children and youth at MATC in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- Services available to children and youth at the Health Sciences Centre in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Having a sibling with differences provides the typically developing sibling(s) with both unique opportunities and unique challenges. However, very often siblings’ issues are under serviced and they are often left out of important information regarding their brothers or sisters. Sibshops is an international program that provides siblings with peer support and information in a lively, recreational setting.
Julie Walsh, MSW, RSW, is a Registered Social Worker and family therapist who has been facilitating Sibshops and presenting about sibling’s experiences since 2011. Grace Pagtakhan is a post-baccalaureate student at the University of Manitoba. She has two younger brothers who are autistic, and she has been a peer mentor and facilitator with the Sibshops program since 2012.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- The importance of involving and supporting siblings
- Common concerns siblings may have and ways we can support them
- What Sibshops are
You will also hear from a sibling about her experiences and how she feels service providers could help.
Let’s Talk Sibs presentations are funded by the CHILD-BRIGHT SPOR Network and the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.
View the poster for more information.
Presented by: Brendan Boehr, MS, BCBA, Coordinator of Clinical Education and Training, and Dr. Kerri Walters, C Psych, BCBA-D, Senior Manager, St.Amant Autism Programs
St.Amant Autism Programs is a provincially funded program delivering early intensive behavioural intervention and consultative services to families of children and adolescents on the autism spectrum.
With a growing waitlist and increased number of children being diagnosed with ASD each year, St.Amant is responding by enhancing our existing services with the goal to increase the number of children served each year while upholding our commitment to evidence-based practice.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- A brief history of the Autism Programs and how it has evolved since their pilot project in 1998
- An overview of the key changes to their service models that went into effect September 2018
- An introduction to the essential concepts and principles of contemporary applied behaviour analysis
- A brief review of the evolution of behaviour science over the past few decades
- Some common criticisms and misunderstandings of applied behaviour analysis
View the poster for more information.
Presented by: Diana Renaud, Program Manager, Specialized Teams at SSCY, and Lisa Hurl, Acting CdS Program Director
Children’s disABILITY Services is a voluntary program through the Manitoba Department of Families. We provide resources and supports to families with children with developmental or physical disabilities.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- The background that led to the updated service model
- The current service model
- Eligibility criteria
- Services provided
View the poster for full details.
Presented by: Florencia Ricci, MD, PhD, Child Development Clinic and Neonatal Follow Up Program, Rehabilitation Centre for Children
In this presentation you will learn about:
- The current outcomes of children with critical congenital heart disease
- The role of the Western Canadian Complex Pediatric Therapies Follow Up Program
- How research can improve the “participation” of children with critical congenital heart disease
View the poster for full details.
Presented by: Chris Martin, QCS, The Movement Centre of Manitoba
The Movement Centre of Manitoba is committed to improving the physical health of children with neurological motor disabilities such as cerebral palsy, stroke, and spina bifida. Through the teachings of Conductive Education Rehabilitation, we strive to maximize the independence of our clients. We provide movement and learning opportunities with appropriate motivations and expectations, in order to overcome the challenges faced by the physically impaired population.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- What Conductive Education Rehabilitation is
- What skills clients work on during Conductive Education Rehabilitation sessions
- How Conductive Education Rehabilitation methods can be applied to everyday life
- Why Conductive Education Rehabilitation methods are effective for our client base
View the poster for full details.
Presented by: Marlene Waldron, RCC Director of Outreach Therapy, and Pam Becker, Education Coordinator for Jordan’s Principle Child First Initiative
RCC has been involved with and providing services through Jordan’s Principle since August 2016. Health Canada has requested RCC provide OT, PT and SLP services to children aged birth to school entry in First Nations Communities in Manitoba. We are working with a number of partners to provide these services throughout the province.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- The background of Jordan’s Principle
- What is happening in Manitoba
- Services provided by RCC
- Evaluation survey results
View the poster for full details. The slides are not included in the first part of the webinar, so you may download them here.
Presented by: Matthew Gale, C.E.T., Clinical Technologist, MD&S
MD&S designs, builds and modifies different types of assistive technology and equipment, to help with independence and by assisting children and youth participate in daily activities that they otherwise could not.
In this presentation you will learn about:
- Who we are and what we do
- What equipment we build, how we build it, and why we build it
- How we use new technologies like 3D printing and CNC manufacturing to better serve our children and youth
- How to apply and have us build or modify equipment
View the poster for full details.
Presented by: Kathy Mulder, Physiotherapist
Background: The incidence of deformational plagiocephaly has continued to grow since the introduction of the Back to Sleep campaign. Although it is primarily a cosmetic condition, it can be associated with other diagnoses, including torticollis. Early diagnosis and intervention is ideal. Rising referral rates can impact the ability to provide timely assessment and follow up.
Our project:
- A survey of Canadian pediatric facilities was conducted to examine variations in referral volumes and service delivery models across sites
- Parents have been engaged to help us understand their experiences and preferences
- We will present preliminary data from this quality improvement project and discuss our next steps to provide timely and effective care for this population
View the poster for full details.
Click here to register for the webinar.
This session contained preliminary/unpublished research data, so the presenters have asked us to not post the session recording until after they publish the research. If you have specific questions for the presenters, please contact them directly: Kristy Wittmeier at kwittmeier@hsc.mb.ca.
Presented by: Dr. Ana Hanlon-Dearman, Medical Director, Child Development Clinic and Manitoba FASD Centre
View the poster for full details.
Participation in feeding is important for children of all skill levels from a social and emotional perspective, as well as to enhance communication and development. Yet, children with cerebral palsy (CP) with difficulty feeding and swallowing may be excluded from participation for fear of negative health consequences. This talk will present evidence that feeding training methods can improve participation in safe feeding.
Learning Objectives:
- List the benefits of participation in feeding for all children regardless of their feeding abilities
- Elucidate the pros and cons of balancing risk and fostering participation in feeding
- Articulate the importance of engaging caregivers in feeding training across environments in order to promote safe feeding participation for children with CP
- Identify important elements of caregiver training and resource development in a variety of care settings
Presented by: Dr Gina Rempel and Barb Borton on behalf of the RCC Feeding Clinic
View the poster for full details. Presentation slides coming soon.