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SickKids

Developmental Paediatrics

Location:
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, Ontario
Phone:
416-425-6220
Email:
info@hollandbloorview.ca

The Division of Developmental Paediatrics is located at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and consists of full-time academic clinicians, as well as a community section of developmental paediatricians.   

A clinical focus on child development

The main clinical focus of the division is on childhood neuro-developmental and neuro-rehabilitation disorders. Children with complex developmental disorders have neurologically-based problems that impact their development in a multifaceted way. These children present with delays in their language, social, learning or motor development, and have complex developmental needs.  

Diagnoses commonly include acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, developmental impairment, neuromuscular disorders, and spina bifida. The developmental paediatrician works with the child and family as part of a multi-faceted team including developmental psychologists, therapists (physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language), nurses and social workers 

Assessment and treatment

Comprehensive assessment and treatment programs are run for children and youth with conditions such as cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, neuromuscular disorders and spina bifida. Inpatient services are provided for children with medical conditions requiring complex continuing care and acquired brain injury.  

Specialized assessment clinics provide diagnostic assessments for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders with clinics located at Holland Bloorview as well as regional developmental clinics situated throughout the metropolitan Toronto area. The division runs a psychopharmacology clinic providing consultation for children and youth with complex neuro-behavioural needs. 

Programs and services

The Division of Developmental Paediatrics offers programs and clinical services at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.   

Program and services offered include augmentative communication, autism/learning/behaviour, brain injury rehab, child development, complex continuing care, early learning and development, psychopharmacology, spina bifida as well as others. 

Patients are seen at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Information regarding the referral process and services offered and what to expect during a visit may be found on the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab website

Who we are

Our mission: In unparalleled partnership with children, youth and families, we deliver outstanding personalized, inter-professional care; maximize function through cutting-edge treatment and technology; co-create ground breaking research, innovation and teaching; connect the system; and drive social justice for children and youth with disabilities. 

Our vision:  The most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth and families. 

 

Our tagline:  A world of possibility. 

 

Our values:

  • Courage and Resilience 
  • Compassion 
  • Excellence 
  • Equity 
  • Innovation 

Key staff

Division Head:

Dr. Darcy Fehlings, Developmental Paediatrics 

Expand our key staff section for a list of our internal and community paediatricians.

  • Dr. Shannon Knights, Community Program Director
  • Dr. Ghassan Abu-Kuwaik 
  • Dr. Jennifer Das
  • Dr. Nikki Fischer
  • Dr. Cynthia Goldfarb 
  • Dr. Janine Flanagan 
  • Dr. Dana Frisch 
  • Dr. Mark Handley-Derry 
  • Dr. Carolyn Hunt 
  • Dr. Anita Jethwa 
  • Dr. Nicky Jones-Stokreef 
  • Dr. Peggy Kirkpatrick 
  • Dr. Zina Levichek 
  • Dr. Deepali Mankad
  • Dr. Anne Richards 
  • Dr. Lilliana Rojnica 
  • Dr. Abigail Siapno
  • Dr. David Shawn 
  • Dr. Clive Schwartz 
Award

Staff awards

Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou: The 2018-2019 Gerry Bloomfield Award for outstanding contributions to the MCYS Ontario Autism Program Advisory Committee, Autism Ontario, Canada (Distinction) 

Research activities

Many of our faculty are involved in research activities. The Bloorview Research Institute was established in 2004 and is dedicated to improving the lives of children with disabilities through client and family-centred rehabilitation research. Explore the diverse number of labs at the Institute that are conducting research in various aspects of childhood disabilities.

Get involved in research

Families are a critical resource for ongoing research activities and the Research Family Engagement Committee works in partnership with the Bloorview Research Institute to engage families in research. 

Education and training opportunities

Developmental Paediatrics Fellowship Program

The two-year fellowship in Developmental Paediatrics is based in the multidisciplinary environment of the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Centre, both academic health science centres of the Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto. 

The objective of the fellowship in Developmental Paediatrics is the training of academic paediatricians with in-depth expertise in child development and behaviour, both normal and abnormal, spanning the full age range from the prenatal period to late adolescence.  

Such expertise enables the trainees to be comfortable with the assessment, formulation and management of the full spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders including such conditions as: cerebral palsy, mental retardation, learning disabilities, autism, attention deficit disorders, developmental effects of recurrent or chronic illness, behavioural, psychophysiological and social-emotional problems. Clinical training also emphasizes the longitudinal nature of these problems and the importance of the ongoing relationship between the caregivers and the child and family.  

The sections below expand for details on program scope, application protocols and other opportunities.

The fellowship program is two years in length, and is usually entered after three or four years of approved paediatric residency training. Prospective applicants to the fellowship must be Canadian citizens or have landed immigrant status. The fellowship is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

The second year of training is focused on completion of a research project. Areas of research interest amongst faculty include: autism and pervasive developmental disorders, ADHD, relationships between seizure disorders and learning, neurogenetic syndromes, spasticity management, rehabilitation, community paediatric/developmental network and service delivery models, as well as medical education in developmental paediatrics. 

Interested applicants should apply 14-18 months in advance of requested onset of training. For further information regarding the Developmental Paediatrics Fellowship contact Dr. Angela Orsino at: aorsino@hollandbloorview.ca. 

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital provides various opportunities for students at all levels. Further information is available via Holland Bloorview's Centralized Student Services.

Contact Developmental Paediatrics

 

Emailinfo@hollandbloorview.ca 

 

Phone numbers:

Autism Diagnostics416-425-6220 ext. 3334

Bloorview Research Institute: 416-425-6220  ext. 3500 

Child Development Program: 416-425-6220  ext. 3832

 

Address:

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital 

150 Kilgour Road 

Toronto, Ontario 

M4G 1R8 

Our history

The Division of Developmental Paediatrics was created within the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Paediatrics on March 1, 2005. 

The division was created in response to recent major advances in this important area of paediatrics. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has recognized that developmental paediatrics represents a defined body of knowledge meriting recognition as a separate subspecialty area within paediatrics. 

The training program at the University of Toronto was recently granted “accredited without certification” status by the College. In addition, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital (formerly known as the Bloorview MacMillan Children’s Centre) have created an enhanced child development program which provides a single access point and triage system for families and consolidate resources, with a goal of seeing more children sooner. 

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