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SickKids

Formerly known as the SickKids Team Obesity Management Program (STOMP)

Healthy Living Clinic

Location:
170 Elizabeth St., Black Wing, 5th Floor, Room 5255
Phone:
416-813-7654 x228367
Email:
healthyliving.clinic@sickkids.ca
Fax:
416-813-8789
Hours:
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

About the Clinic

We are a family-based program focused on healthy living for youth ages six months to 17 years who are living with high weight for their age. Through a combination of group sessions and individual appointments with team members, we help you and your family make healthy choices that affect nutrition, physical activity, and overall health. Our program uses techniques from treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and family work. These involve learning more about how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are linked, as well as how to improve overall family functioning and increase healthy living practices.

We work with children and youth from our catchment area within the GTA who are living with high weight (relative to height and age) and also meet certain medical criteria. Please talk to your health-care provider about your eligibility.

A father with his son perched on his shoulder smiling at the camera.

Our goal

To help you live your best life with your whole family in mind

In order to be considered for the program, a referral should be sent by your health-care provider (family doctor, paediatrician, paediatric specialist, or nurse practitioner). Once we receive a referral it is triaged and reviewed to ensure you meet program eligibility criteria. If you live closer to another similar program, the referral may be re-directed there (please visit the Ontario Pediatric Bariatric Network for a list of similar programs in Ontario).

If the referral is accepted, you will be sent an information package to learn more about the program. Included are the next steps you can follow to be booked for an intake assessment. The average wait time from referral to intake assessment is about nine months.

Programs

Working with parents and caregivers for children ages 6 months to 9 years

We know from research that working directly with parents and caregivers of younger children is most successful.

Over the two-year program, we offer:​

  • Nutrition Group (virtual) on the first Tuesday of each month from 4 to 5 p.m.
  • Individual check-ins with team members every four to six weeks
  • Medical visits every six months

Working with teens, parents and caregivers​ ages 10 to 17 years

The research tells us that working with the young person along with the help and role modeling of the parents and caregivers results in the greatest success with healthy living.

Over the two-year program, we offer:​

Phase 1: Hybrid

  • Eight-week group education for both teens and parents/caregivers ​(Thursdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m.) OR 2-day in-person workshop on a Friday and Saturday

*Children ages 10 and 11 years do not participate in the groups.​

Phase 2: Hybrid

  • Individual check-ins with team members every four to six weeks
  • Nutrition group (virtual) on the first Tuesday of each month from 4 to 5:00 p.m.
  • Medical visits every six months
A woman sitting on a yoga mat

“I was able to talk about things I usually don’t talk about with others. I really felt successful setting healthy living goals.”

– Patient family testimonial

Pre-appointment Instructions

Preparing for your visit

  • Questionnaires: You will be sent a set of questionnaires via email for both caregivers and teens to fill out prior to your appointment. If they are not completed before your appointment, you may be asked to complete them onsite before being seen as they are an important part of the assessment.
  • Blood work: When you are booked for your intake assessment, you will be informed about any pre-visit blood work or testing. If fasting blood work is required, you will need to make sure you do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the blood draw.
  • Documentation: Please bring a list of any medications you are on as well as any other relevant documentation such as psychoeducational assessments. 
  • Self-care items: As visits, especially intake assessments, can be several hours long, we recommend bringing a snack and some water as well as activities to keep younger children entertained.

Directions

Our clinic is located on the 5th floor, Black Wing, which is on the University Avenue side of the hospital. You will spot a ‘Healthy Living Clinic’ sign hanging in the hallway right outside our waiting room and registration desk, located in room 5255. 

What to Expect During Your Visit

At your intake assessment, you will meet with members of our multidisciplinary team over the course of several hours. Team members gather information about you and your family as well as your current health, dietary intake, activity levels, and overall well-being.  After meeting with you, the team will collaborate to create your initial treatment plan. You will receive an electronic letter shortly after your visit summarizing who you met with and the proposed plan of care.

Resources

For Health-care Providers

  • Youth 6 months to 17 years of age
  • BMI at the 97th percentile with one or more obesity-related comorbidity or BMI ≥ 99th percentile based on WHO growth charts
  • Families in our catchment area

Other clinics

Patients who live closer to the following centers will be re-directed to the closest site.

View a list of OPBN sites in Ontario including their referral criteria and contact information.

We lead the Childhood Obesity Project ECHO to deliver the best practices of care for children and adolescents with obesity.

Register for Paediatric Project ECHO

Obesity Management ECHO Curriculum: eLearning modules that you can view at your own pace. This course gives the fundamentals of paediatric obesity management.

Obesity Canada’s 5As of Obesity Management program was designed as a step-by-step framework for busy non-specialists who manage obesity in their patients.

To learn more about how to talk to your patients and families about weight, watch Communication about weight for health-care professionals.

We offer training opportunities for health-care practitioners interested in learning more about the treatment of childhood obesity. These may include elective rotations or more in-depth training for medical students, residents, nurse practitioners, dietitians, exercise or mental health trainees.

For inquiries about training opportunities, please contact our Program Coordinator via email at healthyliving.clinic@sickkids.ca

 

Coming to a clinic appointment

It's important to come prepared and be on time for a clinic appointment. Visit Coming for Clinic Appointments to read appointment guidelines that are applicable for most clinical appointments at SickKids.

You’ll find information on how to prepare and what to bring, what to do if you/your child are sick before your appointment or you need to cancel,  and important things to know about the SickKids philosophy.

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