Adrian Polidano

Written by Aurora, OTA/PTA student

Due to the pandemic, student placements are hard to come by and I am very fortunate that I can have an in-person placement this year. Being a student in the pandemic has been very different with learning. Grandview Kids is full of so many learning opportunities to teach skills related to different professions. There are some differences in types of therapy tools that can be used as things must be sanitized properly so they are safe to use in sessions. This just means that there is an added element of extra creativity to make every session fun and full of learning for each child.

Photo of placement student, Aurora, donned in Personal Protective Equipment, which includes a blue dispoable face mask and a face shield. — OTA/PTA student, Aurora, donned in PPE

I have been at Grandview Kids for my placement since the beginning of January. I have been able to gain so much experience during my time with Grandview Kids. Even with personal protective equipment (PPE) and the safety added for everyone, I have been able to get a great learning experience with Grandview Kids.

Written by Grandview Kids CEO, Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann

It’s been one year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a “pandemic.” That was the day everything changed. The federal government has declared March 11, 2021 as a National Day of Observance to commemorate the people who lost their lives due to novel coronavirus and the significant impacts it’s had on all Canadians.

The first reported case of COVID-19 in Ontario was January 25, 2020. On March 12, public schools were ordered to close for two weeks following March Break. Grandview Kids closed our centres on March 14. On March 17, a state of emergency was declared in Ontario. Closure of all non-essential businesses was ordered on March 23. By March 31, all provincial parks and outdoor amenities were closed, and it was announced that schools would be closed until the end of May, subsequently extended for the remainder of the school year. Grandview Kids restricted access to urgent and critical services only, began to offer virtual services and would not re-open for in-person services until September 2020 (read more here).

Everyone was asked to stay home and not visit friends or extended family. Shops were forced to close their doors and layoff employees. People and businesses scrambled to secure personal protective equipment (PPE) as global demand quickly exceeded available supply. Our teams worked around-the-clock to figure out how Grandview Kids would still be able to operate, knowing thousands of clients and their families were relying on us.

We thought maybe this was just temporary, and that we would all be “back to normal” soon. How untrue this sentiment would prove to be.

In the year that’s unfolded since COVID-19 entered our daily conversations, Grandview Kids has experienced much change and uncertainty. The pandemic has affected our personal lives and our daily work.

We cannot discount the detrimental toll the pandemic has had on our community at large, with public health measures designed to protect our physical health, leading to a deterioration in our collective mental health.

COVID-19 physical distancing guidelines displayed at the entrance of the Grandview Kids Main Site in Oshawa.

COVID-19 has undeniably brought about much despair. We miss our friends and family. We long for freedom to travel locally, domestically and abroad. Essential workers have tirelessly “showed up” to ensure our basic needs are met. Loves ones have died alone. Businesses have closed down – some forever. Thousands of people have lost their jobs. The economy is struggling. Kids and teens are longing for human interaction. Parents are exhausted, balancing work commitments, family responsibilities and virtual learning. It has not been easy. But through these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, we have prevailed – as a society, as Team Grandview.

The pandemic was also a powerful catalyst for positive change. It forced many people to slow down and take stock of their health and priorities. Organizations began to offer flexible work arrangements, overhauling the traditional workplace structures that had limited so many for decades. Rapid innovations in technology and medicine occurred. Communities rallied together. Human rights issues were propelled to the forefront. COVID-19 ushered in a time of unprecedented global change, unmatched in our lifetime.

Available PPE ready to be checked-out by Grandview Kids staff.

Because of COVID… we accelerated our adoption of virtual care practices. Since March 2020, we have delivered nearly 24, 000 virtual visits to clients (compared to three the year prior)! While the uptake was challenging, requiring a massive undertaking to enhance our technology infrastructure, telepractice meant we could keep caring for the children and youth who needed us.

Because of COVID…we challenged outdated policies and procedures to modernize our care approach, embedding extensive pandemic safety protocols. We are proud to report zero workplace COVID-19 transmissions or outbreaks.

Because of COVID… we harnessed all the power and passion that is “Team Grandview” to respond and recover.

Because of COVID… we re-defined our future, to which we have arrived. I cannot thank our dedicated staff and volunteers enough, across all roles and disciplines, for their unwavering commitment and compassion since the COVID-19 health crisis began. I am privileged to lead this team. We got through this – together. The Grandview Way.

Grandview Kids staff member posing and smiling at desk while working from home — Grandview Kids staff member working from home.

Now, to look ahead….

Thinking beyond the pandemic

When I think about how far we have come and where we are going, the words “recovery and resilience” come to mind. COVID-19 consumed us, but it didn’t break us. We are moving into recovery. We will talk more about a recovery framework for Grandview Kids in the weeks ahead.

We have fostered incredible resilience as individuals, as a community, and as an organization in response to COVID-19; this learning will continue for many years to come as the residual effects of the pandemic become more apparent.

A series of research studies recently published have shed light on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on children with disabilities and their families – the people we serve and support at Grandview Kids.

70% school-aged children and youth surveyed in Ontario had their mental health harmed during the first wave of the pandemic between April and June 2020.¹
- Children in general fared worse across six domains of mental health — depression; anxiety; irritability; attention span; hyperactivity; and obsessions or compulsions.¹
- Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) reported the greatest deterioration in depression, irritability, attention span and hyperactivity.¹
In a survey of adults with disabilities or parents to children with disabilities, almost all respondents were worried about: catching COVID-19, friends and family, becoming seriously sick, being bored, getting food.²
- Many respondents (60%) said these four important needs are not being met: leisure and recreation programs, emotional counselling, peer support, transportation.²
- Most respondents (82%) said the pandemic has hurt their mental health.²
- Most adults with disabilities (80%) also said they are more isolated and lonelier.²
- People with disabilities are more likely to be isolated during the pandemic than other people.²
- Over half of parents or caregivers said that their child with a disability gets less exercise during the pandemic.²
- Over 40% said that their child’s eating habits have become worse.²
In a national survey, many parents reported that they were concerned about their children’s social engagement.³
- Almost three-quarters of participants (71%) were very or extremely concerned about their children’s opportunities to socialize with friends, and more than half (54%) of participants were very or extremely concerned about their children’s loneliness or social isolation.³
- Turning to parents’ concerns about their families, their top concern was about balancing child care, schooling and work, with 74% of participants reporting feeling very or extremely concerned in this regard.³
In a national survey about at-home learning during the pandemic, a higher proportion of participants whose family included a child with a disability reported being very or extremely concerned about their child’s academic success.⁴
A study conducted by Public Health Ontario revealed that the reduction in outdoor activities, free play and social interactions may be associated with an increase in children’s depressive symptoms, anxiety, irritability, boredom and stress. These effects are in addition to potential financial stressors, such as unemployment and loss of income in families due to the pandemic.⁵
- Evidence shows community-based public health measures implemented in response to COVID-19 may be negatively affecting factors related to children’s healthy growth and development.⁵
- Reported effects of the COVID-19 public health response so far have been decreased vaccination coverage, decreased movement behavior, impacts on nutrition (e.g., low physical activity, poor diet, increased screen time and sedentary behavior) and on children’s mental health.⁵

We cannot ignore this data. As a trusted service provider for families throughout Durham Region, we need to continue to offer the quality care expected of us, while considering how to adapt our offerings to meet new needs in our community – attributed to the fallout of COVID-19. We have much work to do. We are committed to ensuring the voices of clients and caregivers are captured in our recovery planning. And we are committed to ensuring the wellness and success of our staff in our recovery work ahead.

Little girl holding her stuffed animal close to her, sits in front of her computer on Zoom with Santa and Mrs. Claus. — Grandview Kids child visiting Santa virtually this year instead of in-person due to the physical distancing measures.

Throughout the pandemic, families told us we were their “lifeline.” When everything else seemed chaotic, and all sense of normalcy was lost, counting on a visit or appointment with Grandview Kids created a sense of support and routine so many people longed for. This fills us with pride. Now we must endeavour to keep the momentum going, one year later, one year after COVID-19 “took over.”

We must reclaim all that we strive for at Grandview Kids. Our recovery will lead to our resurgence. And, by 2024, when we move into the “New Grandview Kids” – we will emerge stronger amid the true renaissance of Grandview Kids.

References:

Cost, K.T., Crosbie, J., Anagnostou, E. et al. Mostly worse, occasionally better: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Canadian children and adolescents. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01744-3
Abilities Centre and The Canadian Disability Participation Project. (2021). COVID-19 Disability Survey. https://abilitiescentre.org/Abilities/media/Documents/Covid-survey-report-Dec-18_1.pdf
Findlay, L., & Arim, R. (2020, July). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian families and children. (The Daily).
Greenlee, E., & Reid, A. (2020). Parents supporting learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 45-28-0001 2020001 no. 00040. Statistics Canada. Ottawa.
Public Health Ontario (2021). Negative impacts of community-based public health measure during pandemic on children and families.

Additional articles of interest:

As the world continues to adjust and adapt to our new normal in the wake of COVID-19, people across communities still face much adversity and uncertainty. For children and youth with disabilities and their families, the effects of the pandemic are far more exacerbated and devastating. The British Columbia Representative for Children and Youth’s December 2020 report, Left Out, revealed how COVID-19 disproportionally affected families of children and youth with special needs. The report reinforced the need to keep disabled children not only physically safe, but also look after their psychological and emotional wellbeing.

For 67 years, Grandview Kids has provided specialized programs, outpatient clinical treatment, and support to thousands of children and youth and their families with physical, communication and developmental needs and their families. We see first-hand, every day how crucial early and continuous intervention is to help these children and youth live life to their full potential. When COVID-19 forced our society to shut down in March 2020, Grandview Kids worried about the impact on clients we serve. For many families, Grandview Kids is a lifeline, there to support and guide them during challenging and emotional times throughout their child’s development.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) laid out on a table for Grandview Kids staff to access — PPE laid out for staff to use at the Grandview Kids Main Site in Oshawa.

We closed our sites in March 2020 when little was known about the COVID-19 virus. We nimbly responded, moving services online to offer clients virtual appointments. Dedicated teams worked to secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies for staff, while also implementing a series of evidence-based Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) protocols to keep clients, families and staff safe when we were ready to re-open for in-person services.

Some Grandview Kids clients with complex needs continued to receive safe, effective in-centre care from our committed clinical and medical teams early on in the pandemic. In September 2020, we safely re-opened five of our eight locations for in-person appointments. Some sites could not accommodate our enhanced pandemic protocols, so they remain closed.

When planning to re-open, Grandview Kids’ top priority was safety, but we could not discount the risk to families the longer we stayed closed for in-person services. We acted quickly to make sure we could be there to fill some of the significant gaps in in our clients’ lives, which had been created by the pandemic.
Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann, Chief Executive Officer, Grandview Kids

Maintaining a routine induces a sense of discipline as well as safety in children, which is important for their psychological and emotional development. Making adjustments to routines, such as experiencing school closures, social distancing and/or confinement to home, can prove to be a real struggle for children with physical and mental disabilities (Bartlett et al., 2020). Disrupting access to these children’s Grandview Kids therapists and services would only aggravate the problem.

When considering the populations Grandview Kids serves, challenges of online learning coupled with a lack of at-home recreational activities can prove to be frustrating for children with physical disabilities. Furthermore, developing social skills and social interaction is one of the hardest issues for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Hills, 2020).

We have witnessed many families in crisis since COVID-19 took over our lives, as supports for their children were impacted while service providers figured out a response plan. While the fallout continues, the adverse effects on children’s health and wellbeing increases every day, making access to agencies like ours even more critical.
Dr. Carolyn Hunt, Medical Director, Grandview Kids

Grandview Kids’ safe-re-opening strategy means that these families were once again connected to the life-changing care they had come to rely on. It has been a learning experience for Grandview Kids teams, but they are united in a shared purpose to continue offering the quality, compassionate care that families have come to know and expect from Grandview Kids.

Physiotherapist with mask and screen stretching a child on a ball. Safety measures of physiotherapists in the Covid-19 pandemic. Osteopathy, therapeutic chiromassage — Child receiving physiotherapy treatment.

Grandview Kids continues to innovate its service delivery approach in response to COVID-19. We offer virtual sessions across programs and disciplines, as well as in-person appointments, appreciating some families and children prefer face-to-face interactions, while some therapies and assessments are not conducive to telepractice.

Despite the pandemic, demand for our paediatric medical and rehabilitation services continues to grow across Durham Region, exceeding 19,000 children and youth every year. Backed by the ongoing support of our local community, Grandview Kids remains committed to delivering exceptional services to families who need us, especially as we look ahead to beginning construction on our new Centre of Excellence and headquarters in Ajax.

References:

Bartlett J.D., Griffin J., Thomson D., 2020. Resources for supporting children’s emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Trends. Retrieved from: https://www.childtrends.org/publications/resources-for-supporting-childrens-emotional-well-being-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

Charlesworth, J., Representative for Children and Youth (2020). Left out: Children and youth with special needs in the pandemic. Retrieved from: https://rcybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CYSN_Report.pdf Hills F. The Atlantic; 2020. The Pandemic is a Crisis for Students with Special Needs. Retrieved from: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2020/04/special-education-goes-remote-covid-19-pandemic/610231/

In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8) and the inaugural Canadian Women Physicians Day (March 11), we honour excellence within the Grandview Kids women-led Medical Services team. This month, Grandview Kids welcomes its fourth female developmental paediatrician to its ranks, offering improved access to clinical expertise and support for the community it proudly serves.

Dr. Nicole Fischer joins Grandview Kids on March 23, under the leadership of Medical Director and developmental paediatrician, Dr. Carolyn Hunt. The team also comprises developmental paediatricians Dr. Shannon Knights and Dr. Abby Siapno.

I am proud to lead this team of women professionals, who make a difference every day with their expertise and caring. Developmental paediatrics is a specialization that requires intense education and a sincere passion for helping kids, who often reach us at a critical point in their lives. We are humbled to use our knowledge to provide families with answers, support and care to enable their children to live life to the full potential.
Dr. Carolyn Hunt, Medical Director and Developmental Paediatrician

This all-female, powerhouse group of doctors provides specialized care for children and youth with a wide range of developmental needs/disorders/disabilities. These needs range from cognitive or learning, global developmental, autism, motor issues, as well as genetic, language, hearing, visual and behavioral disorders. Developmental paediatricians provide consultation and work closely with others in a child’s or youth’s “circle of care,” integrating information from families, other specialists and health discipline team members. They advocate for optimizing child and youth abilities within the family, school or daycare, culture and community.

Meet the Grandview Kids Developmental Paediatricians

Dr. Carolyn Hunt, Medical Director and Developmental Paediatrician

Dr. Hunt earned a Medical Doctorate at McMaster University, later completing a Residency at the University of Western Ontario and paediatric fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children. She worked as a developmental paediatrician at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital before joining Grandview Kids in 2005, subsequently taking over as the Centre’s Medical Director in 2008. In this role, she supervises the Medical Services team, who deliver over 5,000 visits (of Grandview Kids’ total 100,000 visits) to children/youth with disabilities per year. Dr. Hunt’s research has been published in several medical journals, and she chairs Grandview Kids’ Research Committee. She is an active member of the Physicians of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Advocacy (PONDA) group. Dr. Hunt also acts as an Associate Professor within the University of Toronto’s Paediatrics Department, previously teaching at Ontario Tech University.

Dr. Shannon Knights, Developmental Paediatrician

Dr. Knights completed her undergraduate degree in Life Sciences, as well as Medical Doctorate at Queen’s University. Her postgraduate medical training was completed at the University of Toronto, including paediatric residency at The Hospital for Sick Children and a fellowship in Developmental Paediatrics at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Knights successfully completed her Royal College subspecialty examination in Developmental Paediatrics in 2015, working at Grandview Kids since then. She sits on Grandview Kids’ Research Committee, and is a co-investigator in the provincial CP-NET Research Program. Dr. Knights holds a Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor position at the University of Toronto. Since 2019, Dr. Knights has been the Head of the Community Section of Developmental Paediatrics, and is actively involved in teaching medical trainees in the field of Child Development.

Dr. Abby Siapno, Developmental Paediatrician

Dr. Siapno is a Developmental Paediatrician. She trained as a physical therapist and paediatrician in the Philippines before moving to Canada. Dr. Siapno attended McMaster for a paediatric residency, completed her Canadian examinations, and went on to do a fellowship in Developmental Paediatrics at The Hospital for Sick Children and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. She has passed the prestigious Royal College Examinations in Developmental Paediatrics. Dr. Siapno leads Grandview Kids’ Ajax West team, providing resources to families and looking for innovative solutions to communicating with families. Outside of work, she actively volunteers for the Speaking of Dog rescue as a foster parent for dogs looking for their fur-ever home.

Dr. Nicole Fischer, Developmental Paediatrician

Dr. Fischer possesses a Medical Doctorate, Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy, and Undergraduate in Biomedical Sciences. She is currently finishing her fellowship at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and previously completed her residency in paediatrics at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Dr. Fischer’s work has been featured in medical journals and conferences. She’s received multiple awards and honours, including the 2019 Canadian Paediatric Society Developmental Paediatrics Resident Research Grant. Dr. Fischer’s commitment to paediatric care is also evidenced in her vast volunteer experience, including multiple student teaching and mentorship roles throughout her residency and fellowship. She’s also done placements in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and rural Uganda.

About Canadian Women Physicians Day

March 11, 2021 is the first-ever Canadian Women Physicians Day, started by Canadian Women in Medicine, which aims to connect and support women physicians in a way that allows them to thrive in all aspects of their lives: professional and personal. Currently, more than 40% of Canadian physicians are women. The celebration coincides with the date of licensure of Dr. Jennie Trout, the first woman licensed to practice medicine in Canada. Dr. Trout advocated tirelessly for medical education for women.

James came to Grandview Kids when he was just over a year old. Here, he met his Physiotherapist, Winnie, to improve his physical skills. In his early physiotherapy sessions, James and his mother, Hayley, practiced skills he had never worked on before. The movements were new and challenging to James. While experiencing difficulties, he would cry to let his mother know that he was outside his realm of comfort. Hearing her son vocalizing his discomfort was hard for Hayley.

After continuing to practice and seeing James’ progress, Hayley recognized the importance of not giving in. She wanted to see her son succeed. This shift in progress was the ‘turning point’ for Hayley. Moving forward, Hayley wanted to be the strong figure she knew her son needed to reach his full potential. This is a lesson Hayley wants to share with other families who may be in the same situation. She tells her story below and hopes to inspire others with her experience and James’ progress, thanks to the incredible support of his Physiotherapist, Winnie.

Things I wish I knew then, that I know now

Written by Grandview Kids parent, Hayley

From the very beginning, James had struggles, and as a mother, my instincts were to keep my baby safe, free from harm and discomfort. I began to anticipate James’ every need because he was struggling day-to-day for reasons out of my control. I did everything in my power to control whatever I could to provide him with some comfort and relief. When I met with Winnie at Grandview Kids for our first assessment, James was around 13-months-old. At this time, he was not able to sit up on his own, let alone roll over. James spent the majority of the appointment comfort nursing as I explained his first year of life.

It was apparent that James needed a significant amount of support, and that’s when our journey with Winnie began. When I think back to this time, and to where I am now, all the things I have seasoned through and how much growth James and I have had, I wish I could go back to our very first session and tell myself to be strong ‘like a rock’ and push. I wish I could tell myself that we both would get through this, and come up on the other side.

Three things I wish I knew then, that I know now

1. In the beginning, there will be crying… a lot of crying.

For our littles, this is all new to them. Physiotherapy is hard; kids don’t want to do these hard things, and crying is how they let us know. Once I realized that: a) this was not in any way hurting him, it was him telling me, “it’s hard, Mom;” and b) if I did not toughen up and be strong for him, he was going to make NO progress. It was my job as his mom to push him when he needed the push, or I was holding him back from reaching his full potential and having a better quality of life. Every time I would stop a session to comfort James, I would teach him that if he would cry, Mommy would just put an end to it. These habits are hard ones to break and can be a big downfall as you continue with care. Two years into speech therapy, and I am still trying to correct habits like this. I can assure you that as time goes on, the crying will be less and less, and then one day your child will enter a session willingly.

James learning to stand with his mother, Hayley, right behind supporting him. (Click on to watch)

2. If you do not practice what is taught in the session, progress will be slow and stagnant.

Once a week, or every two, is not enough to learn these huge skills, but repetition enables this. It’s so hard for special needs parents to stay on top of it all, but time needs to be set aside for progress to happen. I could shake my old self about this one; I still have some guilt hanging around.

James experiencing success and showing off his little smile. (Click to watch)

3. Sometimes, progress is minimal.

It is a slow, slow process, and then sometimes there will be a leap. Whatever the case, try and keep a level head. And, if you can truthfully say, with an honest heart, you are doing everything you can in that moment, then find comfort in knowing it will come. I’m so proud of James (and myself!) for how far we’ve come.

James walking his dog – he’s come so far! (Click to watch)

If you have a story about your Grandview Kids experience you’d like to share, email communications@grandviewkids.ca to be featured.

Being mindful of one’s impact on the environment is important in building habits that help foster a more sustainable way of living. The Explorer Room Class at Campbell Children’s School have been challenging themselves through the Canadian Geographic Education’s Classroom Energy Diet Challenge to be more conscious of their environmental impact. The challenges they have been working on range from conserving their energy and water consumption, to growing plants, to even just learning more about how they can be more environmentally friendly each day. Now the Explorer Room students would like to include Grandview Kids on the fun they are having! Each week, this blog post will be updated with a new challenge for Grandview Kids to get thinking about how to lead an environmentally friendly life.

Send a picture of you completing each week’s challenge to communications@grandviewkids.ca to be featured on our social media pages!

Scroll below to view each week’s Eco Challenge!

Week 1

To kick-off the Eco Challenge, Explorer Room students would like to challenge Grandview Kids to recycle 10 things in one day. Think you’ve got this one in the bag (or should we say, recycling bin)? If you’ve successfully completed this challenge, the students would love to see!

Challenge 1: Can you recycle 10 things today?

Week 2

For week 2 of the Eco Challenge, Explorer Room students would like to challenge Grandview Kids to save 1 hour of power each day this week. Whether in the morning, afternoon or evening, we want you to make it work for your routine! Feel free to take inspiration from the Explorer Room class – instead of reading under a bright light, change it up and read by the window. The smallest changes can make the biggest differences in our ecological footprints!

Challenge 2: Can you save 1 hour of power?

Week 3

For week 3 of the Eco Challenge, Explorer Room students would like to challenge Grandview Kids to innovate by creating “A Green-Powered Canada.” The challenge is to learn about renewable and non-renewable energy and how that can impact the future of Canada. They learned about solar and wind energy, so to compliment their lesson, they are building a Canadian community with a more earth-friendly theme. There are solar-powered street lights, windmills for energy production, electric vehicles and even community gardens to help reduce food miles! How would you design your green community?

Click here for the entire lesson from Canadian Geographic Education’s Classroom Energy Diet Challenge.