Adrian Polidano

July is Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month, which focuses on raising awareness about cleft lip and palate. Cleft lip is a condition characterized by an opening in the upper lip. It occurs as early as the first three months of pregnancy and can cause problems with speech, hearing and social development. Grandview Kid Charlie was born with a cleft lip and underwent a successful cleft palate repair surgery early in life, his story allows us to learn more about cleft lip and how it is treated.

A smiling Charlie with his parents and sister.

The Discovery

It was my second pregnancy and my husband and I went to the standard 18-week ultrasound. The technician said she would be right back with the doctor. I didn’t think anything of it, but my husband was worried. We were informed that Charlie would be born with a cleft lip and palate. I just stared at the doctor for a bit. I knew what that was but couldn’t process it. I just said, “Okay… so what do we do?” The doctor explained that I would need to do some further blood work, a possible amnio, speak with a geneticist, see a fetal cardiologist and set us up with the Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic at SickKids. It was all so overwhelming and it didn’t hit me until I got back to work, which was probably a mistake after receiving news like that. I had to call my husband and I could not stop crying. It was all so devastating for both of us, but all I could think about was how much I already loved our son. I did all the tests, saw all the specialists and we prepared like crazy for this condition before our little boy arrived.

Baby Charlie wearing an off-white knitted sweater. Charlie was born with cleft lip and palate.

The Journey

When Charlie was born I was so happy to finally meet him! Seeing his cleft lip did not phase me at all. He was my sweet, beautiful baby boy. He needed to be fed with a SpecialNeeds Feeder by Medela, which provides help to cleft palate babies who cannot create a vacuum to drink. We had training on how to use that with the help of the wonderful NICU nurses at the hospital in Oshawa. After nine days in the NICU, he was ready to go home. It was my birthday – best birthday present ever! Once we were settled at home, the countless appointments at SickKids began. The amazing team from the Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic consisted of Plastics, ENT, Orthodontics and Speech. Orthodontics plays a HUGE role in helping cleft babies before surgery! They made Charlie a Nasoalveolar molding (NAM), which is a pre-surgical, custom-made orthopedic appliance that essentially brings together the two sides of a cleft lip or palate close together. The NAM caused Charlie pain as he barely slept for 9 months. Once his cleft lip was repaired, he was pain free and we hired a sleep doula to help him sleep through the night. We highly recommend a sleep doula for babies who won’t sleep!

A baby Charlie in a car seat wearing a white hat.

The cleft palate repair was more invasive. Charlie was in a lot of pain post-surgery. For recovery he needed to eat soft foods for 6 weeks, as well as wear pediatric arm restraints to prevent him from putting his hands in his mouth. Charlie also recently had surgery for a cleft palate extension called a pharyngeal flap. This flap creates a bridge at the back of the throat to help the velopharyngeal valve close and prevent air from leaking through the nose when talking. His recovery from that was awful and painful, but he prevailed. Since these surgeries, Charlie has had speech therapy with Grandview, Holland Bloorview and with a private SLP. He works hard every week to improve his speech and has really learned to enunciate each word slowly.

Along with a cleft lip and palate condition comes ear infections. Charlie has had multiple surgeries to insert ear tubes due to ear infections and bouts of hearing loss. Charlie currently has a retracted ear drum. SickKids is hoping it will heal on his own with the warmer summer weather.

Charlie’s journey is far from over. He will still need different types of surgeries to improve his cleft lip and palate condition, up until he is in his 20s. Luckily we have lots of support from SickKids, SLPs, Charlie’s school and from family and friends!

The Awesome Charlie

Charlie loves to swim, especially at our cottage! Charlie loves to play soccer, baseball and Nintendo. He loves to dance and sing. He loves safari animals and is obsessed with lions. He is also quite the thrill seeker as he loves to ride roller coasters! He is a happy, energetic and creative kid. When he is not building forts or having battles with his toys, he likes to goof off with his older sister, Samantha. His laugh is infectious! Charlie is turning 7 in a few months and already decided that he will be having a Super Mario Bros. themed birthday.

Charlie had a beautiful smile with his cleft lip and still does post repair. We love him so much and are so proud of this brave young boy!

A photograph of Charlie wearing a white button-up shirt and a bow-tie.

Written by Grandview Kids Peer Navigator Jacki N.

For the past few summers, I have sat down with my four children and created a Summer Bucket List. We brainstormed 15 items that we wanted to do in the summer, then constructed our list as a family. Going to a splash pad, hosting a family baseball game, and visiting an ice cream truck always seem to make the chart. Each year, we check off most of the list, and I can prioritize what is important to my kids over the summer.

But I was thinking I may put a spin on it this year…

Self-care is essential. When you fill your own bucket, you are a better parent and caregiver. That is why, this summer, I have decided to create my own Self-Care Bucket List (and don’t worry, my children are still getting their Bucket lists). I am going to challenge other Grandview parents and caregivers to do the same thing.

By thinking about my wants, priorities and dreams, I am practicing self-care. Self-care replenishes our energy, focus and positivity; it ensures our needs are being met. So often, we get caught up in the important role of taking care of others that we forget about ourselves.

I recognize that taking time away for some may be difficult due to your child/ren’s needs. Self-care doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive, but it should be meaningful and customized for you. Self-care looks different for everybody. Taking time to rest, re-charge or indulge means you will have more energy and strength to take on the next step in your parenting and caregiving journey.

Let’s see how you can commit to better self-care this summer.

Start your own Summer Self-Care Bucket List:

Grab a pen and paper and write down at least five things you want to do this summer; this equates roughly to one thing every two weeks. Think of places you may want to visit, something you have been putting off, or a new food you want to try. These items can be things you do with your loved ones or on your own. They also can be free or have a cost. The only requirement is that they are what you want to do.

Once your list is complete, put it in a location that is easily visible. Take pleasure in checking off the items on your list and loving yourself.

Here are some ideas from our Grandview Kids’ Peer Navigators’ Summer Bucket Lists:

Read by the water
Ride a roller coaster
Bake a cake
Have a spa day
Visit a new place
Take a course and learn something new
Bike ride in a scenic area
Watch a thunderstorm on the porch
Attend a concert
Revisit your love of woodworking and build a bench

Get hair done
Go on a day trip with extended family
Have a night away or date-night with your spouse
Try a new restaurant
Spend the day with faraway friends/family
Walk outside every day
Try Pilates
Watch a sunset and a sunrise
Start painting again

Go on… get started! What will fill your bucket?

June is National Migraine & Headache Awareness Month (MHAM). Today aims to raise awareness, eliminate stigma, and strengthen community bonding for those within the headache, migraine, and cluster communities. For 2023, MHAM’s theme is Educate Yourself, Educate Others. Here is some general information and resources about headaches and migraines and their impact on the headache community.

The word “headache” is a broad term used to describe pain in the scalp, head and neck. There are many different types of headaches. They may be primary conditions such as tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches, or they may occur due to underlying health conditions. Tension headaches are caused by tense muscles around the head and neck, often due to stress, anxiety or depression and typically feels like dull pressure around the head. Tension headaches may also be triggered by alcohol, too much caffeine or caffeine withdrawal, dental problems such as frequently grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw, eyestrain, keeping your head in one position for a long time or not getting enough sleep.

A picture of a woman experiencing a headache and massaging her temples. — The word headache describes pain in the scalp, head and neck.

The exact cause for cluster headaches isn’t known and, unlike tension headaches, they’re not associated with many triggers. These types of headaches are characterized by sudden, recurring attacks known as cluster periods, which can last from days to months and are followed by a remission period when the headaches stop. A cluster headache consists of extremely severe pain situated in or around one eye that can spread to the rest of the face, head, and neck.

A migraine headache is a neurological condition characterized by recurrent episodes of moderate to severe head pain, often accompanied by additional symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, and sensitivity to smells. Some individuals may also experience them due to visual disturbances, such as flashing lights or blind spots, known as an aura. Migraines can be disabling and can have a significant impact on a person’s daily life, causing them to miss work, social activities, and experience reduced productivity and overall well-being. These headache episodes can last for hours or even days. Migraine pain is usually described as throbbing or pulsating and is often felt on one side of the head, however, it can also affect both sides. Although migraine affects three times more women than men, it can be equally disabling in both genders. Migraine often starts at puberty and mostly affects adults in their productive years, but it can also be present in children and the elderly.

For more information, visit:

As Grandview Kids embarks on expanding its reach in research, innovation and knowledge mobilization, it has recently welcomed Dr. Fiona Moola as a formal Research Associate. Dr. Moola is an Associate Professor at the Toronto Metropolitan University and comes with a long history of research excellence across many children’s hospitals in Canada. She is also a status-only professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Dr. Moola is also a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and operates a small therapy practice for kids and families. Dr. Moola is the second Research Associate to join Grandview Kids.

Grandview Kids is pleased to welcome Dr. Moola as our newest Research Associate. Partnering with her, and harnessing her incredible passion and expertise, we will advance our research efforts to deliver more innovative, evidence-informed and culturally safe services for thousands of children and youth with communication, developmental and physical needs.
Tom McHugh, CEO, Grandview Kids

Maritza Basaran, Dr. Taryn Eickmeier, Dr. Fiona Moola and
Nivatha Moothathamby posing for a photo at the Grandview Kids Main Site in Oshawa shortly after welcoming Dr. Fiona Moola as Grandview Kids' new Research Associate. — From left to right: Maritza Basaran (Grandview Kids), Dr. Taryn Eickmeier (Grandview Kids), Dr. Fiona Moola (TMU) and Nivatha Moothathamby (TMU)

The partnership is built on the founding values of Grandview Kids: Caring and commitment, whole-child and family-centred, trust and respect, innovation and continuous learning, accountability, and excellence. Together with Dr. Fiona Moola, Grandview Kids Executive Lead of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Mobilization, Dr. Taryn Eickmeier, will be able to inform culturally-safe practices to support all clients and caregivers. This partnership advances a commitment to engage children, youth and caregivers in research and innovation – especially in equity-deserving and marginalized communities.

Over the past three years, I have enjoyed many research-interactions with Grandview Kids. Their research is deeply rooted in an ethics of care, humility, listening, decolonization, relationality, and reciprocity with researchers and participants. It brings me great joy to join Grandview Kids as a formal Research Associate in partnership with the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Together, across Grandview Kids and TMU, I look forward to elevating and amplifying paediatric disability research and discovery in Canada with a particular emphasis on listening to the voices of marginalized communities through an equity lens. I feel privileged and honoured that Grandview Kids has generously opened their doors. I look forward to leaving a lasting footprint on paediatric disability research in Canada with Grandview Kids.
Dr. Fiona Moola, Grandview Kids Research Associate

As the only Children’s Treatment Centre in the Durham Region, Grandview Kids is committed to ensuring all children and youth have equitable access to developmental and rehabilitation services. Furthermore, it is imperative that these services are evidence-informed and ethical. Partnerships with researchers, like Dr. Moola, can help ensure clinical and medical staff are delivering the best available therapies and treatments to clients, in a way that supports goals that are meaningful for each family.

More information about Dr. Fiona Moola and the Grandview Kids Research, Innovation and Knowledge Mobilization portfolio can be found on our Research page.

About Dr. Moola

Dr. Fiona J. Moola is an Associate Professor in the School of Early Childhood Studies in the Faculty of Community Services at Toronto Metropolitan University. Dr. Moola is a Canadian-South African who is the daughter of anti-apartheid activists from South Africa. Dr. Moola is a woman of colour.

Dr. Moola completed Undergraduate, Masters, and Doctoral Degrees at the University of Toronto, graduating in 2011. She completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Concordia University in 2012 before joining the Faculty at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Moola comes with a long history of excellence across many children’s in Canada where she has maintained many lines of research. These include a) children with disabilities, play, and physical activity, b) childhood disability and the arts, c) marginalized childhoods, and d) childhood disability, narrative, and storytelling. Dr. Moola also maintains ongoing lines of research in Indigenous childhoods and children’s mental health.

Dr. Moola’s research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Research, TMU, VERTEX, the Holland Bloorview Foundation, and the University of Toronto. Dr. Moola’s work is strongly committed to principles of critical health psychology, social justice, and anti-oppression. Thus far, Dr. Moola has contributed 55 publications (articles and book chapters) to the academic peer reviewed literature. Fiona is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and has a small therapy practice. Fiona also teaches and delivers equity, diversity, and inclusion workshops. Dr. Moola is delighted to join Grandview Kids as its second Research Associate.

Media Contact

Avori Cheyne

Chief Communications Officer

Grandview Kids

647-631-2660

Avori.Cheyne@grandviewkids.ca

A referral is a vital document that initiates the communication and collaboration required to deliver the most appropriate and timely service. The majority of the 7,000 referrals Grandview Kids receives are through fax. A paper-based fax presents security issues, often misses pertinent information and can have illegible handwriting. Up to 15% require follow up, creating a bottleneck and totalling about 350 hours of additional work annually.

Grandview Kids wanted to transform the way all referrals are received by moving to an electronic format, and improving the experience of our clients, staff and community partners. Grandview Kids implemented electronic referral forms using the Ocean eReferral platform, which is funded by Ontario Health for family physicians, hospitals and medical clinics and utilizes cloud-based technology, complies with PHIPA requirements, and integrates with multiple electronic health records.

Ocean’s strict commitment to protecting the personal health information is another reason Grandview Kids switched to the platform. The Ocean eReferral Network boasts the highest security safeguards as it is committed to protecting clients’ privacy, including the encryption of all personal health information before the transmission and storage of a referral. The encryption ensures that no one outside a client’s immediate circle of care can access their personal health information in Ocean.

We are now accepting new client/caregiver self-referrals using Ocean, as well as referrals from doctors. We are also in the process of rolling out the online referral for school partners. As part of Grandview Kids’ commitment to access and equity, we will ensure there are ways for clients, families and partners with limited technology access or experience to submit a referral in other formats.

For more information on Grandview’s referral process, visit our referrals webpage or contact a member of our Service Navigation team at 905-728-1673 ext. 2468.

Nominate a member of Team Grandview for the prestigious Power of One award

At Grandview Kids, we take great pride in our most valuable asset – our team.

Each member of Team Grandview gives their best every day. With every appointment, program or service delivered, our clinicians, staff, students and volunteers help build a welcoming and inclusive environment for all families. All Team Members sparkle, and we’re asking for your input to help them shine.

Has someone on Team Grandview made an impact on the life of your child, youth or family? Nominate them for the Power of One Award.

Any member of Team Grandview can be nominated, including physicians, clinicians, staff, students and volunteers.

One team member will be selected to receive the Power of One award, which will be presented at our June annual Staff Barbeque.

Submit your nomination

Nominations are now open using this online form until Friday, April 28, 2023.

Questions? Please email Communications@grandviewkids.ca.

The Discovery

The Journey

The Awesome Charlie

Start your own Summer Self-Care Bucket List:

About Dr. Moola

Media Contact

Nominate a member of Team Grandview for the prestigious Power of One award

Moyamoya Awareness Day – May 6

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