New opportunities
The research studies listed below are looking for participants. Each study has received approval from a Research Ethics Board and Grandview Kids. Click on the study title to learn more about who can participate and what you’re asked to do.
Cerebral Palsy Integrated Neuroscience Discovery Network (CP-NET)
Has your child or youth been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP)? If so, consider participating in our research study.
You are being invited to participate in a study that involves building an Ontario Cerebral Palsy (CP) Clinical Database called “CP-NET.” You are invited to participate in this study because you are/have a child who has a diagnosis of CP. The purpose of this project is to store a lot of information about children with all sub-types of CP. This way, researchers and clinicians can try to understand better what causes cerebral palsy and develop treatments and therapies that work in the future.
What’s involved?
Participants will attend three research sessions. The first session occurs shortly after they consent to participate, the second session occurs one year after the first session, and the third session occurs one year after the second session. During these sessions, saliva will be collected from the child and their parents, parents will be asked to complete an interview and some questionnaires and medical records of the child and birth mother (if available) will be requested for review. This will take approximately 1.5-2 hours, and the second and third sessions will take about 30 minutes each. All sessions can be completed on-site or remotely. Forms and other research materials can be mailed to participants’ homes with a return postage stamp to return materials.
Who can participate?
Children aged 2 or more born after Jan 1, 2009, who have CP are invited to participate in CP-NET. Recruitment is ongoing.
Why should you consider participating?
Your participation will enable researchers to study the causes of CP, identify risk factors and develop treatments and interventions to improve outcomes and care for children with CP. Participants will receive a $20 gift card and be reimbursed for parking/public transport at each session if required.
Who do I contact?
If you are interested in participating in this study or have additional questions, please contact our Research Coordinator by emailing research@grandviewkids.ca with your interest. Contacting us does not obligate you or your child to participate in the study.
Study expires: 2028
Virtual hand-arm assessments for children with Cerebral Palsy
What is this study about?
Due to the difficulties families face in travelling for in-person care, hybrid care – a combination of in-person and virtual care – may be a beneficial solution. Health care providers need to identify which services can be provided effectively via video calls versus those that require in-person visits. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of remote hand/arm assessments for children with cerebral palsy (CP) by comparing results obtained in the clinic versus at home. Additionally, participants will wear sensor wristbands to monitor hand-arm activity during daily routines to determine if it is a comfortable and acceptable tool for tracking progress in home-based therapies.
Who can participate?
We are recruiting children and youth who:
- Are between 6 and 17 years of age
- Have a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy
- Handles objects either (1) easily, possibly with some limitations OR (2) mostly, but with somewhat reduced ease OR (3) with difficulty
- Have no history of Botox or constraint therapy in the last two months, or upper extremity surgery in the last six months that impacts upper limb function
- Have a caregiver willing to participate and can answer questions about preferences
- Have an appropriate device and internet access for video conferencing
- Have no visual limitations that would interfere with video conferencing
*Note: interpreters for participants not fluent in English and closed captioning for those with hearing loss are available.
What will I be asked to do?
Week 1
- Informed consent discussion (30-minute video call)
- Pre-study survey completion (30-minute online survey): Demographics information; Access to and use of health services; Checklist of household items
- Study onboarding (1-hour video call): Your family will select two challenging activities of daily living for your child to improve on. Use of inertial sensor wristbands will be demonstrated. Tips for the upcoming virtual sessions will be reviewed.
Week 2
- First Virtual Assessment (About 1-hour video call) and a post-session satisfaction survey (About 5 minutes).
- Wearing the inertial sensor wristbands for five consecutive days during usual daily activities.
Week 3
- Re-test Virtual Assessment (About 1 hour video call) and the post-session satisfaction survey (About 5 minutes)
- In-person Assessment (1.5 hours in-person) 1 to 3 days following the second virtual assessment
Week 4 (optional)
- Interview (30-45 minutes) to discuss the virtual assessment experience
Participants will receive a small token of appreciation for their time.
What are the potential benefits?
You may not directly benefit from participating in this study; however, your participation will help us understand which hand-arm assessments are easy for families in the home-setting.
What are the potential risks?
Some of the assessment tasks may be frustrating for some children.
Who do I contact?
To ask questions or sign up, please contact Gayathiri Rajkumar, Research Coordinator, by emailing research@grandviewkids.ca or phoning 437-837-1905.
Testing a mixed reality video game for home-based practice of arm-hand skills for children with Cerebral Palsy
Do you or your child have Cerebral Palsy? Do you want to play a new mixed reality video game for hand-arm skills training? Participate in our study!
What is this study about?
Bootle Blast is a movement-tracking video game tailored for hand-arm skills training, collaboratively developed by children, game developers, clinicians, and researchers. Using a camera to track movements, the game is adaptable to accommodate various abilities and therapeutic objectives. In this study, we want to find out whether home-based practice with Bootle Blast could potentially improve upper limb function, activity, and participation outcomes in children and youth with Cerebral Palsy.
Who can participate?
We are looking for children and youth who:
- Have hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
- Have some difficulty handling objects (Levels I to III on the Manual Abilities Classification System)
- Are between 6 and 17 years of age with sufficient cognitive capacity and cooperation to play Bootle Blast and complete outcome assessments
- Can answer questions in English about preferences
- Can come to one of the hospital sites (Holland Bloorview, Grandview Kids or CHEO) for a total of 3 in-person study appointments
- Have a large screen (e.g. TV) with an appropriate play space (3m x 3m) in front
- Have at least intermittent access to the internet
- Have time to play Bootle Blast for 15-20 minutes/day, 3-4 days/week for 12 weeks
- Have not received upper limb surgery or botulin toxin injections in the past 4 months
- Have not had constraint-based movement therapy/casting in the previous 3 months that may be associated with changing abilities
- Are not currently or anticipate receiving active treatments impacting upper limb function during the study period
- Do not have uncontrolled epilepsy that may be triggered by video game play
- Do not have a medical condition impeding safe participation in physical activity associated with Bootle Blast
- Do not have visual limitations that interfere with Bootle Blast play
What will I be asked to do?
This study is 24 weeks long. For 12 of the 24 weeks, you will be given the Bootle Blast system to play at home. We will ask your child to play for 15 – 20 minutes/day, 3-4 times per week. For the other 12 weeks, you and your child will continue in your usual activities. You will come to the hospital (Holland Bloorview, Grandview Kids, or CHEO) 3 times during this study for research assessments. We will also ask you and your child some questions about Bootle Blast and your experience.
Participants will receive a small token of appreciation for their time.
Travel costs (up to $50 per visit) are reimbursed.
What are the potential benefits?
You may not directly benefit from this study; however, your participation will help us understand whether home-based practice with Bootle Blast could potentially improve upper limb function, activity, and participation outcomes in children and youth with Cerebral Palsy.
What are the potential risks?
Your muscles may feel sore after playing the games.
Who do I contact?
To ask questions or sign up, please contact Gayathiri Rajkumar, Research Coordinator, by emailing research@grandviewkids.ca or phoning 437-837-1905.
Advancing Schoolyard Inclusion for Autistic Children and their Families
Do you have an autism diagnosis and attend public school in the Greater Toronto Area? OR Do you have a child with an autism diagnosis that attends public school in the Greater Toronto Area?
Consider participating in this important study!
What is this study about?
We want to learn how autistic children and their families experience schoolyards, how they would change their design and operation, and how schoolyards affect their health and well-being.
Who can participate?
- Autistic children aged 5-12 years who attend a public school in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
- Caregivers of autistic children and youth who attend a GTA public school
What’s involved?
- Autistic children will be asked to complete:
- At least one of 3 art activities (photo-taking, drawing, or poetry)
- An interview lasting 30-45 minutes
- Caregivers will be asked to complete:
- An interview lasting approximately 45-60 minutes
- Optional: One or more of 3 art activities
Potential benefits
- Contribute to an important dialogue aimed at improving the inclusive design and operation of schoolyards
- Help to improve how autistic children are engaged in research and practice
Potential risks
- Participation may cause some discomfort or stress
To thank you for your valuable time and input
- You will be offered a gift card for your participation. The amount depends on the activities you do.
- You will be reimbursed for parking and travel expenses incurred.
