Grants

Improving the health of children.

Extended parental leave for new parents from six months to a year

In 1999-2000, SickKids Foundation supported a policy study by the Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN), entitled "The Best Mix for Canadian Children" which recommended sustained social investment in children and families, including governments and employers playing a greater role in helping parents balance work and family commitments. To that end, the CPRN recommended extending parental leave and played an active role in advocating for this policy change at the Federal level. In 2001, the Federal government extended parental leave from six months to a year.

Extended parental leave for families caring for gravely ill children

In 2001, with the assistance of a grant from SickKids Foundation, the Canadian Alliance for Children's Health (CACH) developed a brief on the issues facing families of children who are gravely ill or in need of palliative care. The CACH worked closely with the government to develop policies that support these families. As a direct result of this work, in January 2004 the Federal Employment Insurance regulations were extended so that family members may take up to six weeks off work, and receive compassionate care benefits.

The link between cow's milk and type 1 diabetes

In 1999 SickKids Foundation made a grant to Dr. John Dupré at the London Health Sciences Centre to enable researchers from 14 Canadian centres to meet and develop the research protocol for the Canadian arm of an international trial designed to determine whether a link exists between exposure to cow's milk proteins in early infancy and the development of type 1 diabetes in later childhood in genetically susceptible individuals. One of the results of this meeting was a CIHR grant application in the amount of $10 million over 10 years, making it the largest grant in CIHR/MRC history.

Supporting promising young researchers - and through this, supporting research such as allowing children with brain tumours who cannot speak to find their voice

Over the past 35 years, SickKids Foundation has been committed to supporting the development of many young paediatric researchers who are just beginning their careers. Individuals who have been supported through the Foundation at a crucial moment in their early careers include three of 16 of the current Chairs of Paediatrics in Universities throughout Canada, the only paediatric gastroenterologist in Newfoundland and the physician who founded the only Cystic Fibrosis clinic in New Brunswick. We have also supported promising young researchers such as biomedical engineer Dr. Tom Chau at Bloorview MacMillan, whose research has included developing ways for children with physical disabilities to play music via computer and learn through this to exert control over their environment - which has significant positive psychological and developmental benefits.

Pain in children with physical disabilities

Children with significant cognitive impairment who cannot communicate are at high risk to have poorly managed pain. Working with over 100 children with cognitive impairments and their caregivers, a team at the IWK Grace Health Centre and Dalhousie University developed a tool to measure the pain these children were experiencing, based on both facial and physical movements. The researchers also developed knowledge about the opinions and attitudes of professionals that may interfere with adequate pain management. By sharing the results of this study, it has influenced the health professionals' awareness of pain in children with severe cognitive difficulties. The research provided the tools that will be able to advance research in the area of pain in cognitively impaired children.

Determining the key process involved in underweight fetuses

Fetal growth restriction is the second leading cause of infant mortality in the developed world - with about three per cent of pregnant women being diagnosed with the condition. And of those babies who do survive, the condition can lead to severe complications in adulthood such as heart disease and diabetes. Ottawa researcher Dr. Andree Gruslin and her team have determined that a specific enzyme, known as pro-protein convertase 4 ( PC4) may be responsible for the problem. In order for the placenta to grow, the IGF2 molecule (the most important growth factor for the placenta and fetus) must be activated. The problem in these specific cases is that the IGF2 is not being processed adequately. Dr. Gruslin discovered what activates the molecule, which is the first step to developing appropriate screening and therapy for women carrying fetuses impaired in their growth. With this knowledge, doctors will soon be able to screen women for this defective enzyme early in the pregnancy and monitor the situations more closely.

Using moderate hypothermia to treat acquired paediatric head injury

Dr. Jamie Hutchison and a team of researchers at SickKids have found that using controlled moderate hypothermia to treat children who come into emergency following a severe traumatic brain injury has the potential to reduce short and long term injury. The investigators are continuing to look at the effect of hypothermia on neurological outcomes of children as well as to investigate the possible application of hypothermia to children who have had a stroke.

New test to determine whether bone marrow transplants are succeeding in children

In June 2005, Dr. Michael Glogauer at the University of Toronto announced that he has developed a low-tech saliva test to predict whether a bone marrow transplant is succeeding and whether the patient is at risk of developing an infection during recovery. This test seems to be more successful in predicting the success of bone marrow transplant, is easier for the child than blood tests and detects problems approximately a week sooner than they turn up in blood samples. This research was fully supported through a grant from SickKids Foundation.

A second skin for children who suffer burns and scalds

A child's skin can burn four times more quickly than an adult's. Each year, an estimated 9,000 children in Canada visit hospital emergency rooms for burns and scalds. When a child suffers a serious burn their care often requires hospital admission, follow-up medical visits, rehabilitation, and may leave scars that last a lifetime. Typically, when an adult suffers a serious burn they undergo a skin graft, where a piece of skin from an uninjured area of the patient's body is transplanted to cover the burn area and decrease fluid loss. This is more difficult in children and babies because their bodies have less surface area and often do not have enough uninjured skin available for a graft. Through a SickKids Foundation grant, Dr. Aziz Ghahary, in the Department of Surgery at the University of Alberta and his research group have been developed a skin substitute which will dramatically improve the effectiveness of skin grafts for young patients who have suffered extensive burns. As part of his research, Dr. Ghahary has also discovered a protein that's implicated in how the healing process ends and which may be able to be targeted to one day prevent the scarring process.

HINT (Harris Infant Neuromotor Test) -- A new developmental screening test

Until Dr. Susan Harris developed the Harris Infant Neuromotor Test, or HINT, there were no lab, blood or genetic tests that allowed high-risk babies to be screened for neuromotor or cognitive impairments. The HINT will identify early signs of movement or postural control disorders, such as cerebral palsy or global developmental delays. The HINT is a 15-minute observational test in which babies are placed in several positions depending on their stage of development. Health professionals observe different motor functions and movement patterns. The HINT test has proved to be both a reliable and valid assessment of infants who are at high-risk for developmental delay so that infants can get the early treatment they need to help treat these potential impairments.

Development of several health information and promotion websites

The National Grants Program at SickKids Foundation has also funded the development and creation of several informative websites to promote improved health.

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