Exploring the Parental Perspectives and Experiences With the Use of a Home Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation Device.

Background: A mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) device is a commonly used tool for airway clearance in children with an ineffective cough. Whereas the device has been shown to have multiple benefits, limited evidence exists regarding parents' experiences with its home use in the Canadian context. This study's objective was to explore the perspectives and experiences of parents who receive service through the IWK Health Centre and use an MI-E device at home with their child.

Uncovering the wider impact of COVID-19 measures on the lives of children with complex care needs and their families: A mixed-methods study protocol.

Existing barriers to care were exacerbated by the development and implementation of necessary public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children with complex care needs and their families represent a small portion of the paediatric population, and yet they require disproportionately high access to services. Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 public health measures on this population.

Effectiveness of wheelchair skills training for improving manual wheelchair mobility in children and adolescents: protocol for a multicenter randomized waitlist-controlled trial.

Background: Self-directed mobility during childhood can influence development, social participation, and independent living later in life. For children who experience challenges with walking, manual wheelchairs (MWCs) provide a means for self-directed mobility. An effective MWC skills training program exists for adults, but controlled trials have not yet been documented in children and adolescents.

Epidemiology of spinal muscular atrophy caused by SMN1 deletions in Maritime Canada.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), caused primarily by deletions in SMN1, leads to progressive loss of lower motor neurons. Newborn screening for SMA is under consideration for the Maritime Newborn Screening Program. The incidence of this disease has not been explored in Maritime Canada which includes the provinces of Nova Scotia (NS), New Brunswick (NB), and Prince Edward Island (PEI).