Parents, caregivers and the general public were invited to attend a Public Forum on Cerebral Palsy (CP) on June 6, 2010 during a Brain Development Conference on CP and other pediatric ailments affecting the brain.
This event was organized by an MUHC research group led by Dr. Michael Shevell, director of the Neurology department at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, involved with the NeuroDevNet, initiative dedicated to studying children’s brain development from both basic and clinical perspectives.
A diverse group of panellists (patient, parent, clinician, physiotherapist, researcher and an administrator of a rehab facility) discussed important issues relating to research surrounding cerebral palsy.
| Moderator | Panelists | ||
 Dr. Michael Shevell, researcher in neurodevelopment disabilities and cerebral palsy from the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC |
 Melissa Anne Dyke, patient |
 Marlene Ahmarani, Family representative |
 Lynn Dagenais, Physiotherapist, Centre de Réadaptation Marie Enfant, CHU Sainte-Justine |
 Dr. Marie-Emanuelle Dilenge, Pediatric Neurologist |
 Jerome Yager, Professor, University of Alberta |
 Nathalie Trudelle, Chef de Programme DMC, Centre de Réadaptation Marie Enfant, CHU Sainte-Justine |
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Cerebral palsy (CP) affects 140 children in Quebec each year. Caused by brain lesions; CP is the most common cause of physical impairment encountered in pediatrics. It impairs motor development and motor function and may also be associated with intellectual, speech, hearing and visual impairments and epilepsy. Its frequency can be expected to increase due to the growing number of prematurely born children.
About cerebral palsy: www.cerebralpalsycanada.com
About Childhood disability: www.childhooddisability.ca
About NeuroDevNet
NeuroDevNet is the first trans-Canadian network of experts working across traditional disciplinary boundaries and sectors with linkages to community groups and industry, dedicated to helping children and families overcome brain development disorders. NeuroDevNet, one of Canada’s Network of Centres of Excellence, supports transformative research, provides mentorship opportunities, empowers communities with new knowledge and leads the process for the translation of knowledge into real life solutions. The Network’s current research areas are Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. www.neurodevnet.ca