Dr. Darcy Fehlings
Program Lead
Biography
Dr. Darcy Fehlings is Head of the Division of Developmental Paediatrics and is a Professor in the Department of Paediatrics, at the University of Toronto. She is the inaugural holder of the Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Developmental Paediatrics. Dr. Fehlings is a Senior Clinician Scientist in the Bloorview Research Institute. Her research focuses on the innovation and evaluation of interventions for children with cerebral palsy. She is the lead investigator of an Ontario Brain Institute integrated neuroscience network focused on children with cerebral palsy (CP-NET) and leads the CP Discovery Project in the Canadian NeuroDevNet Networks of Centres of Excellence. Professor Fehlings is the past president of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM).
Areas of Focus
Cerebral Palsy, Hypertonia Management, Interactive Computer Play, Constraint Therapy
Resources
The Use of Botulinum Toxin in Children with Muscle Stiffness: An Update
This Keeping Current is one of a series of reports that discuss the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions for children and youth with brain injury.
An Update on Constraint Therapy in Children with Hemiplegia
Constraint therapy aims to improve the hand and arm use of children with hemiplegia. It involves physical constraint of the uninvolved or less affected arm to increase the use of the more involved or affected arm.
How to recognize and refer children with hemiplegic (unilateral) cerebral palsy
‘Hemiplegia’, ‘hemiparesis’, or ‘unilateral’ CP affects the movement and muscle tone on one side of the body, although often the other side of the body may be affected to a lesser extent.2 It is the most common form of CP.
Summary of the CP-NET Clinical Constraint Therapy Study
Summary prepared for participants in a 2012 CP-NET Clinical Constraint Therapy study.
CP & the Brain (Video)
Darcy Fehlings explains how CP can effect the brain depending on the type and location of the brain injury.
Pain Prevention and Treatment in Children and Young People with Cerebral Palsy
Pain in children and young people with cerebral palsy is under-recognized and can have a serious impact on quality of life. The webinar is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn more about pain in children and young people with cerebral palsy.