New Vision Advocates: Picture Yourself in Need

Dr. Peter Rosenbaum reveals developmental pediatric pearls of wisdom as he interacts with 3-year-old Sophia and her mother. Dr. Rosenbaum is a professor of paediatrics at McMaster University and co-founder of CanChild Center for Childhood Disability Research (CanChild: Development in the Rewarding Healthcare Experience). For more pearls, explore the CanChild Center for Childhood Disability Research website and the famous F Words of Childhood Disability. Young Sophia and her mom share wisdom through their earlier Curriculum of Caring video (Sophia: gifts of wisdom for parents and professionals.)

Dr William Sullivan is a family physician and bio-ethicist who has lead the Primary Care Initiative for People with Developmental Disabilities (DD) in Ontario. Dr Sullivan provides an overview of the Primary Care Initiative guidelines, tools and web-based resources aimed at addressing the particular health issues of adults with DD. These valuable resources are used internationally and available at www.surreyplace.on.ca.

Grace was born in 1988, and was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. Grace’s early years proved to be a mix of fascinating and challenging experiences for her and her family. They have explored many avenues through the healthcare system, some more successful than others. We are fortunate to hear about their experiences and the wisdom gained from this journey. Grace showed an interest in art from an early age. Over the years, her love for artistic expression has evolved from a fun pastime to a blossoming career. As an individual affected by autism, Grace experiences heightened sensory perceptions. She is believed to have Synesthesia, the intermingling of senses, where music has colour, and colour has smell. This sensory acuity is also visible in her art, as she combines patterns and textures with strong use of colour in ways that reflect both the chaos and beauty of her experiences living with autism. Featured in this video is Grace, her parents Gerry and Janet, and their former caregiver, family friend and medical student, Amanda Ritsma. Be sure to check out Grace’s art gallery and video! Grace's Art: http://www.artbygrace.ca/ Be sure to check out this video with more about Grace, her life and family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYUefl6p61Q