Tag: Check out the new BLOOM

By Louise Kinross

Please read the November issue of BLOOM!

Here are some quotes to draw you into the content:

-From the mother of a 4-year-old with Trisomy 13: The greatest challenge has been “parenting Bree in an ableist world… where there’s very explicit and implicit notions given to you that your child isn’t as valuable as a typical child.” (See A Family Like Mine)

-From BLOOM columnist Anchel Krishna: “Homework was never something I imagined celebrating. But here we are, 15 years in, treating it like a milestone. Because for daughter Syona, it is.” (See Parent Talk)

-From a pediatrician at Holland Bloorview working with complex-care patients: “I find talking to the team about challenging interactions or cases very helpful. I might seek out another physician or therapist or nurse or social worker… Over time I’ve learned to debrief more at work. I used to do a lot more talking it out at home, but I find that harder.” (See Staff Stories)

Don’t forget to scroll down to Shoutouts to read about a new interactive e-book called Am I Ableist? It’s for medical students, designed by Canadian medical residents.

Like this content? Sign up for our monthly BLOOM e-letter, follow BLOOM editor @LouiseKinross on X, or @louisekinross.bsky.social on Bluesky, or watch our A Family Like Mine video series. 

By Louise Kinross

Read the September issue of BLOOM!

Here are some quotes to pull you into the content:

-From the author of a JAMA Pediatrics study that found most pediatrics specialties in the U.S. have no mention of disability in the competencies residents and fellows must show: 

“The lack of medical training on disability in childhood can negatively impact disabled children and their families in a multitude of ways, including diagnostic overshadowing… care plans that don’t meet the disabled child’s needs, failing to provide necessary accommodations, inappropriate screening, and the perpetuation of bias against disabled children.” 
(See Research Hits)

-From a parent who says her daughter’s disabilities changed their family’s pace of life: 

“To get somewhere for a 2 p.m. appointment… I might begin the process at 11 a.m. It takes extra brain space, extra thinking, and 100 small decisions. And that decision fatigue we hear so much about? It is very much a part of our world.” (See Parent Talk)

-From a former client on the brain injury unit: 

“When I got back to school I was relieved to see familiar faces, but a lot of people didn’t understand what it means to have a disability. I came back in a wheelchair and that wasn’t common for them… My friends didn’t treat me the same. They were more cautious around me, and they weren’t as giddy. They just didn’t act the same. It was like I was a new person in their eyes.” (See Role Model)

Like this content? Sign up for our monthly BLOOM e-letter, follow BLOOM editor @LouiseKinross on X, or @louisekinross.bsky.social on Bluesky, or watch our A Family Like Mine video series.

By Louise Kinross

Here is the July issue of BLOOM!

And some comments to draw you into the content:

-From the lead author of a study on how children’s rehab can trigger negative parent emotions: ‘We know about the stress, the frustration and the exhaustion of families. What we found in this study that was quite new was the trauma, upset and anger. That hasn’t been demonstrated in the literature before.’ (See Research Hits)

-From our new BLOOM columnist Anchel Krishna: ‘When I was asked to write for BLOOM, it felt like a full-circle moment. One where I could use the space that helped me find connection to hopefully offer that same connection to someone else.’ (See Parent Talk)

-From a music therapy student whose connection with Holland Bloorview began when she was hospitalized here as a baby. ‘I felt I could connect with kids on a deeper level because of my own experiences.’ (See Student Stories)