Project 458704

For young children with a disability, occupational therapy helps to promote independence in the activities of everyday life, also called occupations. Research has shown that participating in age-appropriate physical activity, sedentary time, and healthy sleep, as recommended by the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (the Guidelines), has led to healthy development in kids. However, a gap exists in the current research regarding the applicability of these guidelines for children with a disability. This is a problem because engagement in regular physical activity and healthy sleep habits have been linked with health-related benefits, and with kids' abilities to complete their daily occupations. Therefore, this research will examine if adherence to the Guidelines plays a role in improving occupational skills in children aged 2-5 with disabilities, and the suitability of the Guidelines for occupational therapy practice. This will be assessed with three questions: 1. Do children with a disability adhere to the Guidelines (before intervention)? 2. Does following the Guidelines lead to improved occupational skills (e.g., playing, learning, and socializing)? 3. What are occupational therapists' perspectives of a prescribed movement program for children with disabilities? The results will aid occupational therapists in understanding the role of movement in occupational skill participation. As a result, this research will have important implications for treatment practices in paediatric care and health outcomes in disabilities studies.