Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI Therapy)

Jo-Anne is a physiotherapist with 30 years of experience working with children. Jo-Anne graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. She spent time working in San Diego, California and Auckland, New Zealand before settling in Toronto, Canada.

After spending several years working in government-based services, she started working in private practice, where she could provide a more specialized approach to the children that she worked with. Jo-Anne opened S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory. Motor. Integrated. Learning. Experience) Therapy for Kids in 2017, a private clinic that specializes in all areas of child development, to meet the demand for the level of care that she provides. She continues to research and find the best and most current treatments for all the children that are under her care and connects with specialists all over the world to achieve this. Many parents come to see Jo-Anne from all over the GTA as well as from the US and other countries.

Jo-Anne also travels to various countries to provide specialized therapy for groups of families who request her services. Her other interests include being involved with various pediatric charities and organizations supporting children with special needs. She is an education officer for the Pediatric Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA).

Jo-Anne has an open-door policy and invites therapists, nurses, doctors, high school and university students to view her therapy sessions and volunteer in the clinic. She hosts physiotherapy and other student placements from the University of Toronto, Queens University and Dalhousie University.

Jo-Anne continues to take courses to further her education and remain well educated in new and a variety of areas of pediatric rehabilitation. She is currently doing research on hip dysplasia in Cerebral Palsy. Jo-Anne is an advocate for children with special needs and their families and works hard at trying to make changes in many areas to help these children as well as increasing their general level of care by educating those who will provide care to them.

The Paediatric Division is a special interest group within the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Our membership consists of clinicians from all practice settings, students, educators, researchers, physiotherapy assistants and administrators all of whom have a passion for promoting participation and enhancing the lives of children and their families. We are dedicated to provide resources and information for paediatric patients and their families to promote participation and function independence in all aspects of life.

Paediatric physiotherapists employ clinical expertise in the early detection of health problems, treatment, education and management of congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, cardiorespiratory or acquired disorders/diseases. Paediatric physiotherapists work with children of all ages, from infants through young adulthood to promote participation and functional independence. Paediatric physiotherapists have a unique role in that they not only work with the child, but also their families in the context of their daily home, school and recreational environment.

Paediatric physiotherapists use validated outcome measures to assess the level of strength, flexibility, gross-, and fine-motor coordination and overall functional capabilities to determine participation limitations or restrictions as a result of injury, disease or disability.

Through analysis of objective assessment findings, the paediatric physiotherapist uses evidence-based treatment interventions specifically tailored to the client and their family's goals. Treatment interventions focus on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, strength and endurance, as well as cognitive and sensory processing/integration.

As the vital partner for the profession, the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) leads, advocates, and inspires excellence and innovation to promote health. CPA’s goal is to provide exceptional service, valuable information and connections to the profession of physiotherapy, across Canada and around the world.