Dr. Verónica Schiariti

Dr. Verónica Schiariti
Position
Adjunct Associate Professor
Division of Medical Sciences
Contact
Credentials

MD, MHSc, PhD

Dr. Schiariti is a physician-scientist whose work bridges clinical research and international child health. For more than 10 years, she worked with children with developmental disabilities in community and tertiary-level rehabilitation centers as a developmental pediatrician. As a researcher, her primary interest has been in promoting an abilities-oriented approach in assessments and evaluations of children and youths with neurodevelopmental disabilities, guided by WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Her work has been supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Kids Brain Health Network (formerly, NeuroDevNet).

Dr. Schiariti led the development of the ICF Core Sets for children and youth with cerebral palsy (CP) in collaboration with the ICF Research Branch in Switzerland, a WHO-FIC collaborating centre. Currently, she is fully dedicated to research. She has become a pediatric international ICF scholar, helping to implement the ICF Core Sets for children and youth with CP in different countries.

Dr. Schiariti has also led many knowledge translation initiatives to disseminate the application of the ICF Core Sets in clinical practice around the world. Her work has been recognized with different honours and awards, including the 2018 World CP Day and the AACPDM 2015 Fred P. Sage Award for leading the creation of the ICF educational e-tool. She currently collaborates with research groups in several countries and acts as a consultant for UNICEF and PAHO in Latin America.

  • Knowledge translation projects to disseminate and facilitate the application of the ICF Core Sets for children and youth with CP in day to day practice. Leading e-courses and development of e-tools (2016-ongoing)
  • Abilities-oriented approach to disability – leading the development of educational e-tools for school-aged children, professionals and general public. (2018-ongoing)
  • Congenital ZIKA virus – measurement and description of functioning and disability. Collaboration with the University of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) and the University of Liverpool (UK) 2018-ongoing
  • Knowledge translation: DMCN podcasts in Spanish 2017-ongoing
  • Spanish translator and Spanish editor for the DMCN - Translations of all abstracts published in the DMCN 2017-ongoing.
  • NINDS CDE project, lead Integrated Across Working Group, and co-chair publication committee, member of oversight committee. AACPDM & NIH collaboration. (2014-ongoing)

Journal Articles (Select)

  • Schiariti V. & Hollung, S. J. The rights of children with disabilities during armed conflict. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 2022 Apr;00:1-2. doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15240.
  • Schiariti V. Every child matters: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. 2022 Feb;6(3). doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(22)00063-3.
  • Schiariti V., Longo E., de Campos AC. Impact of congenital Zika virus and COVID-19 on childhood disability in Latin America. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2021 Oct;63(11):1241-1241.
  • Schiariti V., Longo E., de Campos AC. Impacto de la infección congénita por Zika virus y COVID-19 en la discapacidad infantil en América Latina. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2021 Oct;63(11):e1-e2.
  • Schiariti V. The moral needs of migrant children:  a call for global action. Acta Paed 2016 May;105(5):445-6
  • Schiariti V.,Tatla S., Sauve K., O’Donnell. Toolbox of multiple-item measures aligning with the ICF Core Sets for children and youth with CP. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2016 Nov 4. pii: S1090-3798(16)30191-X. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2016.10.007. [Epub ahead of print].
  • Schiariti V., et al. "A Common Data Language for Clinical Research Studies: The NINDS and AACPDM Cerebral Palsy Common Data Elements Version 1.0 Recommendations". Dev Med Child Neurol. 2018 Oct;60(10):976-986.
  • Schiariti V., et al. Implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Children and Youth with Cerebral Palsy: Global Initiatives Promoting Optimal Functioning. J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Sep 1;15(9).
  • Schiariti V., et al. Standardized and individualized care: do they complement or oppose each other? National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Common Data Elements working groups. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2018 Oct;60(10):1059.
  • Schiariti V., Oberlander TF. Evaluating pain in cerebral palsy: comparing assessment tools using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Disabil Rehabil. 2018 Jun 11:1-8.
  • Schiariti V., Mahdi S, Bölte S. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2018 Sep;60(9):933-941.
  • Ferreira HNC, Schiariti V., et.al.Functioning and Disability Profile of Children with Microcephaly Associated with Congenital Zika Virus Infection. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 May 29;15(6)
  • Raji P, Hassani Mehraban A, Aliabadi F, Ahmadi M, Schiariti V. Content Validity of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for Children with Cerebral Palsy Aged 0-6 Years: Iranian Occupational Therapists Perspective.Iran J Child Neurol. 2018 Summer;12(3):40-58.
  • Schiariti V. (Invited editorial) Developmental Miliestones of the Latin American Academy of Child Development and Disabilities. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2019 (in press)
  • Longo E., Campos AC., Schiariti V.  ZIKA Virus after emergency response: can the ICF guide rehabilitation of children with microcephaly?. Phys Ther. 2019 (in press)
  • Raji P, Mehraban AH, Ahmadi M, Schiariti V. Assessment priorities in cerebral palsy using ICF core set by Iranian occupational therapists. Can J Occup Ther. 2019 May 2. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Schiariti, V. The human rights of children with disabilities during health emergencies: the challenge of COVID-19. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2020 Jun;62(6):661. 
  • Schiariti, V. MY ABILITIES FIRST: Positive language in health care. Clin Teach. 2020 Jun;17(3):272-274. 
  • Schiariti, V.; McWilliam, R.A. Crisis Brings Innovative Strategies: Collaborative Empathic Teleintervention for Children with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Lockdown. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 1749. 
  • Schiariti, V.; Simeonsson, R.J.; Hall, K. Promoting Developmental Potential in Early Childhood: A Global Framework for Health and Education. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2007.

Book Chapters (Select)

  • PARÁLISIS CEREBRAL: enfoque integral, más allá del diagnóstico. Schiariti V. 2016. Chapter. Pediatria en red. https://jeffersonal.issuu.com/alejandro6183/docs/pediatria_en_red_2_digital/5
  • Comprehensive Environmental Intervention for Cerebral Palsy Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. P. Barría . V. Schiariti, A. Andrade, A. Bandera, H. Henriquez, A. Moris. 2016 Converging Clinical and Engineering Research on Neurorehabilitation II. Chapter. Volume 15 of the series Biosystems & Biorobotics pp 1433-1438.

Edited Books (Select)

  • Schiariti V. (Ed.) Early Child Development: From Measurement to Optimal Functioning and Evidence-Based Policy. MDPI. 2021.