Doctor finds home at Five Counties
Dr. Shelina Manji replaces Dr. Mary Thain as children’s centre’s medical director
The new medical director for Five Counties Children’s Centre says she has found her home at the Peterborough-based outpatient treatment centre for youths with physical, developmental and communication needs.
Dr. Shelina Manji knew of the organization from her years of previous work as a speech language pathologist at children’s treatment centres in Toronto and London.
“It’s exactly the kind of work I’ve wanted to do,” she said. “It’s a very comprehensive group of experts who work with children with special needs.... I was very excited to be a part of that.”
The general pediatrician with a fellowship in genetics joined Five Counties on Sept. 1. She is replacing Dr. Mary Thain, who is retiring after 41 years as staff pediatrician.
Manji will provide consultation and advice as the hub of all centre services, such as speech and language pathology and physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
She will give families access to a high level of specialized expertise that the organization wouldn’t be able to offer otherwise, CEO Diane Pick said, pointing out that on top of her clinical role, Manji will also provide strategic leadership to the organization.
The recruitment took two years, but if the month of overlap of having both Manji and Thain to transition the case load is any indication, Five Counties has found a great match.
“It’s been a nice, smooth transition for the families,” Pick said.
Before becoming a doctor, Manji received her master of science speech-language pathology from the University of South Florida in Tampa before coming to Ontario.
She brings significant experience working with children with special needs and complex medical issues, from both medical and rehabilitation perspectives, officials stated.
Manji studied medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton before completing her residency in pediatrics in Detroit, where she also finished her fellowship in genetics at Henry Ford Hospital.
She has been living in Naperville, Ill., where she practised at Kids’ MD at Home, a community-based solo pediatric practice providing “well visits” and acute care for children.
Manji has been published in the journal Pediatrics and by the American Society of Human Genetics.
Five Counties Children’s Centre serves children from birth to age 19 in Peterborough, Northumberland and Haliburton counties and the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Established in 1976, Five Counties has been working with children, adolescents and their families, along with the community, to support their participation as active members of the community, officials stated in a press release.
The centre provides outpatient and community based services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech language therapy, augmentative communication services, recreation, social work, resource teachers, pediatric medical assessments/followup, specialized clinics such as pala-to-facial management, seating, orthopedic, botox and spina bifida clinics.
NOTE: For more information on Five Counties Children’s Centre, visit www.fivecounties.on.ca.