Precision health is reshaping how doctors treat children with neurodevelopmental conditions by moving beyond diagnostic labels to personalized interventions based on each child's genetics, brain biology, and lived experience. Instead of assuming all children with the same diagnosis need identical treatments, researchers are now using artificial intelligence and large genomic datasets to match therapies and supports to individual needs, potentially improving outcomes across rehabilitation, mental health, and developmental care.

What Is Precision Health for Children?

Precision health represents a fundamental shift in how pediatric care is delivered. Rather than relying solely on diagnostic labels, clinicians and researchers are examining the biological, clinical, and environmental factors that make each child unique. This approach recognizes that two children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may have vastly different underlying causes and respond to completely different interventions.

"It is not always the diagnostic labels that will help us understand what interventions, therapies and services one may mostly benefit from, but their individual characteristics," said Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, vice president of research at Holland Bloorview and director of the Bloorview Research Institute.

Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, Vice President of Research at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

At Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Canada, researchers are advancing precision health through genomics, data science, and individualized models of care. The institute defines precision health as "a proactive and personalized approach to care where interventions, services and accommodations are informed by each individual's biology and environment, including their genetics, neurobiology, clinical presentation and sociodemographic context".

How Are Researchers Building Genomic Databases for Children?

In 2025, Holland Bloorview joined the Canadian Precision Health Initiative (CPHI), a national genomics effort supported by Genome Canada that aims to sequence 100,000 genomes representing the diversity of Canada's population. Through this collaboration, Holland Bloorview and partner institutions are creating one of Canada's largest genomic datasets focused specifically on childhood-onset disabilities, including neurodevelopmental differences, mental health conditions, and brain injuries.

This genomic foundation is critical because it allows researchers to identify genetic patterns and variations that influence how children respond to different treatments. By analyzing these large datasets alongside clinical outcomes, AI systems can begin to predict which interventions will work best for individual children before treatment even begins.

How AI and Data Science Are Personalizing Treatment Decisions

Researchers at Holland Bloorview are exploring how artificial intelligence and advanced analytics can support more personalized approaches to care and intervention. One key initiative involves the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders (POND) Network, where researchers are using research and clinical data to develop personalized medical interventions for neurodiverse children and youth.

"Combining our large datasets with advanced analytics, we are working on moving from one-size-fits-all approaches to care that is personalized to the uniqueness of each child," explained Dr. Azadeh Kushki, senior scientist and associate chief of data science at Holland Bloorview.

Dr. Azadeh Kushki, Senior Scientist and Associate Chief of Data Science at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

This work extends beyond genetics alone. Researchers including Dr. Danielle Baribeau, a clinician scientist and psychiatrist, are exploring how AI-informed approaches may support more personalized mental health care for neurodivergent children and youth. One practical application involves using data-informed approaches to guide medication decision-making, helping clinicians select treatments more likely to be effective for each individual rather than relying on trial-and-error prescribing.

Ways Precision Health Is Transforming Pediatric Care

• Genomic Sequencing: Large-scale DNA sequencing efforts are identifying genetic variations that influence how children respond to medications and therapies, enabling more targeted treatment selection from the start.
• AI-Powered Analytics: Machine learning systems analyze combined genomic, clinical, and behavioral data to predict which interventions will work best for individual children, reducing time spent on ineffective treatments.
• Personalized Rehabilitation Technologies: Researchers are developing video game-based motor therapies and other interventions that adapt to each child's specific movement challenges and learning style, usable in both home and clinical settings.
• Clinical Trial Networks: National initiatives like the Kids and Beyond Neurodevelopmental Trials Network (KINDtrials) are accelerating the translation of research discoveries into real-world solutions by bringing together researchers, families, advocacy organizations, and industry partners.
• Integrated Data Approaches: Precision health combines brain imaging, physical and mental health insights, rehabilitation research, and clinical outcomes to create a comprehensive picture of each child's needs and potential responses to care.

Why Does Representation in Precision Health Research Matter?

As health systems increasingly adopt data-driven and personalized approaches to care, researchers emphasize that children and youth with disabilities and developmental differences must be represented in precision health research initiatives. Without diverse representation in genomic databases and clinical trials, AI systems trained on these datasets may not work equally well for all populations, potentially widening health disparities.

Holland Bloorview is helping lead efforts to convene researchers, clinicians, health-system partners, families, and communities around more personalized approaches to care. Through initiatives spanning genomics, brain imaging, physical and mental health insights, rehabilitation research, and clinical trials, these collaborations aim to improve health and well-being outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and developmental differences.

The convergence of genomic sequencing, artificial intelligence, and large-scale clinical data is creating unprecedented opportunities to move beyond one-size-fits-all pediatric care. By understanding each child's unique biological and environmental context, clinicians can now deliver interventions tailored to individual needs, potentially transforming outcomes for millions of children with neurodevelopmental conditions and disabilities.