About Us

Who does The Brake Shop help?


We serve children and youth age 6 to 18, who have (or are suspected of having) a tic disorder, who may also have complex combinations of disinhibition disorders – “Leaky Brakes”. 

What are “Leaky Brakes”?

Leaky brakes are neurological disorders and not a result of poor parenting, lack of motivation or intelligence. Much like a car has a braking system to help it stop, so do we. Our brakes are in our brain. When our brakes are leaky we may have a hard time stopping certain parts of ourselves. This may include the following: 

    • Tourette Syndrome and other tic disorders ('leaky brakes' in charge of movements and sounds)
    • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ('leaky brakes' in charge of thoughts)
    • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ('leaky brakes' in charge of attention and impulses)
    • Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (Oppositional-Defiant Disorder and reactive anger/'rage'; often a natural and expected extension of struggling to cope with 'leaky brakes')
    • Sensory Integration Challenges

Fortunately, the symptoms of leaky brakes can be managed and reduced to help your child reach their potential.

What does The Brake Shop do?

We start by inviting your family to a "Coming in the Garage" initial appointment. During this time a clinician will provide information about "Leaky Brakes" in a child-friendly format. This appointment will also introduce your family to the Brake Shop Clinic and the various services we offer.  From here, a specialized assessment may be completed and a treatment plan developed based on your child and family's individual strengths and needs.

Where does this happen?

We can offer our services in a number of different places depending on your child’s needs. These could include CPRI in London, your home, school, or community agencies. A lot of our treatment programs are offered through videos and online so you can access them from a computer anywhere and at any time. Visit www.leakybrakes.ca often.

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