- Postdoctoral Associate, School of Occupational Therapy, Western University
Dr. Leah Taylor is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Child Health & Physical Activity Lab at Western University. Leah completed her PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Health Promotion; 2026), alongside a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (2025), both through Western University's School of Occupational Therapy. She also holds a MSc in Geography (2018) and a BHSc (Honours Health Promotion, 2016), both from Western University. Leah's research interests centre on supporting 24-Hour Movement Behaviours for children in the early years with diverse disabilities. Her doctoral work, the Early Movers study, examined practical applications of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines in early intervention occupational therapy, leading to the co-design of a clinician's guide to support OTs in applying the guidelines in practice — work for which she received the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation's Barb Worth Emergent Leader Award. As a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the lab, Leah leads the TEACH-Ability Project and co-leads the Active Beginnings study. Alongside her research, Leah works clinically as an Occupational Therapist at the Parkwood Institute with the Transitional Lifelong Care Program and Stroke Rehabilitation teams, and has previously worked with the school therapy team at Thames Valley Children's Centre. Outside of work, Leah enjoys spending her free time outdoors — hiking, camping, gardening, and running.
Experience
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2026–presentPostdoctoral associate, Western University
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2026–presentOccupational Therapist, St. Joseph's Health Care London
Education
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2026Western University, PhD
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2025Western University, MScOT
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2018Western University, MSc
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2016Western University, BHSc
Publications
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2026The Early Movers Clinician's Guide: Co‐Designing a Resource for the 24‐Hour Movement Guidelines in Paediatric Occupational Therapy, Child: Care, Health and Development
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2026Proportionate Universalism as an Approach to Support Physical Activity of Young Children with Disabilities in Childcare Settings, Journal of Early Childhood Education Research
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2025Exploring occupational therapists’ use of movement guidelines for young children with disabilities, Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
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2025The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Preschoolers With Disabilities: Occupational Therapists’ Perspectives, Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
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2025Screen Time Among and Youth Children With Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis, Child: Care, Health and Development
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2023Inclusive Active Play Curriculum in Canadian Early Childhood Education Programs, Early Years
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2023Physical Activity Among Young Children With Disabilities: A Systematic Review, Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
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2023The Uses and Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Physical Activity Interventions in Young Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review, Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
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2022Physical Activity among Young Children with Disabilities: A Systematic Review Protocol, BMJ Open
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2022A Scoping Review of Tools to Evaluate Existing Playgrounds for Inclusivity of Children with Disabilities, Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences
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2022Playground Inclusivity for Children with a Disability: Protocol for a Scoping Review, JMIR Research Protocols
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2018Context Matters: Examining Children's Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity Across Varying Canadian Environments, Health & Place
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2018Exploring the Effect of Perceptions on Children’s Physical Activity in Varying Geographic Contexts: Using a Structural Equation Modelling Approach to Examine a Cross-Sectional Dataset, Children
Contact Leah for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Location: London, Canada
- Website
- X (formerly Twitter): @leahtaylor09
- Article Feed
- ORCID
- Joined
