ICONIC

What is ICONIC?

ICONIC is a program of the division of neurology at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre.

ICONIC is a clinical program for personalized genetic diagnosis and treatment for children with neurological disorders aimed at improving outcomes for children and families, and enabling rapid discovery-to-practice translation through links to integrated research programs. 

Why do we need ICONIC?

The current Context 

• 2 million Canadian children present with one of 3,000 rare neurologically linked diseases 
• Common neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities also have genetic components. 
• Wait time for families to see a genetic councillor for neurological disorders can take up to a year. 
• Diagnosis and follow-up care can require up to as many as 20 healthcare specialists before even getting a diagnosis 

What ICONIC does

Our MISSON is to provide families with faster answers and a clear plan towards treatment. The ICONIC program strives to reduce the burden of waiting, support the families through the process, and provide the clinical expertise of a highly qualified team, while building the research data needed for new treatments. 

ICONIC is leading the way in this regard by piloting processes to streamline the genetic testing request, testing, and result reporting process, as well as providing a dedicated genetic councilor for children with neurological conditions. 

ICONIC envisions a future where children receive diagnoses in weeks, not years, and families are supported at every step of their journey.