The Cerebral Palsy Foundation invites you to join us for our 7th Annual Early Cerebral Palsy Health Summit!

HYBRID PROGRAM WITH IN-PERSON IMPLEMENTATION WORKSHOPS, IN-PERSON TRAINING COURSES, AND VIRTUAL E-COURSES!

The 2025 Health Summit will share new pathways for translating knowledge into practice for the Implementation of early detection and intervention of cerebral palsy from the best researchers and clinicians in the field.

New research published reflects that Diagnosis of cerebral palsy can now be made in babies less than one-year of age - marking a significant advance in the way high risk infants are diagnosed, families supported and outcomes improved. 

With a HYBRID format, we are excited to offer a completely an in-person implementation workshop selection with limited selections of in-person HINE, HNNE, and GMA training at the Loudermilk Conference Center in Atlanta, GA, as well as a virtual program option.

HYBRID Format:

With an upgraded IN-PERSON Early Cerebral Palsy Health Summit Registration, attendees will get additional:

• Live Keynote Lectures 

• Selection of Implementation Skill-Based Workshops 

• Limited selection of Training Opportunities for the Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE), Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) and General Movements Assessment (GMA). (Additional registration fees required for the GMA Training)

• Networking Opportunities

• Breakfast and Lunch meals will be provided on site

VIRTUAL Early Cerebral Palsy Health Summit includes:

• Virtual versions of the same workshops led by World-Renowned Clinicians and Researchers

• All virtual workshops will be available ON DEMAND for 3 months

• Digital Poster Presentations 

Health Summit Overall Objectives:

1. To disseminate best evidence on new developments in early detection and interventions for Cerebral Palsy. Including: applied and translational sciences, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and technology.

2. Increase awareness and learn implementation strategies for new and emerging treatments for individuals with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities.

3. Identify new modalities for the diagnosis of cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.

4. Increase interprofessional collaboration and developing clinic-based frameworks to help coordinate and improve services across the continuum of care for individuals with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. 

Who should attend:

Pediatric providers who want to improve outcomes for high risk infants through early cerebral palsy diagnosis and intervention in a multidisciplinary setting including: Pediatricians, Family Practitioners, Neonatologists, Neurologists, OTs, PTs. Business Managers, Nurse Practitioners, Researchers and Trainees.

Schedule:

• Wednesday - Friday, September 3-5 - In-person BASIC & ADVANCED GMA Training Courses ($950)

• Friday, September 5 - In-person HINE and HNNE Training Courses (FREE*)

• Saturday - Sunday, September 6-7 - Early Cerebral Palsy Health Summit -In-person workshops (Early Bird: $450, After August 6: $500)

• Monday - Tuesday, September 8-9 - In-person Upper Limb Intervention Training Courses ($450)

• Access to virtual e-courses only (Early Bird: $350, After August 6: $400)

*Available only to those registered for the Early Cerebral Palsy Health Summit

Conference Co-Chairs

Conference Host

Additional Training Courses Available

Pre-Conference - “Recognize, Refer, and Respond: A Nurse’s Role in the Early Detection and Support of Infants and Families at Risk for Cerebral Palsy” Training Course

HINE Training Course

HNNE Training Course

GMA BASIC Training Course

GMA ADVANCED Training Course

Upper Limb Intervention Training Course

Workshop Descriptions

• Top 10 Recent Papers in Early Childhood CP

  Speakers: Dr. Theresa Sukal Multon and Dr. Joshua Vova

  • Review evidence 10 original science or systematic review published manuscripts from the past 3 years that have a profound impact on how we think about CP

  • Learners will be supported in understanding content rather than quality as each rapid-fire paper will already have been reviewed for scientific quality and will follow the same easy presentation format.

  • Discussion of implications for practice will follow with the audience

• Advances in Neuroimaging and CP

  Speakers: Dr. Joanna Burton and Dr. Andrea Duncan

  • Description coming soon!

• Allied Health and Nursing for CP in the NICU - The Evidence

  Speakers: Dr. Lisa Letzkus

  • Description coming soon!

• Allyship for People with CP

  Speakers: Dr. Salathiel Kendrick-Allwood, Dr. Simon Keep, Jennifer Lyman, and Local family

  • Define allyship across in the context of CP and develop practical allyship skills using a toolkit with manageable action items to support inclusion, access, and equity for children with disabilities in their daily lives.

  • Recognize the challenges faced by pediatric providers, adults, and children with disabilities and their caregivers.

  • Promote participation and inclusion using strategies to engage and accommodate individuals with CP in their professions and communities.

• Autism in Early CP - Overlapping Phenotypes and Screening

  Speakers: Dr. Salathiel Kendrick-Allwood and Dr. Sarah Winter

  • Review common presentations of ASD and CP in domains of sensory, executive, language function and differences, especially in social communication.

  • Describe conditions that may make children more frequently have co-occurring diagnoses.

  • Demonstrate the impact of sensory and motor disorders on development of social communication

  • Recommend screening and evaluation tools and adaptations for social communication in the presence of impairments.

• Baby OSCAR

  Speakers: Dr. Colleen Peyton and Dr. Theresa Sukal Multon

  • Define selective motor control in older children and describe how it may appear in an infant.  

  • Practice scoring items on the Baby OSCAR tool, adding summary scores. 

  • Predict motor outcome based on elements of the BabyOSCAR score. 

  • Describe how scores on Baby OSCAR at 3 months are related to spastic CP prognosis, GMFCS level and distribution of CP at ≥ 2 years of age

• Coaching 2.0

  Speakers: Dr. Larken Marra and Kanishka Baduni

  • Review principles of coaching currently in practice and new published best-evidence models and the sequence and steps of advanced coaching

  • Compare and contrast teaching vs. coaching as advanced allied health practitioners

  • Practice with demonstrations and provide constructive feedback on parent-child dyad simulations

  • Outline 3 items to carryforward in daily therapy practice

• Cognition and Executive Function in Early CP

  Speakers: Dr. Gwendolyn Gerner and Dr. Seth Warschausky

  • Discuss the types of intelligence and their development throughout childhood with a focus on the early years

  • Review the level of evidence and feasibility of assessments for cognition, with a focus on adaptations for the motor and sensory impairments common to infants with CP

  • Compare current intervention program approaches with best practices for cognitive interventions of high-risk infants

  • Discuss a clinical case to help choose a cognitive assessment tool and a potential program to enhance cognitive development

• Community EI and Pediatricians - How to Communicate and Improve Together

  Speakers: Dr. Nathalie Maitre and Valerie Pieraccini

  • Description coming soon!

• CP in Adolescence and Adulthood - What does it look like now

  Speakers: Dr. Mark Peterson and Dr. Joshua Vova

  • Description coming soon!

• Development of Gait Typical and CP - Future Thinking and Orthotics

  Speakers: Dr. Paulo Selber and Dr. Rachel Kempfert

  • Overview of the development of gait patterns in infants with CP from a qualitative and quantitative perspective.

  • Quantitative evaluation and how the use of 3D gait analysis (kinematic/kinetic/EMG analysis) has changed how we understand, classify, and treat infants and children with CP.

  • Overview interventions and best evidence for management including orthoses that are driven by understanding gait patterns and development including underlying pathophysiology, planes of deformity and anatomical level.

  • Interactive case reviews

• Genetics in Early CP

  Speakers: Dr. Alexis Mitelpunkt and Dr. Betsy Ostrander

  • Understand fundamental genetic concepts and how these relate to clinical genetic testing for CP.

  • Evaluate a genetic testing report and interpret different test outcomes (negative, positive and uncertain significance).

  • Interpret genetic results and CP presentations within the context of larger data patterns and service utilization

  • Discuss the implications and challenges of genetic counseling for patients with CP and their families.

• Early CP Detection and Intervention Goes Global

  Speakers: Dr. Joanna Burton, Dr. Durga Shah, and Joselyn Barahona

  • Review the experiences of bringing early detection and intervention to various parts of the world in the literature and in recent CPF practice

  • Provide an overview of various

  • Discuss challenges

  • Practice planning for adaptation and installation on a new country case - Honduras

• Gross Motor Assessments for CP - Birth to 3, Evidence and Implementation

  Speakers: Dr. Cathy Morgan and Dr. Barbara Sargent

  • Compare evidence level, feasibility and target populations for various Gross motor assessment tools in early CP

  • Interpret and communicate outcomes from the testing procedures.

  • Practice decision making on clinical cases and child videos

• Hand Assessments 0-3 - Choosing and Implementing in EI

  Speakers: Allison McIntyre and Daniela Castro

  • Compare evidence level, feasibility and target populations for various hand assessment tools

  • Interpret and communicate outcomes from the testing procedures.

  • Review toys and forms for various assessments

  • Practice decision making on clinical cases and child videos

• High-Risk of CP and CP parent conversations for allied health providers and physicians

  Speakers: Dr. Nathalie Maitre, Dr. Mary Lauren Neel, and Dana Dinet

  • Review new published developments in diagnosis of CP and clinical designation of High-risk for CP

  • Understand how allied health providers are critical to the HRCP conversation

  • Integrate research on family needs and expectations, healthcare and social supports to counsel parents of high-risk or diagnosed infants with CP.

  • Test your skills in constructive criticism by guiding real-time counseling sessions centered on diagnosis and decision-making

• HINE Tune Up

  Speakers: Dr. Nathalie Maitre

  • Re-introduce the principles of the HINE and review new science of the last 2 years

  • Review basic maneuvers

  • Practice constructive criticism of HINE video performances

  • Fine-tune scoring by practicing on videos of HINE performance

  • Compare and contrast accurate vs. inaccurate performance scoring in young children with CP. Discuss implications

• Hip Surveillance - Guidelines and Practice

  Speakers: Dr. Robert Bruce and Dr. Durga Shah

  • Overview of evidence and literature

  • Review AACPDM Care Pathway for Hip Surveillance.

  • Understand how surgeons manage decision approaches and interventions in the early years

  • Focus on the role of allied health in assisting in hip surveillance

  • Discuss a case in practice and worksheets that can be used in your clinic

• Implementation Tools to Rapidly Improve your Early CP practice

  Speakers: Dr. Nathalie Maitre and Paige Ryals

  • Demonstrate basics of process flow development to improvements in early CP detection or intervention practice

  • Assist attendees in developing a process for selected practices in early CP from the NICU to the clinic

  • Demonstrate basics of root cause analysis and fishbone diagrams to overcoming challenges in early CP detection or intervention practice

  • Assist attendees in developing a fishbone template and root-cause analysis plan for common problems in early CP clinical practice

• Implementing the New Congenital Muscular Torticollis Clinical Practice Guideline – A skills building workshop

  Speakers: Dr. Rachel Kempfert and Dr. Durga Shah

  • Discuss the newest published guidelines for evaluation of torticollis, with a focus on NICU to the first year.

  • Evaluate which best evidence components of torticollis treatment are part of your current practice.

  • Challenge yourself with hands-on skills building on sim-babies under the guidance of two experts in the field.

• Intensity, Dosage and Early CP Therapy

  Speakers: Dr. Jill Heathcock and Kanishka Baduni

  • Review recent evidence surrounding intensity of therapy for early CP; contrast

  • Review recent evidence surrounding dosage of gross motor and upper extremity interventions therapy for early CP; compare results

  • Choose dosage and intensity of various interventions by discussing real life cases

• Interdisciplinary Early CP and high risk for CP Cases

  Speakers: Dr. Andrea Duncan, Dr. Nicole Pouppirt, Dr. Lauren Ayala, and Louise Wulfsohn,

  • Review academic mandates for interdisciplinary care and teaching in pediatric disciplines

  •  Focus on why interdisciplinary management is specifically relevant to diagnosing and caring for young children with CP

  • Using simulated cases, demonstrate synergy between neurologists, nurse practitioners, neonatologists, occupational and physical therapists in approaching complex early CP cases.

• Mental and Behavioral Health in CP- the Child and the Family

  Speakers: Dr. Mark Peterson and Dr. Seth Warschausky

  • Review the evidence on mental health conditions in parents of children with developmental disorders with a focus on the early years

  • Compare presentations in adults and young children of behavioral health concerns

  • Discuss the role of multidisciplinary providers in providing screening and facilitating access to behavioral health and social supports in the first three years

  • Demonstrate a use case and practical resource material development for early CP programs

• Mini SCALE

  Speakers: Dr. Eileen Fowler and Dr. Barbara Sargent

  • Understand The scientific basis and psychometric properties of the mini-scale

  • Discuss impact of decreased selective motor control with Video and case examples of children with decreased selective motor control,

  • Practice clinical assessment using the mini-SCALE on case examples

  • Interpret findings and suggest activities that parents can use to support their child in response to these findings

• Music and Music Therapy to Augment Healthcare and Therapy Sessions in Early CP 

  Speakers: Dr. Caitlin Kjeldsen and Megan Moran

  • Review the research on music-based interventions in young children with CP

  • Demonstrate various techniques to engage and calm young children during healthcare visits and therapy sessions

  • Practice on simulated cases and situations using vocal music and simple instruments that will be provided to reinforce learning

• Neurodevelopmental Assessments in the NICU - The Evidence

  Speakers: Dr. Joanna Burton and Dr. Betsy Ostrander

  • Description coming soon!

• New Developments in Spasticity Management

  Speakers: Dr. Enoch Leung and Dr. Jacob Lepard

  • Review evidence for tone management in infants pointing out gaps and lessons extrapolated from older children.

  • Focus on recent systematic reviews and recent exciting possibilities

  • Apply knowledge to clinical scenarios.

  • Encourage discussion of options when evidence is lacking.

• New Gross Motor Interventions and Delivery Models- The Past 2 years in Review

  Speakers: Dr. Cathy Morgan and Dr. Laura Prosser

  • Review the evidence from systematic reviews for gross motor interventions in the 0-3 age group at high risk or with CP

  • Focus on new papers and trials that have been published in the past 2 years to discuss expansion of the evidence and differences between approaches to motor learning and specific interventions

  • Interact with presenters on cases that challenge decision making for specific situations

  • Learn to choose strategies that can feasibly be implemented in your own program

• Positive Parenting for CP in the Early Years

  Speakers: Dr. Mary Lauren Neel and Dr. Melissa Murphy

  • Report on new findings surrounding parent-infant dyads in families of children with CP

  • Review different types of parenting styles and how they may present in clinical or therapy settings

  • Identify challenges unique to parenting a young child with CP and how they impact ability to work with allied health partners

  • Discuss evidence-based programs to support parents and model various tips and tricks for parents to help overcome some of these challenges

• Prediction of Outcomes Into Adulthood After an Early CP Diagnosis: Can we do it? 

  Speakers: Dr. Nathalie Maitre

  • Description coming soon!

• Selective Motor Control- Focus on early

  Speakers: Dr. Eileen Fowler, Dr. Colleen Peyton, and Dr. Theresa Sukal Moulton

  • Description coming soon!

• The Future of Neonatal Neurotherapeutics: Old Drugs for New Purposes in very early CP

  Speakers: Dr. Emin Maltepe

  • Understand how promising new therapeutics that may prevent or treat CP in the neonatal period are conceived, then tested in cells in animals and what would need to happen before they can be tested in humans.

  • Discuss and contrast examples of commonly available drugs used for new purposes

  • Discuss with the audience how these might be combined with neonatal allied health therapies for NICU infants for optimal efficacy and trajectory impact.

• Upper Extremity Interventions for CP - Science, Comparisons and New Models

  Speakers: Dr. Jill Heathcock and Allison McIntyre

  • Review the evidence from systematic reviews for upper extremity interventions in the 0-3 age group at high risk or with CP

  • Focus on new papers and trials that have been published in the past few years to discuss expansion of the evidence and differences between approaches and delivery models

  • Interact with presenters on cases that challenge decision making for specific situations

  • Learn to choose strategies that can feasibly be implemented in your own program

• Weight-Assisted Motor Learning - In the Home and the Gym

  Speakers: Dr. Barbara Sargent and Dr. Laura Prosser

  • Description coming soon!

It is the policy of CPF that no recordings are permitted in the workshop sessions. Audio or video recording is strictly prohibited