Pre-Conference Sessions

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Pre-Conference Registration Pricing:

$125.00 (Member)
$199.00 (Non-member)
$75.00 (Member student)

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Morning Session (8:00am - 12:00pm CT

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PC2: Low Tech and High Tech: Technology for ALL!

Speakers: Sarah H. Evans, MD; Heather Feldner, PhD, PT; Laura A. Prosser, PT, PhD; Matthew Amodeo, MD; Elizabeth Condliffe; Rachel Byrne; Noam Platt; Anna McCormick, MD; Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP; Adam Kirton

Purpose: To provide an interactive low to high technology immersive session that will engage the learner in identifying and finding the right level of technological assistance for common functional goals such as mobility and communication (1). The session aims to empower patients, families, professionals, and members of the community to seek creative solutions and overcome barriers that prohibit adoption of both high and low technology solutions. Topics covered will include how technology can impact insurance approval and letters of necessity, cost-benefit analysis, and practical implementation of innovative tools.

Target Audience: Clinicians including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, assistive technologists, physicians, engineers, patients and families with lived experience with cerebral palsy, policy makers, and educators.

Background and Summary: Functional concerns such as “will my child walk or talk” are commonly expressed worries for parents of children with disability. (1) Though early prognosis for ambulation is possible at 24 months using the HINE (2), many children will develop the capacity for limited household walking and some level of communication, though often at a later age than expected. In these cases, the early introduction and positive use of assistive technology at an early age promotes a child’s engagement, participation, and confidence, as well as device adoption rates(3,4).
In this session we will review and describe the options for assistive technology for the two most common concerns: mobility and communication. We will provide a framework for how to begin to utilize and customize low-tech options and discuss how to empower families in the adoption of high-tech solutions when possible. We are proud to partner with NOLA based charity MakeGood to explore the creative process of design and development of lower technology solutions to common functional challenges, including the use of 3D printing for low-cost solutions. This session will draw on stakeholders to provide context, input, and lived experience around the challenges of adopting technologies, low and high tech alike.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe resources for accessing technology through state, local, and regional networks
• Demonstrate how to identify specific needs and create bespoke low-tech solutions using available resources
• Conduct assessments for high tech solutions and produce documentation to support the use and the cost/benefit relationship
• Participate in a group brainstorming activity to promote technology advancement

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Afternoon Sessions (1:00pm - 5:00pm CT)

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PC3: Aging with CP

Speakers: Mary Schmidt, DO; Tracy Pickar, MSW; Irene C. Dietz, MD; Cristina A. Sarmiento, MD; Mary E. Gannotti, PhD,PT; Kathleen M. Friel, PhD; Toni Benton, MD; Katrina Johnson; Selina Silva, MD

Purpose: The goal of this pre‐course is to provide information on pressing health issues facing aging adults with CP and to discuss treatment options from multidisciplinary perspectives. The course will be conducted through patient cases focusing on interactive team‐based learning.

Target Audience: The audience for this pre‐course is any clinician interested in clinical care for adults with CP.

Background and Summary: Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) have a similar life expectancy to the general population but experience a higher prevalence of co‐morbid health conditions. [4]. Although advancements in health care have improved treatment approaches, adults with CP face complex health decisions that impact their health and quality of life [2]. Limited resources hinder efforts to address these needs, and health indicators derived from the general population may not be fully applicable [1, 3]. A comprehensive approach helps offset these disparities, improves treatment options, and quality of life for adults with CP.
“Aging with CP” will be a highly interactive team‐based learning experience based on case study presentations. The format will involve short presentations followed by participants breaking into small groups to problem solve and then report back for a large group discussion. Team-based learning is defined as “an active learning and small group instructional strategy that provides students with opportunities to apply conceptual knowledge through a sequence of activities…” [7]. The active engagement format has been shown to enhance the learner’s understanding and critical thinking [7]. The presenter panel will be multidisciplinary and multicentered that includes specialists from a variety of disciplines: complex care, primary care, neurophysiology, physiatry, physical therapy, and lived experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key areas that describe the functioning of adults with CP as they age.
• Work through patient case studies that illustrate the multi‐disciplinary topics covered by this session.
• Identify gaps in adult patient treatment and formulate ideas for addressing these gaps.
• Build knowledge and awareness to educate and empower patients and their caregivers regarding aging with CP that will improve quality of life and health outcomes.

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PC4: Fostering Inclusive Participation in Adapted Sports and Exercise Programs for Individuals with CP: Bridging the Gaps

Speakers: Noelle G. Moreau, PhD, PT; Corey Gainey; Jennifer Lyman, MS; Nathalie L. Maitre, MD, PhD; Tom Moran, PhD; Pam Carey; Cosmo Kwok, MD; Gavin Colquitt, EdD

Purpose: This workshop aims to attendees to integrate adapted sports into therapy and community-based programs for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP).

Target Audience: Physicians and allied health professionals

Background and Summary: The importance of activity and participation is well-recognized, yet children with CP engage in significantly less physical activity and sport than their peers, negatively affecting health and well-being.¹ A gap between provider priorities and parent expectations can lead to missed opportunities for meaningful engagement.² Parents often view adapted sport as a vital source of support and family connection,³ whereas providers may focus more on traditional therapies. Aligning these perspectives is crucial to ensuring children with CP gain the full benefits of participation.
Exercise promotes physiological adaptations that enhance participation. Voluntary exercise improves muscle structure, function, mobility, and quality of life.⁴ When appropriately dosed, power training offers unique advantages beyond standard resistance training.⁵,⁶ It can serve as both a recreational activity and preparation for competitive adapted sports.
This workshop will address gaps between provider and family perspectives, highlight the benefits of exercise and adapted sports, and provide practical strategies for fostering inclusive participation. In partnership with Louisiana Games Uniting Mind and Body (GUMBO), hands-on learning experiences will include sport classification, rules, and demonstrations in boccia, powerlifting, and track and field. Our multidisciplinary team—including clinicians, researchers, and practitioners in rehabilitation medicine, pediatrics, physical therapy, physiology, and adapted sports—also features parents of children with CP and individuals with lived experience, ensuring diverse perspectives to enhance learning and application.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key therapy goals tied to adapted sports and apply strategies to integrate these goals into meaningful, activity-based interventions for individuals with cerebral palsy.
• Evaluate the appropriate dosing of training intensities for adapted sports and prescribe evidence-based exercise programs that enhance both performance and overall functional outcomes.
• Demonstrate strategies for linking patients to community-based adapted sports programs, promoting long-term engagement and enhanced quality of life through participation-focused therapy.
• Develop and implement adapted sports programs in clinical and community settings, emphasizing collaboration with families and multidisciplinary teams to overcome barriers to participation.

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PC5: Learning to Read and Interpret Gait Lab Kinematics and Kinetics: A Case Study Approach

Speakers: Ross S. Chafetz, PhD, DPT; Kirsten Tulchin-Francis, PhD; Joseph J. Krzak, PT, PhD; Kristan Pierz, MD; Freeman Miller; Jon R. Davids, MD; Sean Tabaie, MD MBA

Purpose: The goal of this course is to provide participants with the fundamental skills to interpret instrumented gait and motion analysis for informed surgical decision-making

Target Audience: Physicians, physical therapists, kinesiologists, allied health providers, biomechanists, engineers

Background and Summary: This course is designed to empower both beginners and experts with the skills needed to master gait analysis data interpretation. Divided into two dynamic parts, the course offers a balance of foundational knowledge and real-world application.
In the first part, we’ll revisit the core principles of kinematics and kinetics, but with a fresh, practical focus. You’ll learn how to connect key physical exam findings with deviations observed in gait data, making the analysis more meaningful and actionable. To maximize the value of our time together, participants will receive curated reading materials and pre-recorded videos to review before the course.
The second part of the course takes a hands-on approach with an interactive review of compelling case studies. Each case will be presented to participants, followed by an engaging discussion on how seasoned experts craft surgical and rehabilitative recommendations. Beyond just presenting solutions, our instructors will compare and contrast various expert approaches, sparking in-depth conversations among participants.

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion, participants will be able to identify impairments associated with commonly seen kinematic graphs in patients with cerebral palys.
• Upon completion, participants will be able to integrate kinematics, kinetic, emg and foot pressures to identify key gait impairments associated with the patient diagnosis
• Upon completion, participants will be able to associate gait impairments with physical exam to determine surgical and rehabilitation options
• Upon completion, participants will be able to narrow down the various surgical options to those most appropriate given a patient's functional status, goals, age, surgical history, and other relevant factors.

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PC6: Strengths-Based Support for Families after an Early Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy: A Lifespan Approach

Speakers: Brenda Agnew; Rudaina Banihani, MD, MMEd; Paige Church; Kim Hindery; Alison Liddle; Michael Msall; Colleen Peyton; Jessica Trenkle

Purpose: This session aims to provide physicians, therapists, and researchers with actionable tools and insights to better support families after an early diagnosis of cerebral palsy. This session emphasizes the use of strengths-based language and approaches to improve communication, shift from a deficit-based model, and effectively meet families' evolving needs as their children grow.

Target Audience: This session is designed for physicians, allied health professionals, researchers, and individuals with lived experience who wish to improve their understanding and application of a strengths-based model in clinical practice and research.

Background and Summary: The medical community often relies on deficit-based models and language when diagnosing and managing cerebral palsy, unintentionally shaping families' experiences and long-term perceptions. Families consistently express a need for language and support that emphasize their child's strengths and potential, fostering hope and resilience. This session will address this gap by presenting perspectives from multidisciplinary experts, including physicians, therapists, researchers, and parents of children with cerebral palsy. Topics include:
-Pre-diagnosis counseling in the NICU and strengths-based language models in neonatal research.
-Equitable access to early intervention and therapy in under-resourced communities.
-Insights from individuals with lived experience regarding how clinical language and community support impact families well-being.
-Observations from early diagnosis clinics on how the family needs to evolve over time.
The session will follow a lifespan approach organized into four epochs: pre-diagnosis (NICU counseling), diagnosis and initial support, early intervention and access to resources, and long-term supports. Active learning techniques, including role-play, interactive case studies, and group discussions, will allow participants to practice applying the concepts covered.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and apply strengths-based language when counseling families and disseminating research findings.
• Compare and contrast strengths-based and deficit-based approaches in counseling and service delivery.
• Evaluate the impact of medical language and research wording on families' perceptions and experiences
• Develop practical communication strategies to improve counseling and research dissemination practices with an emphasis on child functioning and participation