Abstract Submission

Deadline for abstract submissions is Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 11:59pm EST.

 

AACPDM Annual Meeting Policy Reminders:

• Authors are strongly encouraged to be an AACPDM Member.
• Abstracts accepted for the 80th Annual Meeting must be unbiased and disclose any conflicts of interest. Papers that promote a specific company, device or product will not be considered.
• All presenters of accepted abstracts are required to register for the Annual Meeting. Fees are not reduced or waived for presenters.  
• It should be considered that presenters who are non-professional persons with lived experience (PLE) will have a required reduced full conference registration fee.  PLE should contact the academy office for registration assistance.
• The second author should be prepared to attend if an emergency prevents the primary author from attending.
• We welcome authors from all areas of the world to submit; for practical planning, we encourage you to consider applying for any necessary visas upon submission of an abstract.
• Withdrawal of an abstract after AACPDM abstract acceptances have been sent, will result in the lead author being barred from submitting work to the next Annual Meeting.

 

Additional Information:

The Scientific Review Committee is pleased to invite abstract submissions in the following presentation formats:

• Scientific Presentations – Free Paper Presentations and Scientific Posters
• Demonstration Posters
• Clinical Observation or Single Case Study Posters
• Education Sessions (60 minutes)
• Pre-Conference Sessions (105 or 240 minutes)

The meeting theme is “80 years of Science Rooted in Brotherly Love and Lifelong Community” and submissions with this focus are encouraged but the theme is not a limit of submission topics. The following high priority topics:

• Basic science advances in pediatric disability research
• Innovations in technology and care delivery for children with childhood onset disability
• Evidence-based Clinical Science
• Clinical Science with community involvement
• Integration of scientific evidence into practice
• Disability representation in academia and healthcare
• Planning for the future of pediatric rehabilitation through the co-production (e.g., PLE, scientists, clinicians) of evidence-based practices

**IMPORTANT**: Make sure to follow abstract formatting criteria for your desired presentation type. For example, there is a significant difference between “Scientific Presentation” and “Demonstration Poster” (see below). Selecting the incorrect presentation category for your submission can result in abstract rejection. Please review ALL of the instructions below before selecting your presentation category.

 

New Requirements for 2026:

• Curriculum vitaes will be due at the time of submission for all presenters listed on an Education Session, Pre-Conference Session or Scientific Presentation. 
• References: 5 current and relevant bibliographic references are required for Education Sessions and Pre-Conference Sessions. 1 current and relevant bibliographic reference is required for Scientific Presentations.
• Learning Objectives: 5 learning objectives are required for Education Sessions and Pre-Conference Sessions. 1 learning objective is required for Scientific Presentations.
• Pre-Conference Session Lengths: Submitters will be asked to determine whether a 1.75 hour (105 minutes) or 4 hour (240 minutes) is most suitable for the content they have submitted. Please choose accordingly based off the proposed agenda.
• Withdrawal of an abstract after AACPDM abstract acceptances have been sent, will result in the lead author being barred from submitting work to the next Annual Meeting.

 

          

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PRESENTATION TYPES

Scientific Presentations

The purpose of a scientific presentation is to highlight new research findings from completed studies, or substantiative interim analyses of ongoing studies. Scientific presentations appear in two formats at the annual meeting:

• Free Paper (podium presentation) – A short oral presentation held during one of the concurrent “Free Paper” sessions during the Annual Meeting. Many listeners can hear the presentation at once, and there is a short time for questions.
• Scientific Poster –Scientific Posters are presented in two formats: a traditional mountable poster and an ePoster (an electronic version). The ePoster may be included in online meeting content posted on the AACPDM website after the Annual Meeting, and in the Annual Meeting app. The dual display methods increase exposure to the work and allow for more flexible access.
  • Systematic Review Poster – Systematic reviews are considered to be higher levels of evidence if the quality of the studies included in the review are of sufficient levels of evidence. These types of investigations are  valuable for our members to explore conclusions and consider implications for practice. All accepted scientific reviews will be displayed in a special poster section dedicated to this study type.

The Scientific Program Committee determines the presentation format of Scientific Presentations after review and selection, but authors can indicate their preferences during the submission process. All accepted Scientific Presentations will be published in a Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology Supplement. Abstracts may not be submitted if they have been published as a full research paper at the time of submission.

** Please note: Individuals may be the presenting author on a maximum of two oral (Free Paper) presentations (although they may be a secondary author on more than two).

The members of the AACPDM Scientific Program Committee will review the abstracts, blinded to the names of the authors and institutions affiliated with the submission. Presentations will be selected on the basis of their research question or hypothesis, study design/methodology/conclusions, impact/relevance and importance. Student status will not affect abstract submission type or the grading of the abstract.

In order to make fair comparisons of the quality of submitted abstracts across a wide spectrum of disciplines, it is imperative that the following structured abstract format be followed.  There is a strict 3000-character count, including spaces, on the length of the body of the abstract.  The format of abstracts should be as follows:

• Area of Science: Authors will select the option that most closely describes their study from a list. This is not included in character count.
• Background and Objective(s): Provide a brief statement about the problem or question/s of interest followed by the specific objective/s of the study.

• Study Participants & Setting: Describe participants and relevant information about the setting(s) in which the research was conducted so that generalizability of the results can be determined. The inclusion/exclusion criteria, number who participated out of the number eligible and pertinent socio-demographic information may be described. Some terms used to describe participant selection processes include: random sampling, consecutive series, convenience sampling, purposeful (or purposive) sampling. Examples of relevant settings include primary care, tertiary or referral center, institutional setting, community, etc.
• Materials/Methods: Describe the methods used to conduct the study. Where applicable, identify the primary (and important secondary) outcomes and statistical methods (where applicable) used to conduct the analyses. For qualitative studies, describe the methodology used and briefly summarize data collection methods and data analysis processes.
• Results: Scientific abstracts must contain study results. Statistical analyses must be consistent with the type of data with appropriate presentation of the precision of the results (e.g., confidence interval, standard deviations, standard error, effect size, etc.). Results of qualitative studies must include brief summary of themes or theoretical model, as appropriate.
• Conclusions/Significance: Only those conclusions that can be supported by the data presented in the study should be stated. The significance or implications of the findings may be described.

Other required information includes:

• Presenter CVs: A curriculum vitae (CV) is needed for every presenter that lists any organizations or institutions that they have had a relationship with. This information is needed for CME purposes.
• Learning Objective: Include 1 objectives that finish the sentence, 'Upon completion, participant will be able to….' Use action words to begin this learning objective, such as list, describe, define, demonstrate, conduct, etc. Learning objectives are not included in the character count.
• References: Provide a minimum of 1 current and relevant bibliographic references. References are not included in your character count.

Demonstration Posters

The purpose of a Demonstration Poster is to showcase emerging ideas, generate discussion regarding new and innovative service delivery models, highlight novel techniques and technologies, and/or advocacy efforts pertaining to the care of people with childhood-onset disabilities.

Demonstration Posters can be used to highlight an upcoming funded clinical study or a program or service evaluation, but abstracts that include scientific data, analyses, and results WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE DEMONSTRATION POSTER CATEGORY and are more appropriate for submission as a Scientific Presentation.

The Demonstration Posters will be fully recognized in the program; however, please note that these abstracts will not be published in the Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (DMCN) supplement.

Demonstration Posters are presented in two formats: a traditional mountable poster and an ePoster (an electronic version). The ePoster may be included in online meeting content posted on the AACPDM website after the Annual Meeting, and in the Annual Meeting app. The dual display methods increase exposure to the work and allow for more flexible access.

The members of the AACPDM Scientific Program Committee will review the abstracts, blinded to the names of the authors and institutions affiliated with the submission. Posters will be selected on the basis of their innovation, potential to impact research and/or clinical practice in childhood-onset disability, and safety. Student status will not affect your abstract submission type or the grading of your abstract.

In order to make fair comparisons of the quality of submitted abstracts across a wide spectrum of disciplines, it is imperative that the following structured abstract format be followed.  There is a strict 3000-character count, including spaces, on the length of the body of the abstract.  The format of abstracts should be as follows:

• Background/Objectives: Provide a brief introductory statement about the issue at hand followed by the specific objectives of the Demonstration Poster.
• Description: Provide a description of the information to be presented in the poster.
• Significance: Briefly explain the significance or importance of the information being presented, highlighting novel and innovative aspects. Where appropriate, suggest future research that might help establish, validate or strengthen these new ideas.

 

Clinical Observation or Single Case Study Posters

The purpose of clinical observations or single case study posters is to illustrate important or novel findings, treatment outcomes, or lines of scientific inquiry. The goal is to serve as a forum for interesting observations that may not meet the robust standards of scientific evidence needed for a scientific poster but are compelling to our attendees and inspire idea generation about potential new directions for clinical consideration and scientific inquiry. Abstracts that include scientific data, analyses and results WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE CLINICAL OBSERVATION OR SINGLE CASE STUDY POSTER CATEGORY and are more appropriate for submission as a Scientific Presentation.

The Clinical Observation or Single Case Study Posters will be fully recognized in the program; however, please note that these abstracts will not be published in the Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (DMCN) supplement.

Clinical Observation Posters are presented in two formats: a traditional mountable poster and an ePoster (an electronic version). The ePoster may be included in online meeting content posted on the AACPDM website after the Annual Meeting, and in the Annual Meeting app. The dual display methods increase exposure to the work and allow for more flexible access.

The members of the AACPDM Scientific Program Committee will review the abstracts, blinded to the names of the authors and institutions affiliated with the submission. Posters will be selected on the basis of their innovation, potential to impact research and/or clinical practice in childhood-onset disability, and safety. Student status will not affect your abstract submission type or the grading of your abstract.

In order to make fair comparisons of the quality of submitted abstracts across a wide spectrum of disciplines, it is imperative that the following structured abstract format be followed.  There is a strict 3000-character count, including spaces, on the length of the body of the abstract.  The format of abstracts should be as follows:

• Background/Objectives: Provide a brief introductory statement about the observation or case study and objectives of the poster.
• Description: Provide a description of the information to be presented in the poster.
• Significance: Briefly explain the significance or importance of the information being presented, highlighting novel and innovative aspects. Where appropriate, suggest future research that might help establish, validate, or strengthen these new ideas and/or novel clinical implications.

 

Education Sessions

The purpose of Education Sessions is to engage with content that informs the audience about diagnosis or evaluation tools, interventions, unique approaches, basic science, or other topics relevant to AACPDM membership. All education sessions will be 60-minutes in duration to provide a wide range of learning opportunities for attendees.

Content should be current, evidence based, practical, applicable, and provide a balanced perspective. We highly encourage the inclusion of those with lived experience with childhood onset disability (including family members) as co-presenters, as well as multi-center and international collaborations. The time allotment may be best suited to 2-4 presenters, but to support the inclusion of additional voices as appropriate up to 6 presenters will be considered. Please note, there is a maximum of 2 Education Session presentations per speaker.

The members of the AACPDM Scientific Program Committee will review the abstracts, and education sessions will be selected on the basis of the clarity of their content, significance to AACPDM, and quality of their evidence.  

In order to make fair comparisons of the quality of submitted abstracts across a wide spectrum of disciplines, it is imperative that the following structured abstract format be followed.  There is a strict 3000-character count, including spaces, on the length of the body of the abstract.  The format of abstracts should be as follows:

• Level: Select from Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, General. Level is not included in character count.
• Purpose: Indicate the overall goal of your education session.
• Target Audience: Please indicate the audience that content is geared toward, such as physicians, allied health, researchers, persons with lived experience, etc.
• Background and Summary: Provide context for the importance of the education session and describe why it is an important topic for learning and discussion at the Annual Meeting. If the presenters bring a unique expertise or point of view, indicate that here.
• Format: Due to the multidisciplinary nature of our membership and range of topics, there may be a variety of ways that presenters use their 60 minutes. The plan for time usage during the session should be clearly outlined with times and speakers allotted for individual sections. We encourage presenters to use active learning strategies with opportunities for audience participation to the extent possible.

Other required information includes:

• Presenter CVs: A curriculum vitae (CV) is needed for every presenter that lists any organizations or institutions that they have had a relationship with. This information is needed for CME purposes.
• Learning Objectives: Include 5 objectives that finish the sentence, 'Upon completion, participant will be able to….' Use action words to begin this learning objective, such as list, describe, define, demonstrate, conduct, etc. Learning objectives are not included in the character count.
• References: Provide a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7 current and relevant bibliographic references. References are not included in your character count.

Prepared background materials (handouts, references) are required and should be made available prior to or at the meeting. Handouts will be submitted electronically prior to the meeting will be included on the AACPDM mobile app. Prior permission must be obtained to duplicate copyrighted materials. Instructions on submitting handouts will be sent to presenters and posted on the AACPDM website. Not submitting a handout may be considered in future annual meeting submissions by the presenters.

 

Pre-Conference Sessions

Pre-Conference Sessions are either 1.75 or 4 hour (105 or 240 minute) sessions designed to be in-depth tutorials held on Sunday, September 27, 2026 (also known as “Pre-Courses”).These dynamic courses will include content experts from multiple institutions providing evidence-based instruction on up-to-date topics that are of high interest to Academy members. Because we anticipate accepting a limited number of Pre-Conference Sessions, we encourage active collaboration between members prior to submission. 

Preference will be given to Pre-Courses that include multi-center presenters.  International collaboration is encouraged.  Limit the number of seminar speakers (including author) to no more than 8. There is a maximum of 1 pre-conference per speaker. There is a strict 3000-character count, including spaces, on the length of the body of the abstract.  The format of abstracts should be as follows:

• Level: Select from Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, General. Level is not included in character count.
• Purpose: Indicate the overall goal of your education session.
• Target Audience: Please indicate the audience that content is geared toward, such as physicians, allied health, researchers, persons with lived experience, etc.
• Background and Summary: Provide context for the importance of the education session and describe why it is an important topic for learning and discussion at the Annual Meeting. If the presenters bring a unique expertise or point of view, indicate that here.
• Format: The plan for time usage during the session should be clearly outlined with times and speakers allotted for individual sections. We encourage presenters to use active learning strategies with opportunities for audience participation.

Other required information includes:

• Presenter CVs: A curriculum vitae (CV) is needed for every presenter that lists any organizations or institutions that they have had a relationship with. This information is needed for CME purposes.
• Length: Authors should choose length of course based on content (e.g., interaction, active participation, hands-on practice).
• Learning Objectives: Include 5 objectives that finish the sentence, 'Upon completion, participant will be able to….' Use action words to begin this learning objective, such as list, describe, define, demonstrate, conduct, etc. Learning objectives are not included in the character count.
• References: Provide a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7 current and relevant bibliographic references. References are not included in your character count.

Indicate whether the Pre-Course is co-sponsored with another participating professional society. Handouts are required for any accepted abstract for a Pre-Course. Handouts submitted electronically prior to the meeting will be sent to registered attendees. Prior permission must be obtained to duplicate copyrighted materials. Additional instructions for submitting handouts will be sent to presenters and posted on the AACPDM website prior to the annual meeting.

 

Abstracts can be submitted online via the AACPDM Annual Meeting Abstract Submission website.

Please contact AACPDM staff at meetings@aacpdm.org with any questions.