Section on Pediatric Research Summit II

Plans are underway for the second Research Summit (RS II), which will be held at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria October 26-28, 2007. RS II is modeled after RS I and will focus on research in early intervention for children with or at risk for physical disabilities (birth to 3 years). RS II will also bring together pediatric physical therapist researchers and research experts from other disciplines.  For information regarding how to participate, please see the attached flyer. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact members of the RS II Task Force: Maggie O’Neal, Debbie Kartin, Kim Nixon-Cave, and Thubi Kolobe.

Download Research Summit II Brochure

Research Summit I Update (March 2006)

It has been 2 years since the first Research Summit (RS I). The Research Committee continues to work on some of the recommendations that have come out of the Summit and continues to witness exciting developments and accomplishments in the area of promotion of fitness and prevention of complications in children with disabilities by those who participated.  Only a few are highlighted here and in the attached table.   

• A group led by Carole Tucker received funding for a Multi-Center Clinical Outcomes Study: Health Promotion and Physical Activity in Youths with Disability Planning Grant - 2007.  A full 5 year grant submission is planned for 05/2007. The members of the group are attendees of RS I: Carole Tucker (PI), Maggie O’Neil (Co-I), Debbie Thorpe (Co-I), Maria Fragala-Pinkham (Co-I), and invited participants Don Morgan (Consultant) and James Rimmer (Consultant).
• Also, for the first time Jim Rimmer, well known for his research in fitness in adults with disabilities and one of the non-PT invited participants, has collaborated with a pediatric physical therapist in a NIDRR funded grant (10/06-10/07) on Obesity and Obesity-Related Secondary Conditions in Youth with Disabilities. 
• One of the participants, Debbie Thorpe received a NIH/K23 - Patient Oriented Mentored Career Award for her research on Secondary Conditions in Adults with CP and Effect of Aquatic Resistive Exercise on Fitness and Function. Rich Stevenson, one of the non-PT invited participants, serves as one of her mentors. 

A table with additional activities and accomplishments, including the list of some of the participants and their e-mails, is attached. The Section on Pediatrics Research Committee continues to seek ways to involve other Section members, and we hope to use the information from annual surveys of participants to expand the network to those of you who are interested in the areas addressed by this and future Research Summits. This information will also be available on the Section website.

Proceedings: The manuscript with proceedings from the RSI has been submitted to Physical Therapy and is currently under review. We hope it will be published soon. The Committee is grateful to Eileen Fowler who has led this enormous task of pulling the information together and coordinating with so many authors to ensure that the information is accurate and current.

Download Summary of Activities as of December 2006