Cerebral Palsy Health

Have you heard of Brain Computer Interface (BCI)? Have you wondered if this technology might help your child or even yourself achieve goals and unlock potential? The future is here! Join Jen for this episode with Dr. Adam Kirton, Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences; Pediatric Neurologist and Co-Founder of Possibility Neurotechnologies, as he explains what BCI is, how it works, who i...

Orthopedic surgery can be a fact of life for those with cerebral palsy. Many children undergo multiple surgeries through their childhood and teenage years, especially those with more complex CP.  In this episode I talk with Dr. Hank Chambers and Dr. Verena Schreiber about their recent publication outlining what parents and your child's medical team should do to prepare for orthopaedic surgery, to...

On this episode, Jen interviews Ginny Paleg, PT, DScPT to discuss her recent research surrounding Dynamic Movement Intervention. This therapy has gained popularity in recent years and is frequently recommended by therapists, but is the evidence to support its use?  Ginny helps break this down as we explore what does and does not have evidence and why some of these "intensives" are so popular with...

In this special episode, Jen interviews Belinda Deramore Denver, PhD, OT while at the AACPDM annual meeting in New Orleans. Dr. Denver's work focuses on vision in children with Cerebral Palsy and she is the principal developer of the new Measure of Early Vision Use. Belinda's clinical and research interest lie in addressing the gaps in current assessment and intervention practices for children wit...

In this special episode, we highlight the upcoming AACPDM 2025 Conference in New Orleans , and we discuss the following with our guest, Dr. Theresa Sukal Moulton and fellow podcasters, Azucena Gardia, Dr. Kilby Mann and Dr. Tyler McDonald 1. General theme and vision behind this year's conference in New Orleans 2. New Orleans is the host city, and we can expect. 3. How the four-day program and the...

Jen and Nathalie discuss general preventive care, including vaccines for individuals with CP. We cover the what you should expect from your pediatrician or provider, ways to advocate for yourself or your loved one, and things you can do to make visits more comfortable. We also discuss vaccines, including how they work in the body and the controversies surrounding them.

In this episode, guest and CPF Senior VP of Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy, Cynthia Frisina, gives us a behind the scenes look at how Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day and month came to be and what exactly it means!  She helps us understand the importance of advocacy and the exciting possibilities for cerebral palsy advocacy moving forward, with the help of parents, individuals with CP, and commun...

In this episode, guests Dr. Erica Caffrey and Dr. Sydnee Chavis provide their unique expertise and experience in dentistry and oral heathcare for individuals with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities across the life span. Both are professors of dentistry who have a passion for advocacy, education and access to high quality dental care for those with disabilities. This podcast covers the topics of...

Jen and Nathalie discuss the ins and outs of research, including the different phases of research trials, types of research trials and questions to ask your therapists when they recommend a treatment or intervention. 

Today we're talking about fitness and CP...why fitness is important, how we have incorporated fitness into our son's lives, how we have found gyms and personal trainers and what you should be asking your doctors or therapists so you can help your loved one get fit and stay fit from childhood on.

In this episode with sleep expert and developmental pediatrician, Dr. Golda Milo Manson, we discuss the variety of sleep issues that occur for children with Cerebral Palsy and potential solutions for families. Dr. Milo-Manson covers how to prevent sleep issues, behavioral and pharmacologic interventions, and how to know what to use, for whom and when. Dr. Golda Milo-Manson  is the Vice-President o...

On this episode of Coffee Talk with Nathalie, we discuss sleep and the complexities of the sleep issues that we have experienced over the years. Nathalie offers insights and advice as both a parent of a young man with CP and a pediatrician.

In this new series within Cerebral Palsy Health, Jen sits down with Nathalie Maitre, MD, PhD to talk about parenting, our shared experiences raising sons with CP and more!

On this episode I am talking with physiatrist Nathan Rosenberg about participation, helping parents (and me) make decisions about treatments and sorting through when treatment is worth it or not.  Nathan Rosenberg, MD, is a Pediatric Rehabilitation Physician (Pediatric Physiatrist) at Nationwide Children's. He is the medical director of the rehabilitation inpatient consultation service. Additional...

On this episode of Cerebral Palsy Health, Jen talks with neonatologist and researcher Nathalie Maitre about her work with Cerebral Palsy Foundation to create an early detection and intervention network, what this means for babies and their families and how this is being scaled to meet needs in more and more places. Nathalie talks about how babies learn, how CP can interrupt this process and how in...

On this episode, Jen talks with physical therapy professor and researcher, Lisa Kenyon, PT, DPT, PhD about powered mobility for individuals with cerebral palsy. They discuss early powered mobility and the impact on learning and function, powered mobility standing devices and the impacts on participation and the barriers related to insurance coverage. Resources to help with letters of medical neces...

On this episode, Jen talks with Sarah Storck, a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Work Incentives Practioner, and David Stoner, a writer and an individual with Cerebral Palsy who has utilized the services discussed. They talk about the process of working with vocational rehabilitation, support during employment and mechanisms to help ensure that you can keep your benefits even while earning...

In this episode, Jen talks with healthcare architect Noam Platt about Makers Making Change, an organization that is creating affordable assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. They discuss how this program works, types of assistive tech that are being made to order, as well as tech designs that can be downloaded and made at home.  Resources Discussed:  https://www.makersmakingchang...

In Episode 6, Jen talks with physical therapist and cerebral palsy researcher Theresa Sukal Moulton and Frame Runner manufacturer/vendor David Black of RAD Innovations about the recreational and adaptive sport of Frame Running. A relatively new recreational sport in the US, a Frame Runner is an adaptive running frame that looks similar to a bike without pedals which allows individuals with CP run...

On this episode, I have the honor of talking with Wendy Pierce, MD, a pediatric physiatrist at Colorado Children's Hospital about physiatry, also known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. This fantastic field of medicine can be helpful for individuals with cerebral palsy across with lifespan, but it has a confusing name and sometimes a confusing job description. So we set out to help listener...

On this episode I talk with two of the world's leading researchers… Dr. Madison Paton and Dr. Iona Novak on stem cell treatment for cerebral palsy. Stem Cells have been a hot topic in Cerebral Palsy for at least 15 years now, with many parents and researchers hoping that at the least, stem cells will lessen the impact of CP and at most hold the key to a cure. Dr. Paton and Dr. Novak will share the...

On this episode with Dr. Amy Bailes, we discuss the Gross Motor Functional Classification System (the GMFCS), the Gross Motor Functional Measure (the GMFM), and the corresponding motor curves. The GMFCS is an important classification system that is relatively easy to understand and it helps create a shared language and framework for understanding a person with CP's physical function. This can be v...

In this episode, Mary Gannotti, PhD, PT, discusses fitness, health and function across the lifespan for individuals with cerebral palsy. Mary is a physical therapist and medical anthropologist whose personal life experiences and her professional experiences help shape her research in disability, especially cerebral palsy. She specifically looks at how personal and environmental characteristics imp...

In this first episode, listeners will meet the host, Jen, learn about her background, her son, Bower, and the reason for creating this podcast. Enjoy!