Episode 189 (Hannah Diviney)
AusACPDM 2024 - Opening Keynote speaker (facilitated by ResearchWorks)
Reflections on this episode (Dr Pool)
A not to be missed episode! This is the extended interview with Hannah Diviney that was the stunning opening keynote to AusACPDM 2024!
Episode 188 (Carol Shrader)
AusACPDM 2024, presidential lecture panelist
Reflections on this episode (Dr Pool)
A special post-conference interview with AusACPDM 2024 Presidential Guest Lecture Panelist Carol Shrader.
Episode 164 (Dr Jacinta Quartermaine)
REFLECTIONS ON PARTICIPATION AT HOME, AS SELF-REPORTED BY YOUNG PEOPLE WITH CEREBRAL PALSY
Reflections on this episode (Dr Pool)
This is such a wonderful study - unique in its methodology with the inclusion of a wide variety of ways to collect vital data from young people. It seems like for the first time, we have some real qualitative data from young people with cerebral palsy and what insight. Also unique is to determine participation within the home - a space that we all go to for safety, comfort and familiarity. Participation within this space is just so vital.
This study explored the home based participation of young people with cerebral palsy, describing factors that make participation easier or harder. This study included 15 young people with CP aged 15 to 26 years, with written reflections, photographs or videos about their home based participation experiences. Following thematic analysis, the self reported reflections identified themes which emphasized CP characteristics, thoughts, emotions, equipment, environment, supports and inclusion as important factors that influenced home based participation. Young people with CP largely described the home environment as an inclusive place to participate.
Finally, an important and unique discussion point was the support worker workforce. In Australia at least, this is quite a new professional space, aimed at improving opportunities to participate. However, it is currently viewed as quite a transient space, often positions taken by allied health students. As such, this workforce has high turnover and suffers from a lack of continuity. This role is so important so how wonderful would it be if this could be seen as a genuinely fulfilling profession?
Episode 140 (Professor Alicia Spittle)
EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES PROVIDED POST HOSPITAL DISCHARGE TO PREVENT MOTOR AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN PRETERM INFANTS
Reflections on this episode (Dr Pool)
We know that infants born preterm are at increased risk of cognitive and motor impairments compared with infants born at term. For this reason, early developmental interventions for preterm infants target both the infant or the parent-infant relationship or both. Whilst these interventions aim to improve developmental outcomes for these infants, the long term benefits are unclear. For this reason, this team of researchers wanted to update their last Cochrane review that was published and updated in 2012 and 2015.
Performing a Cochrane review is not for the faint hearted and I’m incredibly grateful that this team of researchers actively engage in reviews to reflect new work being done in the area.
The standout result for me here is that early developmental intervention can improve cognitive outcomes in infancy and preschool. It is no surprise that it doesn’t have the ongoing effect in school age because the reality is, cognitive development needs to continually occur.
This work highlights that environmental enrichment, communication, choice making - all done during infancy doesn’t just improve motor skills but it has a profound impact on cognition, an area that is often overlooked and actually difficult to assess.
For me as a clinician, this just means that I am more committed than ever to ensure therapy is fun, engaging, meaningful and play based. If we were to only focus on purely motor based interventions, particularly during the early years, we are doing a disservice to our young people - not just for now but for their future.
Ausacpdm award winners!
At the recent AusACPDM 2024 Conference, Dr Pool and Dr Thornton were awarded the prestigious Australasian Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AusACDPM) Transformative Practice Award!