During the 77th Annual Meeting of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) held in Chicago from September 10 – 13, 2023, more than 25 cerebral palsy (CP) professionals from five Shriners Children’s locations shared their knowledge and research with health professionals from around the world. AACPDM is the world’s premier organization of health professionals devoted to the advancement of health and well-being of children with CP and other childhood-onset disabilities. Shriners Children’s is a world leader in providing individualized care and treatment to children with CP, the world’s most common cause of childhood-onset disability. In 2023, four Shriners Children’s locations ranked among the "best children’s hospitals for orthopedics" in the United States by U.S. News and World Report.
Shriners Children’s CP staff in attendance included orthopedic surgeons, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians; physical, occupational and speech therapists; dieticians, social workers, orthotic specialists and communications professionals.
In total, Shriners Children’s led 37 presentations ranging from pre-conference workshops to research podium presentations, interactive symposia and poster presentations.
Jeremy Bauer M.D., an orthopedic surgeon from Shriners Children’s Portland, was appointed to the Board of Directors of the AACPDM. His research interests primarily center around the use of motion analysis in both cerebral palsy and sports. He has published multiple studies on outcomes and treatment of children with cerebral palsy, and has coauthored a chapter on the orthopedic management of cerebral palsy. Dr. Bauer has been an active member of the AACPDM for 12 years, and has served on the Education Committee as well as the committee chair. As committee chair, he launched the AACPDM e-course platform. He served as a co-chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the 2020 Annual Meeting, which pivoted to an all-virtual platform.
Vedant Kulkarni, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon from Shriners Children’s Northern California, was named scientific co-chair for the AACPDM 2024 Annual Meeting. His work is devoted to treating children with all types of pediatric orthopedic conditions and injuries. He has a special interest in neuromuscular disorders such as cerebral palsy,and is part of a multidisciplinary team that is devoted to excellence in clinical care and research.
“AACPDM is a dynamic organization that brings together specialists from multiple disciplines to improve the care of children with CP,” Dr. Kulkarni said. “The mission of AACPDM aligns so well with the holistic model of care at Shriners Children’s, and I am so grateful to be part of both of these organizations.”
“Shriners Children’s health professionals have held leadership positions in the AACPDM for many years, from committee members to the role of president of the organization,” Dr. Kulkarni said. “I am excited and humbled to carry that forward as the 2024 Annual Meeting Scientific co-chair.”