Nominate your candidate for the Elsass Foundation Research Prize 2023 now! To be considered, nominations must be submitted in English here before May 31st, 2022. Every second year the Elsass Foundation Research Prize is awarded by the protector of the Elsass Foundation, Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte at the foundations’ premises in Charlottenlund, Denmark. The prize recognizes researchers that have - and continue to make - an exceptional contribution within the field of cerebral palsy (CP).

Prize amount

The prize is DKK 1.000.000 (equivalent of 150.000 €). It is a combined personal prize of DKK 250.000. (37.500 €) and a research grant of DKK 750.000. (112.500 €). It is preferably given to one person only, but it may also be shared by several researchers. Nomination of candidates within all areas of CP research and sciences, with any professional background are welcome.

Selection Committee

Members of the committee are appointed among internationally recognized researchers with

extensive expertise and knowledge in the field of CP:

• Thomas Sinkjær, Chairman and Professor in Neurorehabilitation and Neurotechnology, DK
• Roslyn Boyd, Professor of Cerebral Palsy Research, PhD (PT), AU
• Giovanni Cioni, Professor of Child Neurology, IT
• Darcy L. Fehlings, Professor, CA
• Bernard Dan, Professor and former prize recipient, BE

Click here and nominate your candidate!

About The Elsass Foundation: The Elsass Foundation is a private foundation from Denmark working to improve the quality of life for people with cerebral palsy (CP) and their families. The Elsass Foundation works across a wide range of areas, including research, knowledge dissemination, developing activity programmes and providing funding to institutions, associations and individuals. The foundation was established in 1975 following a donation by Helene Elsass, who had CP. Her wish was to establish a foundation that could help others with cerebral palsy to the greatest extent possible. The Elsass Foundation is a proactive foundation which strives to keep abreast of the latest research and knowledge in the field of CP. All activities are structured so as to revolve around our mission to improve the quality of life for people with cerebral palsy (CP). One of the primary goals is to help ensure that people with cerebral palsy attain the greatest possible level of independence and autonomy   -   Website: https://www.elsassfonden.dk/en/

In May 2020, EACD set up a Technology & Innovation Task Force, currently led by Prof. Sylvain Brochard and Dr. Christelle Pons. Technology and innovative solutions are making more and more a difference in our society as well as in paediatric rehabilitation. In fact, in some cases technologies and innovative solutions could improve rehabilitation practices in complementary with traditional approaches. However, most initiatives in this area relevant to our community are still mostly from local/regional initiatives, and which kind of technologies and innovations exactly are used, or not used, in paediatric rehabilitation at the moment is still rather unknown. Therefore, the EACD Technology & Innovation Task Force aims to develop a vision at the European level by making visible the needs for people with childhood-onset disabilities and by promoting innovation targeted on this group.

As one of the Action Points, EACD has prepared with a number of partners the RehaTech4Child survey! The aim of the RehaTech4Child Survey led by EACD is to identify the digital technologies (e.g., robotic devices and treadmill systems, virtual reality and gaming systems, telehealth) that are used in clinical practices throughout Europe, and to explore the barriers and facilitators in the use of these new technologies in clinical practice. This knowledge would eventually help in designing the future technological developments based on the feedback from rehabilitation professionals. 

In order to reach out to as many people as possible, the survey has been translated into 20 different languages due to the invaluable support of our RehaTech4Child Steering Group, our EACD National Coordinators and many others.

Please find below a list of links to the survey in all available languages:

English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Romanian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Lithuanian and Estonian.  

As became apperently clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, technology and innovative solutions are crucial in this day and age for providing the best possible care for people with a childhood-onset disability. As such, the European Academy of Childhood Disability will be hosting a webinar event at December 7th, 2021, 19:30-21:30h CET (Brussels time) on 'The Power of New Technologies in Childhood Rehabilitation', with presentations from the EACD Secretary (Prof. Elegast Monbaliu), the winner of the EACD2021 Technology & Innovation Award (Rowan Johnson, MSc), and the winner of the EACD2021 Early Career Researcher Award (Saranda Bekteshi, MSc).

We are pleased to inform you that on November 8th, 2021 from 14:00-16:30h CET (Brussels time), the 3rd Transatlantic Surgery Webinar will be organised. This years’ Transatlantic Surgery Webinar will be focused on ‘Gastroc-Soleus Lenghtening / Tendon Achilles Lengthening in Cerebral Palsy, World Perspectives: a Review of Techniques’. The online webinar event will be 2.5 hours. Registration for this event is free of charge! During the webinar on November 8th, recorded surgeries covering the whole spectrum of surgical techniques used to correct the equine foot in patients with cerebral palsy will be shared online from twelve operating theatres in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Lebanon, Poland, Russia, and the United States of America. The surgeries will be presented simultaneously and live-commented by faculty members in the e-studio. As for the educational objectives of our webinar, the organisers aim to teach the basic surgical techniques used in the management of the orthopaedic problems of patients with Cerebral Palsy, present the minimally invasive versions of the surgeries used in the equine foot, discuss main indications and contraindications for presented surgical techniques, and show tips and tricks and how to avoid possible pitfalls when performing presented surgical techniques. 

This years’ webinar event is endorsed by the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society (EPOS), and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), and will be organised by a truly international team, including orthopedic surgeons from Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, as well as from North and South America. As in the previous years, this event will be a great opportunity to promote medical education to enhance the care of children with Cerebral Palsy. Moreover, we hope this event will be of great interest to a wide variety of professions, including among other physiotherapists, (pediatric) orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, paediatricians and other medical specialists from all over the world. The first webinar event in 2019 became quite successful with an audience of over 7000 people, and the following year had an audience of 12 000 people from 28 countries.

Scientific Committee:
Bartosz Musielak
Elisabet Rodby-Bousquet
Michael Wade Shrader
Marek Jozwiak

On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the 34th European Academy Of Childhood Disability (EACD) Annual Meeting, it will be a great pleasure to welcome you to Barcelona, from May 18 to May 21, 2022

The program will provide an innovative and comprehensive overview of the advances in basic, translational and clinical research; we will be able to discuss new developments in the diagnosis, practice and management of Childhood Disability, promoting the highest standards of care and support for the patients and families. The 34th EACD Annual Meeting will also provide a key interdisciplinary platform for all participants, not only to share knowledge and the most recent advances but also to discuss practical, real -world challenges, all under the Meeting Theme: "Networking Knowledge into Actions".

Barcelona is a magnificent and cosmopolitan city, a perfect venue for the congress thanks to its privileged position on the Mediterranean coast. It has been the gateway and home of several ancient cultures that have always represented the essence of art, culture and progress. The local organizing committee hopes to greet you in person, but due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, our meeting will be fully hybrid, with the possibility of attending in person or online. If you can join us, we will do everything possible to make your stay in Barcelona a useful, pleasant as possible and a truly unforgettable experience.

We look forward to meeting you in Barcelona!!

Dr. Mercedes Martínez Moreno, MD

President of the Local Organizing Committee 

Dr. Lourdes Macias Merlo, PT
President of the Local Scientific Committee 

Click here to go directly to our EACD Barcelona 2022 - Registration page

The scientific committee of the 34th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) invites you to submit abstracts for a mini-symposium, instructional course, oral communication and/or poster presentation. Be aware that only abstracts following the Guidelines for Abstract Submission (see here) will be accepted.

With our motto "Networking knowledge into actions" we invite authors from all fields and professions surrounding children and adults with disabilities to submit their topics. With improving networks of care and better web connectivity, collaborative working across boundaries has prospered within Europe and across our global community. We would welcome submissions where such collaborations has led to a change in practice, influenced outcomes, offered benefits or thrown up some challenges. All abstracts related to childhood-onset disabilities are welcome, including those on treatment, prevention, early detection, early intervention, transition and lifespan issues, parents' and siblings’'experiences, adult research, health systems, engineering in disability, basic sciences, social science research and ethics.

We are interested in receiving submissions across a large number of conditions, including cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury (traumatic, stroke, cancer), neuromuscular disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, obstetrical brachial plexus palsy, spinal disorders, intellectual impairments, learning disabilities, profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, sensory impairments, genetic syndromes (e.g. Down, Rett, ...), rare diseases (e.g. neurometabolic, neurodegenerative, ...) and all other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Key dates:

Mini-symposia & Instructional courses:
18 October 2021: Abstracts Submission deadline
12 November 2021: Notifications to submitting authors

Oral communications & Poster presentations:
30 November 2021: Extended Abstract Submission deadline
17 January 2022: Notifications to submitting authors

The current COVID-19 outbreaks throughout Australia have created increasing uncertainty about travel both within Australia and Internationally. Currently there is almost no travel across state borders in Australia, and the likelihood of international borders opening early in 2022 seems remote. Because of these uncertainties, the Better Together 2022 Organising Committee, in consultation with the AusACPDM Board and IAACD Steering Group, have made the decision to move to a fully virtual Conference in March 2022.

This decision has been made now in advance before there are too many financial implications to the Host Academy, to those wishing to make plans to attend, and to allow time for the Committee to put together the best virtual conference possible for our participants. The Better Together 2022 Organising Committee thanks everyone for their support and understanding in this decision, and we are all very much looking forward to a day when we can all safely come together again. We are Better Together, and we can be Better Together virtually as well as in person.

The 34th EACD Annual Meeting is going to take place in Barcelona, Spain from 18-21 May 2022! The EACD 2022 Organising Team is working hard to bring you an inspiring, high-quality programme under the Meeting Theme: "Networking Knowledge into Actions".

The Meeting will be in hybrid format. Save the date and join us next year in Barcelona! More information regarding the Call for Abstracts and other key deadlines will follow soon.

For the latest updates on the EACD Barcelona 2022 Meeting, please visit regularly: https://www.eacd2022.com/

EACD Barcelona 2022 promo video - YouTube

The EACD Early Career Researchers’ Forum has been launched on Thursday 3 June 2021 during the EACD Europe 2021 Meeting!

All Early Career Researchers within the EACD Community are welcome to join this Forum and to participate in the activities of the Early Career Researchers’ Forum. The Forum is intended to be a central platform run by Early Career Researchers (ECRs) for the ECRs community across Europe active in the area of childhood-onset disability. A place for ECRs to find and discuss opportunities, learn from others, share experiences, get to know your colleagues, mentor peers, and create impact through community engagement.

Would you like to be involved or participate in the activities of the Forum? Please complete the survey here: 
https://eacd.typeform.com/to/WOQvKcMC

This short survey has been prepared by the current (interim-)leads of the Forum to capture your thoughts and ideas, and allow you to indicate your interest in this initiative. Furthermore, please feel free to introduce yourself on the Padlet Board at EACD Early Career Researchers' Forum, and tell us some more about who you are, where you are from, and what your research, clinical or other interests are!

Under the meeting theme 'Childhood Disability in a Changing World', EACD Europe 2021 looked back on the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 on the area of childhood disability, from the use of remote consultation methods and tele-medicine up to the mental health impact. But also looked forward to the newest trends in rehabilitation and care, the possibilities for user-professionals partnerships, and the latest developments in technology and innovation.

Around 600 delegates from 54 different countries joined us during this innovative, fully virtual meeting with four Thematic days spread over four consecutive weeks. During these weeks, the participants have been presented 22 keynotes, 71 oral communications, 194 poster presentations, and 4 satellite symposia. Furthermore, EACD Europe 2021 is proud to have hosted the launch of the EACD Early Career Researchers' Forum, and the inaugural meeting of the Early Intervention in Developmental Disabilities Special Interest Group.

All session recordings will become available at short notice at the EACD2021 Virtual Platform and will be accessible for all EACD2021 delegates up until December 2021!