Upcoming Webinars

Abstract The Health Care Transitions Research Network for Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities and the Life Course Research Network, both funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, invited articles for this Supplement. Our goal in this Supplement is to highlight and explore developmental and transition-related challenges over the life course of individuals on the autism spectrum and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, discuss the clinical and practice implications of these issues, highlight gaps in knowledge, and identify directions for future research.   Read full article

This webinar, part of the LCRN’s new series exploring the application of the Life Course Health Development framework to neurodevelopmental disabilities, features Briano Di Rezze, Matthew Freeman, Robert Palisano, and Debra Stewart.   Together these researchers from the CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research share their interpretive description of lifecourse health development of individuals with cerebral palsy to promote developmental capacities for future roles and healthy adult living beginning in childhood.   Webinar recording available here  

To date, life course research in maternal and child health has largely focused on elucidating fetal and early life influences on adult health and less on promoting the health of children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Consideration of life course theory (LCT) for CSHCN is especially important given their increasing prevalence and comorbidity, their disproportionate vulnerability to weaknesses or instability in the health care system, and the growing evidence linking child and adult health and quality of life. In this commentary we seek to advance the consideration of LCT for CSHCN. We (1) briefly summarize key issues and the importance of a life course approach for CSHCN; (2) present …