Pediatric Rehabilitation

Researchers in the Pediatric Rehabilitation group have several focused projects underway. In the area of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in adolescents, three posters were prepared for presentation at national meetings:

• Dizziness in a Pediatric and Adolescent Referral Population. Marsh AM, Fischer PR, Brands CK, Billings ML, Mack KJ, Porter CJ, Driscoll SW, Fisher JL, Grothe RM, Kuntz NL. Presented at Pediatric Academic Societies, Washington, DC, May 14, 2005
• Adolescent Autonomic Dysfunction and Chronic Fatigue, Pain, Dizziness, and Nausea. Fischer PR, Brands CK, Porter CJ, Pittock ST, Mack KJ, Kuntz NL, Fisher JL, Grothe RM, Driscoll SW, Lai CC, Whiteside SP, Graner KK, Wilder RT, Harbeck-Weber CS, Marsh AM, Risma JM, Antiel RM, Nelson DE, Yim PJ. Presented August 9, 2006 and August 16, 2006 at Mayo Clinic Clinical Research Appreciation Month Poster Presentation Events in Rochester, and presented October 5, 2006 at the Clinical Research Conference in Minneapolis
• Outcomes of Treatment in Adolescent Autonomic Dysfunction. Lai CCH, Graner KK, Fisher JL, Driscoll SW, Brands, CK, Porter CJ, Fischer PR. Presented to the 17th International Symposium on the Autonomic Nervous System, Puerto Rico, November 2006. One related manuscript is in process.

Recently, we received IRB approval to proceed with a study of normal orthostatic blood pressure and heart rate values in 500 adolescents in the Rochester high school system. This will help us better understand the range of normal values for orthostatic checks in the office. In collaboration with the Shriner's Hospitals for Children in Minneapolis, we are conducting a retrospective review of functional outcomes after a selective dorsal rhizotomy in children who have spastic cerebral palsy. Additional projects in the planning stages or awaiting approval include "Comparison of Shoulder Kinematics Between Children with Pectus Excavatum and Typically Developing Children: A Pilot Study," a gait lab study looking at outcomes after a treatment protocol with TheraTogs™ and functional outcomes after participation in a pain management program in adolescents with chronic pain. We are also working in collaboration with pediatric neurology on IRB approved projects including "Clinical Trials for Pediatric Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Open Label Pilot Trial of Rilutek in Infants with SMA" and "Quality of Life in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy."