Welcome Invitation:

On behalf of the Convening Committee, I invite you to attend the ISPO 2010 Advanced Instructional Course.  The course will provide a multidisciplinary perspective on the management of children and adults with cerebral palsy.

This course will appeal to a multidisciplinary audience and will be of value to rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, orthotists, as well as others interested in developing a better understanding of cerebral palsy and its management from a multidisciplinary perspective.

The recently published ISPO Cerebral Palsy Consensus Conference Report entitled “Recent Developments in Healthcare for Cerebral Palsy: Implications and Opportunities for Orthotics” edited by Dr. Chris Morris and David Condie, is a collection of well-evidenced reviews on the surgical, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and orthotic management of children and adults with Cerebral Palsy. The ISPO Consensus Conference Report forms the foundation of the course curriculum.

The three-day program builds a comprehensive understanding of cerebral palsy: its classifications, clinical presentation, common movement patterns and an understanding of manual ability. Discipline specific experts will build on this foundational knowledge and discuss the orthopaedic surgery, medical management, physiotherapy, orthotic, occupational therapy, postural support and seating needs of persons with Cerebral Palsy across their life span in a series of lectures and seminars. The course will also tackle topical issues such as the transition between pediatric and adult services and the challenges unique to adults with cerebral palsy. Complex case studies will help draw the program to a close and enable professionals to apply their learning through a facilitated workshop.

The curriculum will be delivered by world renowned experts including:

• Dr Christopher Morris, Research Fellow in the Department of Public Health and Wolfsen Collage, as well as a Principal Orthotist at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford
• Professor Kerr Graham of the Royal Children's hospital and its Hugh Williamson Gait Laboratory

Our aim is to ensure that delegates leave with a comprehensive understanding of cerebral palsy and its management from a multidisciplinary perspective.

We hope you will join us at the Rydges on Swanston, in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, from November 11-13, 2010.

Phoebe Thomson, Convener