Supporting Infant Movement Development in the NICU: Modifying Manual Therapy Interventions for the Medically-Complex Patient

Supporting Infant Movement Development in the NICU: Modifying Manual Therapy Interventions for the Medically-Complex Patient is organized by Texas Children's Hospital and will be held from Jul 11 - 12, 2026 at Texas Children's Meyer Building, Houston, Texas, United States of America.

Description:
Medically-complex and extremely premature infants have a greater survivability rate with advances in maternal/fetal medicine and NICU medical technology. Effective developmental interventions require the neonatal therapist to understand embryological, maturation, and developmental impacts of these medical conditions, with adaptations to manual therapy techniques to improve alignment and movement for the infants. This course will build on information from Baby Beats and Breaths, but could be a stand-alone course for the seasoned clinician. Evidence-based literature will be provided on the development of movement, manual therapy techniques to promote ribcage/abdominal, upper airway, and segmental trunk control as infants transition away from positioning devices and require activation of postural control muscles. Information will be shared on neonatal therapy interventions for the medically-complex infant requiring ECMO, CRRT, PD, and early mobilization techniques.

Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will:

• Identify the impact of prematurity on musculoskeletal development and maturation.
• Correlate the maturation of infant reflexes, synergies, and/or planes of movement to motor skill development in premature infants.
• Assess alignment of the infant spine during positioning and handling.
• Demonstrate handling techniques to support optimal alignment for segmental spinal positioning.
• Adapt the environment and/or handling interventions to reduce stress cues during motor interventions.
• Choose appropriate positioning or environmental adaptations to facilitate improved participation with feeding, diapering, and movement to support play development.