University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Faculty to Present at Third World Congress on Spina Bifida Research and Care

Dr. Ardolino's presentation will highlight a study on the use of Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (Peds NRS) in children with Spina Bifida. During the presentation, she will cover the background, methods and results of the study and its potential impact on the assessment of children with Spina Bifida. The study was a first step in measuring the ease of administration and scoring the Peds NRS in this population of children. In the study, one occupational therapist and one physical therapist each administered the scale on eight children with Spina Bifida. She will speak in depth on the reasons this recent study is so important and what it can offer to children with spinal cord injuries and Spina Bifida.

"I am honored to present my research on the use of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (Peds NRS) at the 2017 World Congress," said Dr. Ardolino. "Unfortunately there has been very little research on the way in which we measure functional change in children with Spina Bifida. This study is the first step in broadening the range of recovery measurement tools and presents exciting new opportunities for assessing changes in these children after therapy."

The Third World Congress on Spina Bifida Research and Care will be held at the Loews Coronado Bay, San Diego, California from March 16 – 19, 2017. This innovative meeting serves as the preeminent forum for a unique gathering of international Spina Bifida researchers and healthcare professionals specializing in a range of medical disciplines. In its third year, the World Congress will bring together more than 350 attendees to discuss the future of care for this challenging and complex birth defect.

To hear more about how Dr. Ardolino plans to continue the research and use the new SafeGait 360 on the USAHS Austin Campus with children with spina bifida, check out the USAHS SafeGait video.

To schedule an interview with Dr. Ardolino or for more information on her presentation, please contact Rachael Lighty or visit usa.edu.

About Dr. Elizabeth Ardolino
Elizabeth Ardolino, PT, MPT, MS, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences' Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Dr. Ardolino earned an MPT from the University of Scranton in 2002, and an Advanced Masters of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from Temple University in 2008.  She completed her PhD in 2010 at Seton Hall University. Her dissertation, "The ABLE Scale: the development and psychometric properties of a new outcome measure for the spinal cord injury population" was recently published in Physical Therapy Journal. 

Dr. Ardolino's clinical experience has focused on the neurorehabilitation of pediatric and adult clients. She worked for many years as the clinical supervisor of the NeuroRecovery Network 's (NRN) Locomotor Training program at Magee Rehabiliation in Philadelphia, PA. The NRN, a nation-wide network funded by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and the CDC, aims to improve the health, function, and quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury. Her clinical experience at Magee focused on promoting recovery in patients with acute and chronic neurologic disorders, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, and stroke. 

Dr. Ardolino's research is two-fold. Her first research interest is in the development of new outcome measures for the spinal cord injury population. She is currently continuing to develop the ABLE scale, and has recently initiated a second multi-center clinical trial to further test the psychometric properties of this scale.  She is also collaborating with colleagues at the NRN to further develop the Neurologic Recovery Scale and modify it for use with pediatric clients with spinal cord injury, and for adult clients with brain injuries. Her second research interest is testing the efficacy of Locomotor Training to improve the health, function, and quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury.

Dr. Ardolino teaches the neuroscience, neuromuscular, and research courses in on the USAHS Austin campus.

About University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS)
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution that offers degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, education and health science, as well as continuing education programs. Founded in 1979, USAHS has locations in San Marcos, California; St. Augustine, Florida; Austin, Texas; and Miami, Florida. USAHS is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. USAHS is one of more than 70 institutions in 25 countries that comprise the Laureate International Universities network. For more information about USAHS visit www.usa.edu.

SOURCE University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences