OTAC Webinar Series

Growing Strong Hearts: Understanding the Brain-Heart Connection & ​ Caring for Children with CHD

Andrea Gerk, OTD, OTR/L, BCP

Andrea Gerk is a pediatric board-certified occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital Colorado where she specializes in pediatric cardiac care and rehabilitation. Her clinical and research interests center on quality improvement, patient safety, and optimizing outcomes for children with congenital cardiac disease. She has contributed to multidisciplinary initiatives focused on care standardization and process improvement and is passionate about translating evidence into practice to enhance patient and family-centered care.

Title: Growing Strong Hearts: Understanding the Brain-Heart Connection & ​ Caring for Children with CHD
Overview: Children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) face a lifetime of challenges impacting overall development, cognition, sensory regulation, and participation in activities of daily living. These impairments begin in utero, sometimes before the CHD is identified, including genetic conditions, altered oxygen delivery, and impaired brain growth. Environmental factors, including parental stress, neonatal surgical intervention, and medication exposure further impact development. Early therapy intervention and environmental changes can address modifiable factors to support gaps in development during hospitalizations however ongoing support after discharge is critical. Developmental and feeding challenges are ongoing throughout childhood due to prolonged hospitalizations, post-surgical factors and complications, and genetic diagnoses prevalent in this population. Through development of an outpatient mentorship program, we have provided CHCO therapists the opportunity to expand their knowledge of this unique population from in utero brain development through childhood, with attention to specific precautions following surgical interventions and genetic predispositions, to support and guide intervention and best practice. This mentorship has been limited to CHCO outpatient employees however these children are often referred to community partners across the state of Colorado. The goal of information presented is to support a partnership with community providers and offer an opportunity to expand therapists background knowledge and comfort with this population and the expected progression of development.  

Time: 6:30PM 

Location: Virtual - webinar link will be sent via email after registration!
Cost: 

We’re enhancing OTAC member benefits by offering free continuing education through two monthly webinar series hosted by OTAC and Aspire OT.
See our event calendar for upcoming webinars!