The candidate, Kristie Bjornson, PhD, PT, is a pediatric physical therapist and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine/Seattle Children's Research Institute. This award will establish her as an independent investigator in a patient-oriented clinical research program of interventions focused on improving the activity and social participation of persons with cerebral palsy (CP). This overarching goal will be accomplished through a five-year program of training, mentoring and research with the following specific objectives: 1) Develop knowledge and skill in the measurement of body composition, energy expenditure, ambulatory and physical activity performance and social participation within context of daily life. 2) Employ skills in a cross-sectional descriptive study testing the relationship of the ICF components. 3) Enhance understanding of orthotic prescription and biomechanics. 4) Develop methodology and pilot within a cross-sectional orthotic intervention study. 5) Expand knowledge of clinical trials methods, study management/leadership, grant development and scholarly writing. Her sponsor is an established pediatric researcher and career mentor, while her co-sponsor and advisory committee represent clinical and research expertise directly related to the study populationand career developmentplan. The research plan focuses first on defining the relationships of activity,participation (ICF) and body composition in a descriptive cross-sectional study of ambulatory children with CP. The extent outcomes at various levels of the ICF relate requires clarification in order for the ICF to be a useful framework for clinical research and practice. Secondarily, the ICF component relationships will be tested within a randomized cross-over clinical trial of solid ankle foot orthoses (SAFO) on daily ambulatory/physical activity performance and social participation on ambulatory children with cerebral palsy with novel ambulatory accelerometry measures. There is no published data defining the impact of SAFO on physical and ambulatoryactivity performance and participation in day to day life. This information will facilitate the development of a life span orthotic management algorithm for ambulatory persons with CP.

Public Health Relevance

We will explore the connection between what a child with cerebral palsy does physicallyduring motor testing to what they 'actually'do during their day to day lives. The project will also test whether ankle braces help children with cerebral palsy do what they want to do when they want to do it. This information will be used to develop ankle bracing guidelines for persons with, cerebral palsy across the life span.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23HD060764-04
Application #
8291885
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Program Officer
Quatrano, Louis A
Project Start
2009-06-01
Project End
2014-05-31
Budget Start
2012-06-01
Budget End
2013-05-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$126,203
Indirect Cost
$9,348
Name
Seattle Children's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
048682157
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98105
Moreau, Noelle G; Bodkin, Amy Winter; Bjornson, Kristie et al. (2016) Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Interventions to Improve Gait Speed in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Phys Ther 96:1938-1954
Bjornson, Kristie; Zhou, Chuan; Fatone, Stefania et al. (2016) The Effect of Ankle-Foot Orthoses on Community-Based Walking in Cerebral Palsy: A Clinical Pilot Study. Pediatr Phys Ther 28:179-86
Mann, Kilby; Tsao, Elaine; Bjornson, Kristie F (2016) Physical activity and walking performance: Influence on quality of life in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). J Pediatr Rehabil Med 9:279-286
Bjornson, Kristie F; Zhou, Chuan; Stevenson, Richard D et al. (2014) Relation of stride activity and participation in mobility-based life habits among children with cerebral palsy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 95:360-8
Van Wely, Leontien; Dallmeijer, Annet J; Balemans, Astrid C J et al. (2014) Walking activity of children with cerebral palsy and children developing typically: a comparison between the Netherlands and the United States. Disabil Rehabil 36:2136-42
Bjornson, Kristie F; Zhou, Chuan; Stevenson, Richard et al. (2014) Walking activity patterns in youth with cerebral palsy and youth developing typically. Disabil Rehabil 36:1279-84
Bjornson, Kristie F; Zhou, Chuan; Stevenson, Richard et al. (2013) Capacity to participation in cerebral palsy: evidence of an indirect path via performance. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 94:2365-72