Pediatrics
The American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) plans to address current topics related to the care of children, including sessions on neonatal/perinatal medicine, substance abuse trends, behavioral pediatrics, pediatric diagnostics, routine pediatric complaints, pediatric OMM/OMT, and much more. ACOP is also planning a joint session with the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine (AOASM).
Time
Room
Title
Speakers
CME Credit
10 a.m.–11 a.m.
Julius 5-8
Cannabis Takes a Page from the Tobacco Playbook: Repeating a Public Health Crisis
Gary Kirkilas II, DO, FAAP
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Julius 5-8
Mobile Medicine - Caring for Homeless Youth With a Clinic on Wheels!
Gary Kirkilas II, DO, FAAP
1 p.m.–2 p.m.
Julius 5-8
Perinatal Hepatitis C Testing
Nahid Hiermandi, DO, MA
2 p.m.–3 p.m.
Julius 5-8
Tiny Patients, Big Decisions: Updates in Neonatal Sepsis, Febrile Infants, and Hypothermic Infants
Nathan Money, DO
3 p.m.–4 p.m.
Julius 5-8
From Bilirubin to Bedside: Translating Updated AAP Hyperbilirubinemia Guidelines into Everyday Practice
Megan Barcroft, DO, MBOE, LSSBB
4 p.m.–5 p.m.
Julius 5-8
Critical Congenital Heart Disease and Extreme Prematurity - A Holistic Approach
Jason Jackson, DO, FACOP
Cannabis Takes a Page from the Tobacco Playbook: Repeating a Public Health Crisis
Learning Objectives
- Relate how the cannabis industry is using similar marketing techniques as the tobacco industry in order to increase youth use
- Demonstrate that current research shows that youth targeted cannabis advertising has a negative impact on pediatric health
- Explain that health policy that protects children from being targeted by cannabis advertising is actually several lacking or non-existent in several states
Speakers
Gary Kirkilas II, DO, FAAP
Mobile Medicine - Caring for Homeless Youth With a Clinic on Wheels!
Learning Objectives
- Describe the general state of homelessness in major US cities, including variables such as age breakdown, gender differences, and sheltered vs unsheltered
- Differentiate the negative health outcomes that homelessness can have on children
- Explain how a mobile medicine approach can break down barriers to healthcare for those experiencing homelessness
Speakers
Gary Kirkilas II, DO, FAAP
Perinatal Hepatitis C Testing
Learning Objectives
- Describe the epidemiology of pediatric Hepatitis C transmission and infection
- Identify risk factors that require perinatal Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening for infants
- Review universal screening recommendations for adult populations (including pregnant individuals)
- Determine which pediatric age groups warrant targeted HCV screening beyond infancy
- Counsel patients/families regarding transmission risks, expected disease progression, and the availability of therapies
Speakers
Nahid Hiermandi, DO, MA
Tiny Patients, Big Decisions: Updates in Neonatal Sepsis, Febrile Infants, and Hypothermic Infants
Learning Objectives
- Describe recent updates in the evaluation and management of neonatal sepsis, febrile infants, and hypothermic infants
- Apply current evidence and clinical pathways to common neonatal and infant cases
- Incorporate evidence-based strategies into practice to improve outcomes while minimizing unnecessary interventions
Speakers
Nathan Money, DO
From Bilirubin to Bedside: Translating Updated AAP Hyperbilirubinemia Guidelines into Everyday Practice
Learning Objectives
- Review evidence supporting recent guideline changes
- Apply revised treatment thresholds using clinical scenarios
- Incorporate evidence-based jaundice management into daily practice
Speakers
Megan Barcroft, DO, MBOE, LSSBB
Critical Congenital Heart Disease and Extreme Prematurity - A Holistic Approach
Learning Objectives
- Describe the unique physiology due to the interaction of both CCHD and extreme prematurity
- Discuss how one must take a whole-person approach to the pre- and post-operative care for this population
- Discuss the unique challenges in caring for this special population
- Explore the latest literature regarding the treatment, outcomes, and parental eperiences with this complex population of neonates
Speakers
Jason Jackson, DO, FACOP
The Preparticipation Evaluation Update
Speakers
Mary Solomon, DO
Cardiac Clearance for Sports Participation
Learning Objectives
- Review the risks of cardiovascular events in sports participation
- Discuss appropriate screening methodologies
- Explore safety of exercise counseling in healthy children and in those with heart disease who will participate in sports
Speakers
Imran Masood, DO, FAEM
The Missing Period: A Whole-Person Approach to Secondary Amenorrhea in Athletes
Learning Objectives
- Identify the physiologic, endocrine, nutritional, psychological, and training-related contributors to secondary amenorrhea in adolescent and adult athletes
- Implement a comprehensive diagnostic approach to secondary amenorrhea that considers endocrine function, nutritional status, recovery patterns, psychological wellbeing, sleep quality, and physiologic stress burden
- Explain how energy availability, psychological stress, sleep, recovery, and nervous system regulation influence hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis function and menstrual health in athletes
- Develop multidisciplinary treatment plans that incorporate nutritional rehabilitation, training modification, behavioral health interventions, patient education, and recovery strategies to restore menstrual function and optimize long-term athlete health and performance
Speakers
Dusty Narducci, MD, CAQSM, CEDS, E-RYT 500
Current Updates on Office-Based Treatment of Sports-Related Concussion
Learning Objectives
- Review concussion management as of September 2026
- Discuss history clues in the updated treatment of the concussed athlete
- Discuss the physical examination clues in the updated treatment of the concussed athlete
- Discuss new treatment for concussion and Persistent Symptoms After Sports Related Concussion (PSaSRC)
- Discuss the 6th CISG Consensus Statement and highlight that which is new information or information altered by the document
- Discuss return to learn/play criteria
Speakers
R. Robert Franks, DO, FAOASM
Beyond First-Line Treatments
Learning Objectives
- Name two different medications for ADHD to trial when your initial treatment seems ineffective
- Name one other medication to trial in the treatment of depression after the first medication trial is ineffective
- Name psychosocial factors that might contribute to medication being “ineffective”
Speakers
RT
Rebecca Timme, DO
Beyond the Core Symptoms: Recognizing and Diagnosing Comorbid Conditions in Pediatric ADHD
Learning Objectives
- Describe the epidemiology and prevalence of the most common comorbidities in children and adolescents with ADHD – including oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, tic disorders, and sleep disturbances
- Select and interpret evidence-based screening instruments and structured diagnostic approaches to systematically identify comorbid conditions in children presenting with or already diagnosed with ADHD across preschool, school-age, and adolescent developmental stages
Speakers
Nina Parikh, DO
Evidence-Based Psychotherapies
Learning Objectives
- Recognize five different types of therapy to refer to and why
- Identify the general goal of three different therapeutic modalities
- Name different levels of care for behavioral health intervention
Speakers
RT
Rebecca Timme, DO
Safety and Feasibility of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) in Addressing Plagiocephaly
Learning Objectives
- Describe the rationale, design, and methodology of the OPT-IN (Osteopathic Plagiocephaly Treatment for Infants and Neonates) prospective clinical trial, including its aims, enrollment criteria, and significance within the broader landscape of osteopathic pediatric research
- Summarize the current findings and participant data collected to date from the OPT-IN trial, including enrollment status, protocol compliance, safety, feasibility, and early efficacy outcomes
- Identify and practice the osteopathic techniques and modalities utilized in the OPT-IN trial, including their theoretical basis, application in the neonatal and infant population, and relevance to clinical practice in pediatrics
Speakers
Kimberly Wolf, DO, FACOP, FAAP
Osteopathic Considerations in Newborn Breastfeeding and Lactation and OMT Lab
Learning Objectives
- Describe the anatomy, biomechanics, and osteopathic considerations involved in infant suck-swallow-breathe coordination
- Identify perinatal risk factors, structural findings, and clinical indicators of latch dysfunction that may benefit from osteopathic evaluation and osteopathic manipulative medicine within a multidisciplinary lactation care model
- Discuss maternal anatomical and physiologic factors that influence lactogenesis and milk transfer, including the effects of birth events, breast/chest anatomy, hormonal regulation, pain, and infant feeding mechanics on establishment and maintenance of milk production
Speakers
Connie Earl, DO, ONMM-c, NABBLM-c
Teaching the Osteopathic Medical Student on Pediatric Rotations
Learning Objectives
- Review the growth of osteopathic medical schools and the trends in osteopathic pediatric match data to understand how an increase of osteopathic medical schools affects osteopathic pediatricians who are clinically practicing
- Discuss ways to teach and integrate osteopathic principles and practice in the evaluation and management of common pediatric conditions when precepting medical students
- Apply evidence-based clinical teaching strategies (e.g., one-minute preceptor model, bedside teaching) to guide osteopathic medical students in developing pediatric history-taking, physical examination, and clinical reasoning skills
Speakers
Ashley Shamansky, DO, MPH
Helping a Family Deal With Diagnostic Uncertainty
Learning Objectives
- Review three tips to help put families at ease
- Demonstrate three approaches to addressing clinical uncertainty
- Manage worse case scenarios
Speakers
Molly Slate, DO
Dermatology for Melanin-Rich Skin
Learning Objectives
- Identify common dermatological conditions you may encounter in clinic
- Discuss treatment options for each condition
- Describe nuances of these conditions affecting melanin-rich skin
Speakers
Aleta Simmons, MD
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
Learning Objectives
- Describe the changing nutritional requirements across key stages of life, including infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy, and older adulthood
- Identify nutrition-related risk factors that contribute to chronic disease development throughout the lifespan
- Apply evidence-based nutrition recommendations to support growth, health maintenance, and healthy aging in diverse patient populations
Speakers
TW
Tyree Winters, DO