Abusive Head Trauma Conference

Mark Dias, MD

The Second International Conference on Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma will be held at the Snow King Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo., on June 25-26, 2009. This conference is the first of its kind to bring together clinicians, pathologists, scientists and engineers from all over the world to present and share their research efforts, discuss research challenges and controversies in this field, and develop cross-disciplinary collaborations to further advance the understanding of abusive head trauma. A broad range of disciplines and points of view will be represented and the discussions are likely to be lively and informative. The first conference held in Hershey, Pa., in July 2007 attracted over 160 researchers and clinicians and was very enthusiastically received.

Five keynote speakers have been identified for the 2009 conference: Mark Dias (Prevention Programs for Abusive Head Trauma); Matthieu Vinchon (Distinguishing Accidental From Abusive Head Injuries: Intracranial Findings and Mechanisms); Julie Mack (The Dural Venous Plexus: Implications for Subdural Collections); Holmes Morton (Genetic Mimics of Abusive Head Trauma); and a point-counterpoint discussion featuring Carole Jenny and John Plunkett (Outcomes of Short Falls).

For more information, please visit http://www.hmc.psu.edu/ce/aht, or e-mail mdias@psu.edu for an electronic brochure and information. Deadline for abstracts: March 15.

Mark S. Dias, MD, FAAP, is chair of the Section on Neurological Surgery of the American Academy of Pediatrics