Faculty and providers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Neurology and Children’s of Alabama (COA) shared their expertise at the 55th Child Neurology Society Annual Meeting, held Oct. 14–17 in Montréal, Québec, Canada, with preconference sessions on Oct. 13. Their presentations addressed genetic testing, advocacy, neonatal care and advances in diagnosing and treating neurological conditions.
Stephen Walker, M.D. and Samantha Weaver, DNP, CRNP“I am extremely proud of my colleagues who represented UAB Child Neurology at our national annual meeting,” said Kathryn Lalor, M.D., associate professor and director of the Division of Pediatric Neurology. “Their invited talks demonstrated the respect they have gained in the larger child neurology community as experts and that COA Neurology has gained as a center of excellent neurologic care.”
Amitha Ananth, M.D., associate professor, presented during the preconference Genetics Summit workshop, “Simplifying Genetic Testing, Accelerating Diagnosis, and the Path Towards Precision Medicine: A Hands-on Educational Workshop.” Now in its second year, the 4.5-hour session brought together 160 participants, ranging from trainees to senior faculty across practice settings, to develop practical skills applicable to patient care. Ananth developed and led an interactive case to help participants apply the session’s concepts. She also presented “Repeat Expansion Disorders in Epilepsy: Clinical Insights and the Evolving Role of Whole Genome Sequencing” at a satellite symposium.
Scott Turner, DNP, assistant professor, presented “Setting an Advocacy Agenda for Children Living with Neurological Disease” for the Association of Child 
Scott Turner, DNP and Amitha Ananth, M.D.Neurology Nurses.
Stephen Walker, M.D., assistant professor, participated in a friendly debate and case study for the Neonatal Special Interest Group, examining the use of anticoagulation to treat neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis.
Samantha Weaver, DNP, CRNP, assistant professor, presented “Updates in Newborn Screening in Neuromuscular Diseases” for the Association of Child Neurology Nurses. She also gave a satellite symposium presentation on Thymine Kinase 2 Deficiency.
Emily Wignall, CRNP, a pediatric epilepsy provider at Children’s of Alabama, delivered an invited oral presentation based on her poster, “Understanding Rett Syndrome: Diagnosis, Clinical Care, and Emerging Therapies.”
Together, these presentations highlight the team’s commitment to advancing pediatric neurological care through education, collaboration and advocacy.