Preface to the special issue for the guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida

“Guidelines for the Care of People with Spina Bifida” provide the best, most up-to-date recommendations for care across the lifespan, from newborn to adult. This special issue of the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine is a collection of key sections of the 2018 Guidelines. The sections of the Guidelines published herein have been expanded from their original format to include more background information about key topics and why they are important in the care of people with SB. It is the hope of SBA that these and future Guidelines will promote and standardize best practice regardless of the characteristics of individuals with SB or where their care was received. It is through providing better care that we will ultimately achieve a better future for all those living with SB.

Pediatric intrathecal baclofen management during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge to healthcare systems around the world. Within pediatric rehabilitation medicine, management of intrathecal baclofen has been particularly challenging. This editorial reviews how programs in the US and Canada coped with the quickly changing healthcare environment and how we can learn from this pandemic to be prepared for future crises.

COVID-19 pandemic: Early effects on pediatric rehabilitation medicine training

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic hastened the need for graduate medical education (GME) innovation, resulting in the creation of multiple pediatric rehabilitation medicine (PRM) e-learning initiatives. There has been a paucity of data regarding trainee perceptions regarding quickly developed new methods of learning during the pandemic. This study explored PRM trainee perceptions of e-learning and effects of the pandemic on education. METHODS: Questionnaire study with data collected via REDCap. RESULTS: Greater than half of PRM trainees (56.6%, 30/53) responded. Most respondents reported that the virtual lectures series (79.3%), journal club (78.9%), and virtual arts initiatives (75.0%) were valuable to their education. Common benefits noted included access to subject experts, networking, lecture recording, and location flexibility. Common concerns included lack of protected time, virtual platform fatigue, and decreased engagement. Most respondents were not redeployed. Relative to before the pandemic, less satisfaction with clinical education (70.0%) and greater satisfaction with non-clinical education (60.0%) was reported. The majority of graduating trainees felt positively (83.3%) and 16.7% were neutral regarding confidence to graduate. CONCLUSION: Trainees perceived national e-learning as valuable to their education, especially due to the access to expert leaders around the nation. Future work should explore ways to overcome barriers and optimize benefits of GME and PRM e-learning.