EVENT HAS ENDED - General Movements Assessment (GMA)

Overview

October 3, 2025 | 9:00am-10:00am CST

Location – 1431 Greenway Drive, Irving, Texas 75038
First Floor Conference Room
In-person Only and FREE!

This course provides an overview of the General Movements Assessment (GMA) and its significance as a diagnostic tool to help identify infants at risk for developing neurological issues. Participants will learn about the emergence of general movements and identify the two distinct phases, Writhing and Fidgety. It will further discuss developmental outcomes and risk stratification based on GMA scores. Participants will understand the window of neuroplasticity and the importance of early detection for improved functional outcomes

Following this training, participants will be able to:

Identify infant population at high risk for Cerebral Palsy or neurological deficits
Review predictive assessments for the diagnosis of CP in high risk infants
Discuss fetal development and emergence of general movements
Identify two distinct phases of the General Movements Assessment (GMA)
Discuss GMA scores and their correlation with developmental outcomes and risk stratification
Discuss the window of neuroplasticity and the significance of early intervention

This course meets the requirement for Professional Development hours towards your ASHA renewal since it is approved by TSHA! You can count these hours towards ASHA renewal when you submit your Compliance Form.

Please register to attend! This event is free! Space is limited!

This course is on the same day as our Partners In Pediatrics continuing education and networking event for pediatric therapy organization owners and leaders. This PIP event is focused on the Birth to Home transition. If you are in a leadership position, or think the leaders or owner at your organization might be interested, please share the information with them. You can find the details for that event here.

Curriculum

1 Section
2 Lessons
Lifetime

Expand all sectionsCollapse all sections

Course Curriculum
2
- 1.1
  01 – Handouts
- 1.2
  02 – Course Evaluation

Instructor

Jennifer Valenzuela & Amanda Whitmire

Amanda Whitmire

Amanda Whitmire, PT, DPT, CPST is a pediatric physical therapist with over 10 years of experience specializing in the evaluation and treatment of children with developmental, neurological, and musculoskeletal conditions. Amanda earned a doctorate in physical therapy in 2011 from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She became a Board-Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist in 2023. Amanda began working at Cook Children’s in 2013 providing comprehensive care in the outpatient rehab setting. She joined the NEST (NICU follow up) clinic in 2021 as a consult therapist, then transitioned to the EDI (Early Detection and Intervention) team in 2024. As a member of the EDI team, her focus is on educating the community about the early detection of cerebral palsy and the importance of early intervention

Jennifer Valenzuela

Jennifer Valenzuela, OTR, MOT, CPST earned her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman's University in Dallas, Texas in 2016. With a dedicated career spanning seven years, Jennifer has gained diverse experience in various pediatric settings. Since 2019, she has been a treating practitioner at Cook Children’s Rehabilitation Clinic. In addition to that role, Jennifer joined the Cook Children’s N.E.S.T. (NICU Early Support and Care Transition) Team as a consult therapist in 2021. Following General Movement Assessment (GMA) training and certification in 2022, she became a part of the EDI Team- Early Detection and Intervention for Cerebral Palsy (CP). This role focuses on the expansion of Early CP Detection programs across local affiliated level III and IV NICU’s and community education on early interventions.