Description
The OT Link is delighted to partner with Dr Christa Scholtz and Dr Dorothy Russell to bring you a new series of Evidence-based Clinical Paediatric Neuroscience workshops.
Dr Christa Scholtz brings over four decades of knowledge and expertise to this masterclass. Her passion lies in assessing and managing of babies, adults and children with neurological disorders. She has a special interest in visual impairment, cerebral visual impairment, sensory processing, autism, ADHD and development.
Christa holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Free State, South Africa, and recently completed her Ph.D. in the same field. With a clinical career spanning the globe, Christa has worked in diverse settings, from burn units to special schools and private practices in various countries, including South Africa, Australia, Chile, and Poland.
She is a renowned Senior Bobath Tutor, having presented OT modules and workshops in RSA, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Rwanda, Australia, Poland, France, Chile, Brazil and Lithuania, contributing significantly to the field’s advancement. Christa has been a featured speaker at various local and international conferences, sharing her expertise with a wider audience.
She has co-authored a research article on the intervention of children with cerebral palsy, showcasing her commitment to evidence-based practice.
Dr Dorothy Russell will assist Dr Scholtz in presenting this clinical workshop.
Dr. Dorothy Russell has worked as a Senior Occupational Therapist and the Director of the Bloemfontein Child Information Centre (BCIC) in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State, for the past 36 years.
Dr. Russell’s passion lies in working with babies and children with Down Syndrome and their families. She values the role of community service and has spent much of her career developing programmes and intervention specifically designed for this context.
As part of her PhD, Dr. Russell developed the Developmental Resource Stimulation Programme. This programme was designed to assist parents in the management of their babies and children with Down Syndrome, with particular emphasis on the application of the task-orientated approach. Her research tested the application, efficacy and impact of this programme on the developmental progress of children with Down Syndrome.
Dr.Russell has presented at congresses nationally and internationally and has authored 17 publications including manuals and scientific journals. She continues to train and mentor occupational therapists in the treatment of children with Down Syndrome, Neurological Impairment and Developmental Delay.