Innovation & Advocacy
We center our research and development efforts under our fourth program area, Innovation and Advocacy, where we create a unique environment that acts as an incubator for scholarship and development of new models of care. The experiences our therapy team has with clients on a daily basis inform the need to develop and modify protocols and likewise, gleanings from the other areas of programming are infused into our work in the clinic. Under the Innovation and Advocacy umbrella, team members create innovative approaches to care, conduct research to demonstrate proof of concept, share our strengths-based approach to supporting those who are neurodiverse, and connect with thought-leaders and policymakers to advocate for systemic change that will enable children who are neurodiverse and their families to have equitable access to the transformative care that will allow them to thrive.
Integrated occupational therapy camp for children with regulation/sensory processing differences: Preliminary evaluation.
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 90(1). Stackhouse, T. M., Burke, H. K., Hacker, C. G., Burke, L. M., Hui, C. E., Osten, B., Lane, S. J. (2023).
Autism spectrum disorder in Fragile X syndrome: Cooccurring conditions and current treatment.
Pediatrics, 139(Supplement_3), S194–S206. Kaufmann, W. E., Kidd, S. A., Andrews, H. F., Budimirovic, D. B., Esler, A., Haas-Givler, B., Stackhouse, T., Riley, C., Peacock, G., Sherman, S. L., Brown, W. T., & Berry-Kravis, E. (2017).
Sensory symptoms and signs of hyperarousal in individuals with Fragile X Syndrome: Findings from the FORWARD Registry and Database Multisite Study.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Lachiewicz, A. M., Stackhouse, T. M., Burgess, K., Burgess, D., Andrews, H. F., Choo, T.-H., Kaufmann, W. E., & Kidd, S. A. (2023).
Arteriovenous malformation in a youth with atypical autism symptoms.
Journal of Childhood & Developmental Disorders, 3(1), 1–6. Sison, V., Stackhouse, T., Breeze, R., Hall, T., McKenzie, P., & Tartaglia, N. (2017).
Partnerships
Developmental FX engages in partnerships with organizations in Colorado and across the world, collaborating to share our multidisciplinary approach to pediatric therapy. Our team members are innovators who are constantly working to develop new treatment and evaluation protocols that can improve the lives of people who are neurodiverse. Here we highlight four key partnerships:
DFX is proud to collaborate with The Polyvagal Institute to contribute to a deeper understanding of how polyvagal theory can support therapists’ work with children and families. Tracy Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L, is a frequent presenter on polyvagal theory and teaches one of the modules in the Polyvagal Certificate Course.
Tracy Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L, is a member of the National Fragile X Foundation Clinical Research Consortium (FXCRC), the FXCRC Advisory Council, and the Scientific & Clinical Advisory Committee. In this capacity, she contributes her expertise to their consensus documents, a collection of evidence-based recommendations, including guides related to assessing children with FXS, understanding autism in children with FXS, and behavioral challenges associated with FXS. She also contributes to teaching through the Foundation, including through webinars and at their annual conference.
Run by The Sensory Gym®, a pediatric therapy clinic in Australia, Camp Jabiru provides a typical camp experience combined with therapeutic intervention to support fun and goal attainment. Tracy Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L, collaborates with The Sensory Gym® to facilitate their practicum program, where therapists come to advance their clinical reasoning and engage in reflective practice related to pediatric intervention. Several DFX team members have enjoyed working at Camp Jabiru!
We partnered with Sensational Kids, a non-profit therapy organization with multiple clinics across Ireland, to expand our program evaluation process. This allows us all to better understand the impact of high-quality therapeutic intervention for children with developmental differences! We are now collaborating to publish findings and spread the word.
An Overview
DFX’s educational platform, Learning Journeys, enables us to reach thousands of clinicians around the world annually through virtual training courses, in-person workshops, presentations, and podcasts. DFX’s executive director is a frequent lecturer and presenter on clinical reasoning models at national and international conferences, and co-hosts a podcast for occupational therapists, “Spirited Conversations”, that has a global audience of more than 50,000 followers. We recently partnered with the National Fragile X Foundation in the creation of a MasterClass for educators, as another way of extending our impact. Other team members conduct training and seminars to share their expertise locally, nationally, and internationally.
Tracy Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L, leads the Innovation & Advocacy program and is a tireless advocate for expanding the understanding of those who are living with intellectual and developmental challenges, and building the capacity of clinicians, caregivers, and educators to expand possibilities for all children to be understood and to live to their fullest. She explains her motivation most effectively: “I am driven by a passionate commitment to revolutionize the landscape of care provision, ensuring that every child receives the tailored support they deserve. My aim is to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice, empowering clinicians with the tools and models necessary to deliver therapy that truly fits. By championing this cause, I aspire to transform not only individual lives but also entire systems, creating a future where every child's potential is nurtured and celebrated.”
Through our Innovation & Advocacy work, publications, participation in national and international conferences, and course offerings to share our treatment protocols that are based in neuroscience, we are fostering a greater understanding of the power of using Therapy that fits, a multidisciplinary, strengths-based approach to supporting children who are neurodiverse. This critical work can truly transform the lives of people living with intellectual and developmental challenges.
The work of DFX expands far beyond Denver. Tracy’s clinical wisdom and understanding of what it means to be human is acknowledged around the world. Therapists line up to be mentored by her and take her online Learning Journeys to learn more about her clinical reasoning models. Researchers want to work and learn with her. National and international thought leaders in the areas of occupational therapy, sensory integration, Fragile X, and Polyvagal Theory seek Tracy out to present at their conferences, courses, and podcasts.
Karen Onderko, co-founder, Polyvagal Institute, DFX Board Member
Outside Courses
Developmental FX collaborates with organizations around the US and across the world to present courses for clinicians to elevate their approach to pediatric therapy. Here we share information about on-demand virtual courses and both virtual and in-person on upcoming seminars presented through partner organizations:
