International Developmental Pediatrics Association (IDPA) is an international platform where professionals working in the field of child development and disability come together to share ideas, experiences and research.
The IDPA Congress aims at exchanging and discussing scientific information, evidence-based practices, policies as well as sharing experiences, visions, passions and dreams of professionals from pediatrics and a multitude of other disciplines.
Message From the IDPA Congress 2025 President:
Peter Rohloff
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the International Developmental Pediatrics Association (IDPA) and Wuqu’ Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance it is our pleasure to announce the Sixth International Developmental Pediatrics Association Congress, which will take place from December 1-4, 2025 in Guatemala City. This will include a commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2025.
This prestigious international event invites participants from disciplines that span all aspects of service delivery and research related to child development and developmental disabilities: developmental pediatricians, pediatrics, family medicine, public health, child mental health, disability, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, child development and education, early intervention, special education, social services, advocacy and policy.
Message From the IDPA Congress 2025 President
Peter Rohloff
On behalf of the International Developmental Pediatrics Association (IDPA) and Wuqu’ Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance it is our pleasure to announce the Sixth International Developmental Pediatrics Association Congress, which will take place from December 1-4, 2025 in Guatemala City. This will include a commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2025.
This prestigious international event invites participants from disciplines that span all aspects of service delivery and research related to child development and developmental disabilities: developmental pediatricians, pediatrics, family medicine, public health, child mental health, disability, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, child development and education, early intervention, special education, social services, advocacy and policy. In previous years, the Congress has been held in Turkey, India, the Philippines, Lebanon (virtual), and South Africa. This is the first time the Congress will be held in Latin America, and we look forward to broad regional participation.
The theme for the 6th IDPA Congress will be Equity and Opportunities for All Children, with a special focus on Caring for Children from Indigenous and Minority Communities, given that Latin America has one of the largest Indigenous populations in the world. Recognizing the structural barriers that children with disabilities face in accessing healthcare, the conference will also foster collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples with disabilities, and disability experts. This initiative aims to empower the voices of persons with disabilities and break down barriers to equitable healthcare, ensuring that no child is left behind.
Wuqu’ Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance will serve as the local organizing partner for the Congress. Wuqu’ Kawoq is a nonprofit organization in Guatemala working to provide health services with linguistic and cultural competence to women, children and families from Indigenous and rural communities in Guatemala. IDPA is a professional society whose mission is to achieve equity in developmental pediatrics and related services for children and families around the world.
We estimate that 500-600 delegates from Guatemala, Latin American, and the global community will participate in the Congress. A special focus of all IDPA Congresses is that all work presented at the Congress must be conducted in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs). This creates a unique space for important voices and perspectives not usually represented in international early childhood conferences. The Congress agenda will include preconference workshops designed to augment the skills of professionals from LMICS, a main conference providing a space for sharing and learning, and mentorship dinners that provide opportunities to early career professionals to be mentored by experts from the global south and north.
We are currently in the planning phase, and we are reaching out to like-minded organizations such as yours to solicit logistical and financial support to ensure a successful and impactful Congress. We plan to highlight the support of contributing partners in all materials associated with the Congress. We appreciate your consideration and any support you might provide. Opportunities for sponsorship and support include networking and recruiting Congress delegates and speakers from across Latin America; sponsoring the travel and lodging of invited speakers; organizing pre-conference workshops; and assisting with the venue costs for the main conference.
We are available to meet to provide more details about this Congress and related opportunities.
Warm regards,
Peter Rohloff - Congress President
The vision of IDPA is to achieve equity in developmental pediatrics and related services for children and families around the world.
The core values of IDPA are:
Science and partnership for equity
Holistic, family-centered, strengths-based, community oriented, transdisciplinary capacity building
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
The IDPA congresses are held every two years to discuss and spread knowledge about developmental disabilities and early intervention.
The theme for the 6th IDPA Congress will be Equity and Opportunities for All Children, with a special focus on Caring for Children from Indigenous and Minority Communities, given that Latin America has one of the largest Indigenous populations in the world. Recognizing the structural barriers that children with disabilities face in accessing healthcare, the conference will also foster collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples with disabilities, and disability experts.
28th November - 1st December
ur Congress invites disciplines that span all aspects of service delivery and research related to child development and developmental difficulties: developmental pediatricians, pediatrics, family medicine, public health, child mental health, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, child development and education, early intervention, special education, social services, advocacy and policy.
As we commemorate December 3rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I invite you to the 4th International Developmental Pediatrics Association (IDPA) Congress in December 2021 which will be entirely online and will be hosted by the Arab Network for Early Childhood Development, Beirut, Lebanon.
9 to 12 December
The next IDPA Conference is kicking off in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Abstracts on Interventions, ECD, neurodevelopmental disabilities and risk factors for developmental disabilities will be presented.
7 to 10 December
2 to 5 December
The first IDPA Congress was held in Istanbul in 2015. More than 600 professionals from 50 countries participated and represented diverse disciplines (developmental and general pediatrics, therapists, psychologists, policy makers and advocates).
