Our Vision

The vision of International Developmental Pediatrics Association (IDPA) is to achieve equity in developmental pediatrics and related services for children and families around the world.

Our Focus Areas

IDPA has always aimed to advance work in the fields of developmental-behavioral pediatrics, neuro-developmental pediatrics, child development, developmental difficulties and children with special needs or disabilities.

In low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the majority of child population resides, these fields are newly gaining recognition and therefore are comprised under the name Developmental Pediatrics. All of these fields must merge and apply the sciences of child development and pediatrics.

Developmental behavioral pediatrics is recognized as a subspecialty in China, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Turkey, and efforts to establish it as a subspecialty are continuing in other LMICs such as Brazil.

We want to work towards these specific goals:

  • Provide an organizational home for professionals

  • Support research, documentation and writing

  • Develop South to South cooperation/collaboration

  • Promote partnership between professionals, families and communities

  • Enhance state of the art, evidence-based, applicable models, programs and policies

  • Promote leaders in countries

  • Support training and education

  • Support the foundation of the subspecialty

  • Enhance interdisciplinary collaborations

Founding Board

In 2014, the idea of IDPA was spawned to collect an international group of pediatric professionals and management experts to set out to low income countries and spread knowledge and resources. Ilgi Ertem addressed the world in 2015 in Istanbul at the beginning of this great adventure.

Ilgi Ertem

Vibha Krishnamurthy

Ricardo Halpern

Ghassan Issa

Mphele Mulaudzi

Alexis Reyes

Nenad Rudic

Executive Board

Vibha Krishnamurthy

Ilgi Ertem

Ricardo Halpern

Ghassan Issa

Mphele Mulaudzi

Alexis Reyes

Nenad Rudic

Jena Hamadani

A message from our president

Dear Colleagues,

As President of the International Developmental Pediatrics Association, it gives me great pleasure to invite all of you to the 3rd International Developmental Pediatrics Association Congress, to be held in Manila, Philippines, from 9th to 12th December, 2019.

The theme of this year’s Congress, “Transdisciplinary Intervention: Ideas in Action” reflects IDPA’s commitment to promoting family-centered and transdisciplinary care for children with disabilities, and to bridging the gap in services between high and low resource settings for them.

Anyone who has been to a previous IDPA Congress knows that it is a homecoming for professionals, from any part of the world, working in the field of early childhood development and disability. I guarantee that you will hear incredible stories from all over the world, of like-minded individuals and organisations that have created innovative practices, training programs and research, and driven policy change in their country. I am also certain that you will begin partnerships and friendships that will last a long time.

I look forward to seeing all of you in Manila to continue the magic we began in Istanbul and Mumbai!

Warm regards,
Vibha Krishnamurthy

Secretarial Board

Renato Santos Coelho

Marcio Leyser

Revan Mustafayev

Ezgi Özalp Akin

Koyeli Sengupta

Dr. Roopa Srinivasan

Christine Mutaganzwa

Jean Paul Rukabyarwema

Rochelle Pacifico

Advisory Board

Jo Chopra McGowan

Bernadette Daelmans

Brian Forsyth

Deepa Grover

John Leventhal

Atif Rahman

Peter Rosenbaum

Adrian Sandler

Andy Shih

Ruth Stein

Aisha Yousafzai

Barry Zuckerman

Mohamad Mikati

Regional Comittees

International Agencies

UNICEF CEE/CIS Regional Office

Name Region
Octavian Bivol Geneva, Switzerland
Deepa Grover Geneva, Switzerland
Jean Claude Legrand Geneva, Switzerland
Bettina Schwethelm Geneva, Switzerland
Name Region
Armine Ter-Ghevondyan Yerevan, Armenia
Gulnara Jafarova Baku, Azerbaijan
Natik Umarov Baku, Azerbaijan
Selena Bajraktarevic Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Vera Rangelova Sofia, Bulgaria
Melani Markovic Zagreb, Croatia
Sascha Grauman Tbilisi, Georgia
Cholpon Imanalieva Bishkek, Kyrgyrzstan
Irina Ivanovska Skopje, Macedonia
Jelena Zajeganovic Jarovyevic Belgrade, Serbia
Philippe Duamelle Ankara, Turkey
Göktan Koçyıldırım Ankara, Turkey
Erden Göktepe Ankara, Turkey
Chiharu Kondo Ankara, Turkey
Lieke van de Wiel Ankara, Turkey
Sachly Duman Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Name Region
Pia Britto New York, USA
Lilia Jelamschi New York, USA
Name Region
Bernadette Daelmans Geneva, Switzerland
Mercedes de Onis Geneva, Switzerland
Chiara Servili Geneva, Switzerland
Martin Weber Geneva, Switzerland

Worldwide Countries

Non-Governmental Organizations

Name Region
Yiğit Aksakoğlu Istanbul, Turkey
Münevver Bertan Ankara, Turkey
Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı Istanbul, Turkey
Joan Lombardi Washington DC, USA
Andy Shih New York, USA
Tomris Türmen Ankara, Turkey
Nalan Yalçın Istanbul, Turkey
J. Leonardo Yánez Venezuela
Name Region
Mphele Mulaudzi Pretoria, South Africa
Name Region
Berenise Carroli Rosario, Argentina
Renato Coelho Porto Alegre, Brazil
Ricardo Halpern Porto Alegre, Brazil
María Virginia Lencinas Rosario, Argentina
Marcio Leyser Rio de Janerio, Brazil
Daniela Roldán Rosario, Argentina
Yanina Squassero Rosario, Argentina
Name Region
Anita D’Aprano Victoria, Australia
Frank Oberklaid Victoria, Australia
Micheal McDowell Queensland, Australia
Name Region
Radovan Bogdanovic Belgrade, Serbia
Vlatka Mejaski Bosnjak Zagreb, Croatia
Nenad Glumbić Belgrade, Serbia
Maia Kherkheulidze Tbilisi, Georgia
Elena Kozhevnikova Russian Federation
Ružica Kravljanac Belgrade, Serbia
Tarana Sayid Mammadova Baku, Azerbaijan
Aleksandra Mikov Novi Sad, Serbia
Milica Pejovic Belgrade, Serbia
Aida Mujkic Zagreb, Croatia
Olena Riga Belgrade, Serbia
Jamila Talibova Baku, Azerbaijan
Name Region
Srivieng Pairojkul Khon Kaen, Thailand
Alexis Reyes Manila, Philippines
Jan Harold D. Sia Manila, Philippines
Amar Singh Perak, Malaysia
Name Region
Kevin Browne Nottingham, England
Melissa Gladstone Liverpool, England
Jonathan Green Southampton, England
Betty Kirkwood London, England
Ian Milligan Glasgow, Scotland
Neny Pervanidou Athens, Greece
Atif Rahman Achaea, Greece
Giorgio Tamburlini Trieste, Italy
Name Region
Aysun Bideci Ankara, Turkey
Lama Charafeddine Beirut, Lebanon
Elçin Er Ankara, Turkey
Ilgi Ertem Ankara, Turkey
Enver Hasanoğlu Ankara, Turkey
Seifollah Heidarabady Tabriz, Iran
Ghassan Issa Beirut, Lebanon
Saleh M Al Salahi Saudi Arabia
Durriyah Sinno Beirut, Lebanon
Nurper Ülküer Ankara, Turkey
Name Region
Joseph Avni-Singe Connecticut, USA
Brad Berman SanFrancisco, USA
Olaf Kraus de Camargo Ontario, Canada
Heidi Feldman California, USA
Brian Forsyth Connecticut, USA
Emmett Francoeur Montreal, Canada
Magdalena Janus Ontario, Canada
Orville Karan Connecticut, USA
John Leventhal Connecticut, USA
Betsy Lozoff Michigan, USA
Jane E. Lucas New York, USA
Karen Olness Ohio, USA
Peter Rohloff Massachusetts, USA
Peter Rosenbaum Ontario, Canada
Adrian Sandler North Carolina, USA
David Schonfeld California, USA
Neelkamal S.Soares Pennsylvania, USA
Ruth Stei New York, USA
Donald Wertlieb Massachusetts, USA
Barry Zuckerman Massachusetts, USA
Pamela Zuckerman Massachusetts, USA
Name Region
Nandita De Souza Goa, India
Jena Hamadani Dhaka, Bangladesh
Jo Chopra McGowan Dehra Dun, India
Hemsagar Rimal Biratnagar, Nepal
Shamsa Rizwan Islamabad, Pakistan
Merina Shrestha Kathmandu, Nepal
Aisha Yousafzai Karachi, Pakistan