Michael N. Nelson

Dr. Nelson is the Director of the Section of Pediatric Psychology at Rush Children’s Hospital. Dr. Nelson is also an associate professor of child psychology at Rush University Medical Center.

Dr. Nelson is a founding member of Pathways Medical Roundtable in 1988.

“As a healthcare provider for more than 40 years, I’ve found Pathways.org resources to be invaluable both personally and professionally. The Pathways.org website has always incorporated the latest research findings that inform parents and healthcare providers regarding both expected and worrisome early development requiring action. Its mission reflects the profound truth that the earliest detection of possible delay ensures that the earliest and most effective intervention can be provided. This knowledge empowers both parents and healthcare providers to take immediate action to guide development and be powerful agents of change that benefit our precious children. The Pathways.org website has free downloadable materials approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics which empower parents in the form of videos, brochures, social media, and more that can help guide the most effective intervention, if needed.”
-Michael N. Nelson, PhD

Additional Achievements:

• Former President and current member of the Illinois Neonatal Development Follow-up Association
• Member of the Illinois Premature Infant Health Network Continuity of Care Committee

Education:

• PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Research:

Nelson MN, Charnay AJ, Antisdel-Lomaglio JE, Zelko FA, Rand CM, Le M, et al. Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome neurocognition already reduced in preschool-aged children. Chest Journal. 2016; 149(3):809-815.

Nelson MN, Greene MM, Kousiki P, Silvestri JM. Re-evaluating preterm infants with the Bayley-III: Patterns and predictors of change. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 2013; 34(7):2107-2117.

Greene MM, Patra K, Silvestri JM, Nelson MN. Re-evaluating preterm infants with the Bayley-III: patterns and predictors of change. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 2013; 34(7):2107-17.

Greene MM, Patra K, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM. Evaluating preterm infants with the Bayley-III: patterns and correlates of development. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 2012; 33(6):1948-56.

Zelko FA, Nelson MN, Leurgans SE, Berry-Kravis EM, Weese-Mayer DE. Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome: Neurocognitive functioning in school age children. Pediatric Pulmonology. 2010; 45(1):92-98.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Patel M, Lee H, Cimo S, McReynolds E. Maturation of the cardiac response to sound in high-risk preterm infants. Newborn and Infant Nursing. 2009; 9(4):193-199.

Grattan MP, Nelson MN, White-Traut RC, Vasan U, Gu GG, Littaus S. Sex differences in high-risk premature infants’ asymmetric movement development. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. 2006; 25(4):5-28.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Patel M, Berbaum M, Gu GG, Meleedy-Rey P.Developmental patterns of physiological response to a multisensory intervention in extremely premature and high-risk infants. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. 2004; 33(2):266-275.

Patel M, Nelson MN, White-Traut RC, Meleedy-Rey P. Use of the Box-Jenkins method to evaluate the physiologic responses of normal and CNS-injured premature infants to environmental sound. Newborn & Infant Nursing. 2004; 4(3):162-169.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Vasan U, Littau S, Meleedy-Rey P, Gu G, Patel M. Effect of auditory, tactile, visual, and vestibular intervention on length of stay, alertness, and feeding progression in preterm infants. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 2002; 44(2):91-97.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Vasan U, Patel M, Cardenas L. Feeding readiness behaviors and feeding efficiency in response to ATVV intervention. Newborn & Infant Nursing. 2002; 2(3):166-173.

Nelson MN, White-Traut RC, Vasan U, Silvestri J, Comiskey E, Meleedy-Rey P, Littau S, Gu G, Patel M. One-year outcome of auditory-tactile-visual-vestibular intervention in the neonatal intensive care unit: effects of severe prematurity and central nervous system injury. Journal of Child Neurology. 2001; 16(7):493-498.

Sandler RH, Finegold SM, Bolte ER, Buchanan SP, Mexwell AP, Vaisanen ML, Nelson MN, Wexler HM. Short-term benefit from oral vancomycin treatment of regressive-onset autism. Journal of Child Neurology. 2000; 15(7):429-435.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Patel M, Vasan U, Han BK, Cunningham N, Burns K, Kopischke K, Bradford L. Developmental intervention for preterm infants diagnosed with periventricular leukomalacia. Research in Nursing & Health. 1999; 22(2):131-143.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Cunningham N, Patel M. Responses of preterm infants to unimodal and multimodal sensory intervention. Pediatric Nursing. 1997; 23(2):169-175.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Burns K, Cunningham N. Environmental influences on the developing premature infant: Theoretical issues and applications to practice. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. 1994; 23(5):393-401.

Burns K, Cunningham N, White-Traut RC, Silvestri J, Nelson MN. Infant stimulation: Modification of an intervention based on physiologic and behavioral cues. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. 1994; 23(7):581-589.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN, Silvestri JM, Patel MK, Kilgallon D. Patterns of physiologic and behavioral response of intermediate care preterm infants to intervention. Pediatric Nursing. 1993; 19(6):625-629.

Silvestri JM, Weese-Mayer DE, Nelson MN. Neuropsychologic abnormalities in children with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. Journal of Pediatrics. 1992; 120(3):388-393.

White-Traut RC, Nelson MN. Maternally administered tactile, auditory, visual, and vestibular stimulation: Relationship to later interactions between mothers and premature infants. Research in Nursing & Health. 1988; 11(1):31-39.

Bozynski MEA, Nelson MN, Genaze D, Rosati-Skertich C, Matalon TAS, Vasan U, Naughton PM. Cranial ul-rasonography and the prediction of cerebral palsy in infants weighing < 1200 grams at birth. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 1988; 30(3):342-348.

Bozynski MEA, Nelson MN, Matalon TAS, ODonnell KJ, Naughton PM, Vasan U, Meier WA, Ploughman L. Prolonged mechanical ventilation and intracranial hemorrhage: impact on developmental progress through 18 months in infants weighing 1,200 grams or less at birth. Pediatrics. 1987; 79(5):670-676.

Bozunski MEA, Nelson MN, Matalon TAS, Genaze DR, Rosati-Skertich C, Naughton PM, Meier WA.Cavitary periventicular leulomalacia: Incidence and term outcome in infants weighing > 1200 grams at birth. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 1985; 27(5):572-577.