European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability - Home

The European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD) is founded in 1989, and is an  international not-for-profit association  for anyone with a clinical and/or scientific interest in childhood-onset disabilities in Europe .

EACD's mission:

T o promote excellence in research and services for the benefit of people with, and at risk for, childhood-onset disabilities, and to provide multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art education for professionals active in the field of childhood-onset disabilities in Europe and beyond

EACD's Aims: 

In furtherance of our mission, the EACD shall engage in the following aims and activities:

To promote and extend excellence in research in all aspects of childhood-onset disability, and to facilitate the dissemination and valorisation of such research.

• To ensure regular education and knowledge exchange on all aspects of childhood-onset disability through meetings, congresses, symposia, working groups, training courses, online events, exhibitions and publications.
• To support the use of the latest evidence-based practice and evidence-based medicine into the care, treatment and services for people with childhood-onset disabilities and their family caregivers.
• To foster cooperation between those active in the field of childhood-onset disabilities in Europe and elsewhere for the benefit of people with childhood-onset disabilities.
• To raise awareness of their needs and rights with people with a childhood-onset disability, their families and close others
• To encourage people throughout Europe to become professionally active in the field of childhood-onset disabilities.
• To maintain the highest possible ethical and scientific standards in all EACD activities, and to encourage the use of the highest possible ethical and scientific standards by those working with people with childhood-onset disabilities.

Commitment to the mission of the EACD can be done as individual by  becoming a member , as has been done already by many individuals from across Europe, working in areas including but not limited to (neuro)pediatrics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, physical medicine and rehabilitation, speech and language therapy, orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, dietitians, nursing, social-work, and special education. 

By organizing an annual scientific meeting the EACD provides a networking platform to share your knowledge. Moreover, EACD members will be provided with access to high-quality research in all aspects of childhood disability, network opportunities in Europe and elsewhere, and a comprehensive overview of childhood disability related events organized in Europe and elsewhere.

EACD is a multidisciplinary, welcoming, constructive academy, consisting of like-minded members who want to build together a better future for people with childhood-onset disabilities. Education, ethics and social commitment are of paramount importance to EACD, bridging cultural, societal, economical, and lingual differences across the entire European region for the benefit of people with childhood-onset disabilities.

EACD's values are:  Collaboration, Knowledge, Inclusion and Integrity

Next EACD Annual Meeting:

The 37th EACD Annual Meeting will take place in Heidelberg, Germany from 24 - 28 June 2025!

Including keynote lectures by the leaders in the field, our EACD Annual Meeting archives, and much more!

EACD Membership

Join the EACD now  and support our mission to promote research and education for the benefit of people with childhood-onset disabilities! 

EACD is a proud founding member of the IAACD

EACD is an international not-for-profit association for anyone with a clinical and/or scientific interest   in the area of childhood-onset disability in Europe and beyond. EACD's mission is to improve the lives of  individuals with a disability throughout Europe by the promotion of education and research into Childhood-onset Disability.

Stay informed
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest developments. Be a part of our EACD community. Together we can make a difference.

The European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD) i s an international not-for-profit association founded in 1989, and is an association for anyone with a clinical and/or scientific interest in childhood-onset disabilities in Europe and beyond. EACD's mission is to  promote research and education for the benefit of people with childhood-onset disabilities throughout Europe and beyond .