Marsha Gerdes, PhD

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Marsha Gerdes, PhD, is a senior psychologist with CHOP's PolicyLab.

Areas of Expertise: Assessment as intervention with infants and preschoolers, Early childhood development, Neurodevelopmental outcome of children with cardiac defects, Neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants, Preventive services for children birth to preschool
Locations: Main Hospital
Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Education and Training

Internship

Wissahickon School District, Philadelphia, PA

Graduate Degree

PhD - University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, Philadelphia, PA

Titles and Academic Titles

Academic Investigator, Healthy Weight Program

Departments and Services

Research Interests

Dr. Gerdes’ clinical and research interests include neurodevelopmental outcome of infants with preterm birth and congenital abnormalities. Her focus also includes universal early childhood developmental and behavioral screening, including children of immigrant and refugee families, expanding the focus of screening to ensure that early identification leads to services, and also encouraging a preschool experience for all children to support school readiness.

Her work with preventive interventions and services for young children at risk includes services for children with mothers who are depressed and also children whose challenging behaviors placed them at risk for expulsion from childcare. Her approach to research has an emphasis of building community partnerships and bridging research to practice and policy change.

Publications

Papers

2018

Danzer E, Hoffman C, D'Agostino J, Ryan M, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL: Rate and risk factors associated with autism spectrum disorder in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders48:2112-2121, 2018. 

Danzer E, Hoffman C, D’Agostino JA, Boelig MM, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, Rosenthal H, Waqar LN, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Kallan MJ, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL: Short-term neurodevelopmental outcome in children born with high-risk congenital lung lesions. Annals of Thoracic Surgery 105:1827-1834, 2018.

Danzer E, Hoffman C, D'Agostino J, Connelly JT, Waqar LN, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL: Short-term neurodevelopmental outcome in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: The impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and timing of repair. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine 19:64-74, 2018.

2017

Danzer E, Hoffman C, , Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, Antiel RM, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 years of age in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2017 Mar;52(3):437-443.

2016

Danzer E, Hoffman C, D'Agostino JA, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, Antiel RM, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 years of age in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Aug 30. pii: S0022-3468(16)30284-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2016.08.008.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D’Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Herkert LM, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Younger gestational age is associated with increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome during infancy in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Jul;51(7):1084-90.

Danzer E, Thomas NH, Thomas A, Friedman KB, Gerdes M, Koh J, Adzick NS, Johnson MP. Long-term neurofunctional outcome, executive functioning, and behavioral adaptive skills following fetal myelomeningocele surgery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Feb;214(2):269.e1-8. 

2015

Danzer E, Thomas NH, Thomas A, Friedman KB, Gerdes M, Koh J, Adzick NS, Johnson MP. Long-term neurofunctional outcome, executive functioning, and behavioral adaptive skills following fetal myelomeningocele surgery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Oct 9.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D'Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Herkert L, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Neurodevelopmental outcome at one year of age in congenital diaphragmatic hernia infants not treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Jun;50(6):898-903. doi: 10.1016.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D’Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Patient characteristics are important determinants of neurodevelopmental outcome during infancy in giant omphalocele. Early Hum Dev. 2015 Mar;91(3):187-93.

2014

DeMauro S, D’Agostino J, Bann C, Bernbaum J, Gerdes M, Bell E, Carlo W, D’Angio C, Das A, Higgins R, Hintz S, Laptook A, Natarajan G, Nelin L, Poindexter B, Sanchez P, Shankaran S, Stoll B, Truog W, Van Meurs K, Vohr B, Walsh M, Kirpalani H. Developmental outcomes of very preterm infants with tracheostomies. J Pediatr. 2014. [Epub ahead of print]

Partridge EA, Bridge C, Donaher JG, Herkert LM, Grill E, Danzer E, Gerdes M, Hoffman CH, D’Agostino JA, Bernbaum JC, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Incidence and factors associated with sensorineural and conductive hearing loss among survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2014 Jun;49(6):890-4

2013

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D’Agostino JA, Hoffman C, Bernbaum J, Bebbington MW, Siegle J, Sulkowski J, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Longitudinal neurodevelopmental and neuromotor outcome in congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients in the first 3 years of life. J Perinatol. 2013 Nov;33(11):893-8.

2010

Gaynor JW, Gerdes M, Nord AS, Bernbaum J, Zackai E, Wernovsky G, et al. Is cardiac diagnosis a predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome after cardiac surgery in infancy? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010 Dec;140(6):1230-7. Epub 2010 Oct 15. Cited in PubMed; PMCID: PMC3278908.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, D'Agostino J, Bebbington MW, Siegle J, et al. Neurodevelopmental outcome of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia prospectively enrolled in an interdisciplinary follow-up program. J Pediatr Surg. 2010 Sep;45(9):1759-66. Cited in PubMed; PMID 20850617.

Danzer E, Finkel R, Gerdes M, Schwartz EM, Rintoul NN, Adzick NS, et al. The relationship of seizure activity and chronic epilepsy in early infancy and short-term neurodevelopmental outcome following fetal myelomeningocele closure. Neuropediatrics. 2010 Jun;41(3):140-3. Epub 2010 Sep 21. Cited in PubMed; PMID 20859834.

Burnham N, Ittenbach RF, Stallings VA, Gerdes M, Zackai E, Bernbaum J, et al. Genetic factors are important determinants of impaired growth after infant cardiac surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010 Jul;140(1):144-9. Epub 2010 Apr 9. Cited in PubMed; PMCID: PMC2909691.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D'Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Siegle J, Hoffman C, et al. Prospective, interdisciplinary follow-up of children with prenatally diagnosed giant omphalocele: short-term neurodevelopmental outcome. J Pediatr Surg. 2010 Apr;45(4):718-23. Cited in PubMed; PMID 20385277.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, Bebbington MW, Zarnow DM, Adzick NS, Johnson MP. Preschool neurodevelopmental outcome of children following fetal myelomeningocele closure. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010 May;202(5):450.e1-9. Epub 2010 Mar 29. Cited in PubMed; PMID 20347433.

Books

Chapters

Gerdes M. Development/behavior. In: Bernbaum J, editor. Preterm infants in primary care: a guide to office management. Columbus: Abbott Laboratories; 2000.