Beth Smith, PT, DPT, PhD

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Biokinesiology & Physical Therapy

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Overview

Dr. Smith focuses on the development of neural control of movement during infancy and evaluates interventions for neural and functional development in infants with or at risk for developmental delay. She directs the Infant Neuromotor Control Laboratory.

Research Funding

  • 2/24 Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium
    NIH · U01DA055362 · Sep 30, 2021 – Jun 30, 2027 · Role: Co-Principal Investigator
  • Mobile Health Intervention to Promote Positive Infant Health Outcomes in Guatemala
    NIH · R33HD107983 · Sep 1, 2021 – Aug 31, 2026 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • Mobile Health Intervention to Promote Positive Infant Health Outcomes in Guatemala
    NIH · R21HD107983 · Sep 1, 2021 – Aug 31, 2023 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • Emergence of arm reaching behavior and lateralization of motor control in infancy
    NIH · R01HD101641 · Sep 17, 2020 – Jan 31, 2026 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • Locomotor learning in infants at high risk for cerebral palsy
    NIH · R01HD098364 · Mar 18, 2020 – Feb 28, 2025 · Role: Co-Principal Investigator
  • Wearable Sensors for Early Identification of Poor Neurodevelopment in Guatemala
    NIH · R21HD096521 · Jul 15, 2019 – Jun 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • Neural correlates of the development of reaching in infants at risk for developmental delay
    NIH · R03HD096137 · Jul 15, 2018 – Jun 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
  • Cortical Preparation for Postural Responses in Parkinson's Disease
    NIH · F32HD070796 · May 1, 2011 – Sep 30, 2011 · Role: Principal Investigator

Publications

  • Stakeholder Priorities for Cystic Fibrosis Mental Health Research: A Community and Provider Survey. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2026 Jan; 61(1):e71472.. View in PubMed
  • Multidimensional Impacts of Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor: Comparisons of Physical and Mental Health Providers’ Observations in Cystic Fibrosis in Europe and the United States. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2025 Nov; 60(11):e71367.. View in PubMed
  • Mental health and transplantation in cystic fibrosis. Respir Med. 2025 11; 248:108407.. View in PubMed
  • Leader perspectives on the “experience-complexity gap”: Recommendations to fortify the nursing workforce. Nurs Outlook. 2025 May-Jun; 73(3):102400.. View in PubMed
  • Physical Activity in Pre-Ambulatory Children with Cerebral Palsy: An Exploratory Validation Study to Distinguish Active vs. Sedentary Time Using Wearable Sensors. Sensors (Basel). 2025 Feb 19; 25(4).. View in PubMed
  • Uncovering distinct motor development trajectories in infants during the first half year of life. medRxiv. 2025 Feb 08.. View in PubMed
  • Infants Display Anticipatory Gaze During a Motor Contingency Paradigm. Sensors (Basel). 2025 Jan 30; 25(3).. View in PubMed
  • Remote data collection of infant activity and sleep patterns via wearable sensors in the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD). Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2024 10; 69:101446.. View in PubMed
  • The Utility of Calibrating Wearable Sensors before Quantifying Infant Leg Movements. Sensors (Basel). 2024 Sep 04; 24(17).. View in PubMed
  • Associating neuromotor outcomes at 12 months with wearable sensor measures collected during early infancy in rural Guatemala. Gait Posture. 2024 Aug 08; 113:477-489.. View in PubMed