L.C.C. (Leontien) Duyster-Toussaint, PhD

I’m a pediatric physical therapist and researcher at the Department of Orthopaedics & Sports medicine - Unit Physical Therapy at the Erasmus MC. My focus area is Pediatric Intensive Care, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Esophageal atresia, critically ill born neonates, follow-up, (motor) development, (neurological) rehabilitation, mobilization, exercise capacity, daily activity, lifestyle & training.

After obtaining my bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy in 2004, I started working as a physical therapist with adult patients. In the three following years, I found out that I would love to work with children. Therefore, I started my study in pediatric physical therapy in 2007. I obtained my master’s degree (cum laude) in 2011. I started working in the Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital as a Pediatric physical therapist in 2008. I have intensive expertise regarding critically ill born neonates in the pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric neurological rehabilitation, and the treatment of (neuro)developmental disorders.

I commenced my PhD in 2015 on long-term outcomes following severe congenital foregut anomalies and/or neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment. I obtained my PhD in 2019: Together in motion: Long-term morbidity in children with congenital foregut anomalies. Since then I’ve worked as a Pediatric physical therapist and researcher at the Department of Orthopaedics & Sports medicine - Unit Physical Therapy at the Erasmus MC. From 2011 onwards, I also have been teaching pediatric physical therapist students and medical students.