Lara Liszka, OTD, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC Clinical Research Occupational Therapist
Lara Liszka, OTD, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC, has provided clinical services in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's National Hospital since 2023 and joined the Developing Brain Institute team in July 2025 as a clinical research occupational therapist. Lara received her clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where her doctoral research focused on early auditory exposure across neonatal environments as well as social factors
influencing the early auditory environment post-NICU discharge. She also has published on the psychometrics of the Neonatal Eating Outcome Assessment as well as preterm infant neurobehavior across the neonatal period and at term-equivalent age. Lara has worked clinically as a neonatal occupational therapist on the infant feeding team at Seattle Children’s Hospital Level IV NICU and at Duke Children’s Hospital in their Level IV NICU prior to coming to Children's National. She is certified in various standardized neonatal neurobehavioral assessments and has been involved in quality improvement initiatives and research collaboratives related to neuroprotective strategies and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of high-risk infants. Lara is a certified neonatal therapist (CNT) and is certified in Neonatal Touch and Massage (NTMTC). She serves on the neonatal therapy certification board, and she has taught in various OTD programs on the role of neonatal therapy. Lara is passionate about advancing research on neuroprotection and developmental outcomes of infants through interdisciplinary collaboration that bridges clinical care, neuroscience and family-centered practice.
Address: 111 Michigan Ave. NW; Washington, D.C., 20010
Email: fetalbrain@childrensnational.org
Department: MRI Lab
Recent publications & presentations
2026 | April
Gothelf I, Andescavage N, Limperopoulos C, Kushal K, Pen RG, Liszka L, Widener BR, Cook KM. “Neighborhood Disadvantage Is Associated With Occupational Therapy Uptake in the NICU and Brain Volume Changes by Term Age.” Poster. Research, Education & Innovation Week 2026. Washington, D.C. April 2026.
Liszka L, Andescavage N, Limperopoulos C, Liggett M, Christoffel K. “Exploring Neurobehavioral Outcomes Between Infants of Diabetic Mothers and Full-Term Controls.” Poster. Research, Education & Innovation Week 2026. Washington, D.C. April 2026.
2026 | February
Liszka L, et al. “A Single Institution Neuroprotection and Developmental Care Quality Improvement Initiative.” Poster. 17thInternational Newborn Brain Conference (INBBC 2026). Naples, Italy. February 2026.
Liszka L, Andescavage A, Christoffel K, Liggett MO, Limperopoulos C.“Exploring Neurobehavioral Outcomes Between Infants of Diabetic Mothers and Full-Term Controls.” Poster. 17th International Newborn Brain Conference (INBBC 2026). Naples, Italy. February 2026.
Liszka L, et al. “Neurobehavioral Performance and Early General Movements of High-Risk Preterm Infants and Relationships to Medical and Social Context.” Poster. 17th International Newborn Brain Conference (INBBC 2026). Naples, Italy. February 2026.
2025
Elgren R, Liszka L. “Little Fish in a Big Pond - Lessons Learned Swimming Against the Current.” Poster. National Association of Neonatal Therapists Annual Conference, NANT 15. Indianapolis, IN. March 2025