Sarah Tlustos-Carter, PsyD

Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation


FacultyPhoto
Graduate School
  • PhD, University of Cincinnati (2011)
Undergraduate School
  • BA, University of Northern Colorado (CO) (2004)
Internship
  • University of Colorado (Children's Hospital Colorado) Program (2011)
Fellowships
  • University of Colorado (Children's Hospital Colorado) Program, Neuropsychology (2013)
Department
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Professional Titles

  • Pediatric Neuropsychologist

Publications

  • Koterba, C.H., Baum, K.T., Hamner, T., Busch, T.A., Davis, K.C., Tlustos-Carter, S., Howarth, R., Fournier-Goodnight, A. Kramer, M., Landry, A., O’Neill, J., Cass, J., Wilson, C. & Slomine, B.S. (2020). COVID-19 issues related to pediatric neuropsychology and inpatient rehabilitation – challenges to usual care and solutions during the pandemic, The Clinical Neuropsychologist, DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2020.1811892
  • Baum KT, Smith-Paine J, Tlustos SJ, Johnson A, Petranovich C. Clinical and training practices: A survey of pediatric neuropsychologists serving inpatient rehabilitation. Child Neuropsychol. 2021 Nov 1;:1-25. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34724886
  • Watson WD, Suskauer SJ, Askin G, Nowak S, Baum KT, Gerber LM, Blackwell LS, Koterba CH, Hoskinson KR, Kurowski BG, Mclaughlin MJ, Tlustos SJ, Zimmerman KO, Shah SA. Cognitive Recovery During Inpatient Rehabilitation Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium Study. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2021 Jul-Aug 01;36(4):253-263. PubMed PMID: 33656473
  • Caliendo ET, Kim N, Edasery D, Askin G, Nowak S, Gerber LM, Baum KT, Blackwell LS, Koterba CH, Hoskinson KR, Kurowski BG, McLaughlin M, Tlustos SJ, Watson WD, Niogi SN, Suskauer SJ, Shah SA. Acute Imaging Findings Predict Recovery of Cognitive and Motor Function after Inpatient Rehabilitation for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium Study. J Neurotrauma. 2021 Jul 15;38(14):1961-1968. PubMed PMID: 33504256
  • McLaughlin MJ, Caliendo E, Lowder R, Watson WD, Kurowski B, Baum KT, Blackwell LS, Koterba CH, Hoskinson KR, Tlustos SJ, Zimmerman KO, Shah SA, Suskauer SJ. Prescribing Patterns of Amantadine During Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicentered Retrospective Review From the Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2021 Jul 26. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34320554
  • Petranovich C, Johnson A, Smith-Paine J, Tlustos SJ, Baum KT. A survey of pediatric neuropsychologists serving inpatient rehabilitation, Part II: billing, time allocation and tracking, and professional identity and perceptions. Child Neuropsychol. 2022 Jul 14;:1-12. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 35834178
  • Watson WD, Lahey S, Baum KT, Hamner T, Koterba CH, Alvarez G, Chan JB, Davis KC, DiVirgilio EK, Howarth RA, Jones K, Kramer M, Tlustos SJ, Zafiris CM, Slomine BS. The role of the Neuropsychologist across the stages of recovery from acquired brain injury: a summary from the pediatric rehabilitation Neuropsychology collaborative. Child Neuropsychol. 2023 Feb;29(2):299-320. PubMed PMID: 35726723
  • Stucky KJ, Baker LN, Rush BK, Waldron-Perrine B, Dean PM, Tlustos SJ, Barisa M. Training in Neurorehabilitation Psychology: Defining Competencies, Requisite Skill Sets, and a Proposed Developmental Pathway. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2023 Aug 30. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 37657530
  • Dichiaro M, Baker D, Tlustos SJ. Return to Learn After Traumatic Brain Injury. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2023 Jun;70(3):445-460. PubMed PMID: 37121636

Practice Locations

Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
13123 East 16th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
720-777-1234

Hospital Affiliation
  • Children's Hospital Colorado

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Neuropsychology, Board Certification
  • ABPP, Board Certification (2018)
  • ABPP, Board Certification (2022)
Clinical Interests
My clinical interests involve assessment of cognition, emotional, and behavioral functioning in children and teens with acquired brain injuries and other medical conditions that affect learning and behavior.

Care Philosophy
I work with multidisciplinary teams to understand the full impact of a child's medical history or acquired brain injury on their learning, thinking, emotional, and behavioral functioning. I also strive to understand the various factors in a child's life that may be contributing to their current strengths and weaknesses, so that I can work with the family to develop the most appropriate interventions and support the child's ongoing development.