Heloa’s medical and scientific team

Pr Fabrice Denis – Co-founder and Medical Director of Heloa

An oncologist at the Institut Interrégional de Cancérologie Jean Bernard in Le Mans, I hold a doctorate in medicine, a doctorate in science and am an associate professor of e-health and AI (Artificial Intelligence) at the Paris Centre Faculty of Medicine.

Professor Fabrice Denis declares no conflict of interest in relation to the information provided in Heloa or analyzed by Heloa’s algorithms.

Dr Agnès Gepner – Heloa’s Medical Director

Doctor of Medicine since 1985, then specialist in anesthesia-intensive care since 1986, I first worked in hospitals for 15 years as a resuscitator.

I spent most of my medical career as an anaesthetist in various maternity hospitals.

For 10 years, I let myself be tempted by other adventures! I set up dental and ophthalmological care networks for the members of various mutual insurance companies; I managed a Paris clinic for two years, and created a structure to organize home dental care (for people losing their independence).

I then took up a position as Medical Director in two telemedicine companies.

Thanks to my various professional experiences, I’ve come into contact with a wide range of professionals from different backgrounds – particularly in the perinatal, early childhood and maternity fields.

Doctor Agnès Gepner declares no conflicts of interest in relation to the information provided in Heloa or analyzed by Heloa’s algorithms.

Dr. Armand Lahana – Pediatrician

Pediatrician, Hôpital Américain and Clinique Sainte Thérèse, Paris

Lucille Cloarec – Psychologist

Having initially worked in day-care centers and child and adolescent clinics, I have now been working for seven years in the gynecology, maternity, neonatology, assisted reproduction and family planning departments of the Saint-Cloud hospital.

Melinda Dekerle – Nursery nurse

I qualified as a nurse in 2002, working mainly in adult surgical and medical intensive care, then in pediatric oncology at Saint-Louis Hospital. In 2008, I obtained my diploma as a nursery nurse, first working for a year in the recovery room at the Trousseau pediatric hospital, then for 4 years in neonatal and pediatric intensive care at the Kremlin-Bicêtre teaching hospital. For 6 years, I was in charge of a PMI (Protection Maternelle et Infantile) for the City of Paris. Finally, for the past year, I have been working at the Clinique Sainte-Thérèse maternity hospital as a referral nursery nurse.

Dr Pauline Minjollet – Doctor of psychology and clinical psychologist

I have 10 years’ experience in maternity services, family planning and assisted reproduction centers. I currently work as a private practitioner in Boulogne-Billancourt (92). I have written several books, including “Je veux un enfant: le guide essentiel de la fertilité” (I want a child: the essential guide to fertility), published by Albin Michel.

Aurélia Caillet – Liberal midwife

I hold a state diploma in midwifery, and am trained in breastfeeding support, techniques for dealing with motor skills in newborns, and babywearing techniques.

Camille D’Avout – Midwife

A midwife for the past ten years, I graduated from the Lausanne School of Nursing (Switzerland), after having attended the Foch School of Nursing (Suresnes, France).

I then completed my training with a university diploma in obstetrical ultrasound at the Paris Descartes faculty, having trained in the prenatal diagnosis department at Port-Royal (Paris).

After working in various maternity units and in private practice, I now have a dual activity as a maternity midwife at the Clinique Ste-Thérèse, and as a freelance midwife in my own home.

Camille Dutilleul – Day nursery manager

I studied to become an Educatrice de Jeunes Enfants, alternating between my training center and Paris City Hall. Right from the start of my training, I was interested in supporting families and parents, and the complexity of their role.

For a few years, I worked in various day-care groups, working closely with the children. Then I moved into the “associative” sector, which enabled me to develop even closer ties with each parent. For several years now, I’ve been a crèche director. In each of them, I’ve tried to understand and forge links with parents, so as to be able to provide the best possible support for their children.

Donatienne Bethemont – Clinical psychologist and sexologist

I’m a clinical psychologist and sexologist. Initially, I worked for several years in the field of parenting support, notably in a child-parent drop-in center. Then I worked in hospitals, especially in oncology. I currently work in private practice and in hospitals. I specialize in assisted reproduction, maternity and endometriosis.

Michèle Prados – Nursery nurse

I obtained my state nursing diploma in 2006, then my state nursery nurse diploma in 2008.

I worked for 2 years in pediatric surgical intensive care at the CHU Hautepierre in Strasbourg, 2 years in pediatrics and neonatology at the CHI in Fréjus, and then 10 years as director of a childcare facility.

Since April, I’ve been working as an independent practitioner (monitoring child development, supporting parents). Over the past year, I have taken additional training courses in child psycho-affective development, autism, Barkley parental guidance and hypnosis approaches.

Muriel André – Liberal midwife

A graduate of Middlesex University in London, I also obtained a DU (Diplôme Universitaire) in high-risk pregnancy and clinical research at the University of Paris VI. I am a level 1A mindfulness meditation instructor in the field of birth and parenthood. I’ve worked in France and abroad, and I’ve been practicing global accompaniment for 5 years with the Naissances group.

Me Marie Tomas – Lawyer

After studying law, I joined the École Nationale des Officiers de Police in January 1999. I then worked as a police lieutenant and then captain for 17 years in various investigation departments in the Paris region and elsewhere in France.

In April 2016, I passed the oral exam on the ethics and regulations of the legal profession, registered with the Paris Bar and was sworn in as a lawyer in October 2016.

In 2017, I obtained the DU in legal compensation for personal injury from the University of Toulouse.

As a lawyer, I first worked as an associate in several law firms before setting up my own firm, PRAESIDIUM AVOCAT, where I specialize in health law, personal injury compensation and criminal law.

Audrey Bauchet – Micronutritionist dietician

A micronutritionist dietician in private practice since 2018, I take care of various nutritional issues with adults and children.

I’m a member of RESENDO (a city-hospital network focused on endometriosis) and hold two D.U. degrees (micronutrition and obesity in children and adolescents).

I work particularly on inflammatory pathologies and digestive problems.

I like to network with the specialists around the patient in order to provide holistic nutrition, not just standardized dietary advice.

Each individual has his or her own history and experiences that can have an impact on his or her food footprint.

Marie Vitiello – Osteopath

I graduated from the École Supérieure d’Ostéopathie in July 2019 and practice osteopathy exclusively.

My passions for pediatrics, perinatal care and gynecology have led me to develop my practice with infants, children and women, thanks in particular to maternity experiences, training and numerous encounters.

I also practice general osteopathy with all types of patients, for the treatment of post-traumatic, hyperalgesic or chronic pain, or as part of a preventive assessment.

At the same time, I have been a teaching assistant at the École Supérieure d’Ostéopathie de Paris since September 2020.

I’m also secretary and volunteer osteopath at the YGY association, chaired by Catherine Rybus, which offers osteopathic treatment to women and their children who don’t have the financial means for osteopathic care.

Stéphanie Ascher – Psychotherapist

My name is Stéphanie ASCHER, I’m 49 years old, and I’m a psychotherapist. I see adults, children, adolescents and couples.

Primarily a specialist in childhood disorders such as sleep and anxiety, I also work a lot with teenagers and parents on eating disorders, “High Intellectual Potential” profiles, depression and school phobias…

I take charge of the child and mother from pregnancy to birth, and follow them throughout the development of the mother-child relationship. Accompanying the parental couple is also part of the follow-up process.

Dr. Nathan Wrobel – Gynecologist and Sexologist

Dr Guedalia Peretz Assuied – Child psychiatrist

I have a degree in child psychiatry and am currently specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry.

My various professional experiences have enabled me to deal with a wide range of issues, such as ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder), autism spectrum disorders, adolescent crisis situations and addictology.

In parallel with my university studies, I have been working for several years on an innovative project, Pédopsynet, of which I am co-founder and vice-president. This is a platform for the early detection of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, enabling parents to have a teleconsultation with a psychiatrist.

Laure Nivard – Physiotherapist

Having graduated in physiotherapy in 2014, I specialized in perinatal care after the birth of my first child in 2017. I work with and for women in perineal rehabilitation but also during and after pregnancy to best help the physical changes that take place there.

Trained at Bernadette de Gasquet’s institute and in Pilates, I use this knowledge to support the women I see as closely as possible to their needs. I also work with infants if they have infant torticollis or “flat head” (plagiocephaly).

I’m convinced that care comes through movement, the very essence of physiotherapy, and I apply this to my daily practice.

Léa Cayrol – Author on homoparentality, co-founder of the Familles collective

I trained as a project manager in communications and events, but my life took a somewhat different turn when my wife and I had to conceive our daughter by MAP abroad.

I then became passionate about this field, and decided to make information about it clearer and easier to access for everyone through my Instagram account, my blog and books I write.

All this also led to a certain militancy for the recognition of all family forms!

Anna Volosova – Certified children’s sleep consultant

My name is Anna, I’m of Russian origin, and before becoming a certified children’s sleep consultant, I was the mother of a little girl aged 3 and a half and a little boy aged 10 months.

The arrival of my daughter in 2018 and her sleep difficulties led me to discover the profession of children’s sleep consultant. I chose to be accompanied by a specialist, which gave me confidence and enabled me to achieve the desired result fairly quickly.

I then decided to take a full training course at the FSI (Family Sleep Institute) in the United States, the institute that founded this new profession.

I obtained my certification in July 2019. To confirm my certification, each year I must regularly complete my knowledge of sleep and child behavior to deepen my skills.

Since 2019, I’ve been working with parents and their children from birth to 4 years of age – with tremendous satisfaction in terms of the balance of the whole family when the baby gets a good night’s sleep! how the whole family’s life changes when they get a good night’s sleep.

Janys Richepi – Day nursery manager

After working as an early childhood educator in a private nursery, I have been a nursery director since 2018.

I also run parents’ workshops on a variety of topics, including sleep, the mental burden on mothers and the layout of a Montessori room.

Finally, I offer parenting support on a variety of topics, such as managing children’s tantrums and sleep.

My goal? Happy, serene parenthood!

Laetitia Vitaud – Author, speaker on the future of work

Author and speaker on the future of work from a feminist perspective, Laetitia Vitaud is also a Welcome to the Jungle Lab Expert.

Illana Weizman – Essayist and journalist

Feminist activist, co-initiator of the free speech movement #MyPostPartum

Margaux Terrou – Clinical sexologist

Margaux Terrou is a clinical sexologist, lecturer on couple relationships and feminist activist. She practises in Boulogne-Billancourt and works in particular with women suffering from endometriosis.

Aurélie Grimaud – Psychomotrician

I’ve been a psychomotrician for 18 years now in the children’s sector. I learned a lot working with disabled children in the early years of my professional life (IME), and then in a more socially sensitive neighborhood (CAPP de Ménilmontant, Paris) where I worked with children with learning difficulties.

I then chose to help children affected by the disease and their families in hospital neuropediatrics (Trousseau Hospital) for 8 years, and for the past 1 year I’ve been working in private practice in Saint Maur des Fossés. At the same time, I have developed a practice working with premature infants through the local perinatal networks.

My approach to psychomotricity is to provide comprehensive support for children’s interpersonal skills and their confidence and knowledge of their own bodies. Since my position at the hospital, I have also been dealing with the eating/oral problems of selective children. I’m particularly interested in the possibility of actively including the child in his or her treatment, and the alliance or even guidance of parents to support the therapeutic project.

Dr Geneviève Wrobel – Doctor in clinical psychopathology and psychoanalysis

I have extensive experience in maternity and neonatology. Teacher at Paris VII and at the Interuniversity Diploma in Human Sexuality at Paris XIII. Member of the “Medicine and Psychoanalysis” Society.

Dr Claire Duhaut – Pediatrician

Pediatrician in Vannes

Valérie Duband – Author and speaker

Valérie Duband is the author of the book “parents épuisés” and a speaker on parental burn-out.

Houda Chikhaoui – Midwife

Sonia Aliane – Lactation consultant

Claude Vouillot – Midwife
Dr. Jonathan Cohen – Gynecologist-obstetrician

Charlotte Redon – Freelance midwife and human lactation specialist

Emmanuelle Pichot-Charron – Midwife
Florence Genetay-Blum – Liberal midwife

Dr Laurène Majoulet – Obstetric gynecologist

Alexia Poirier – Nursery nurse

Heloa’s scientific sources

To develop Heloa and our understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, our scientific team led by Professor Fabrice Denis and Doctor Agnès Gepner drew on numerous publications and expert opinions.

You will find an extract below:

• Nelly Thomas. Child psychomotor development. 2003
• Claudine Amiel-Tison. Perinatal neurology. 2002. [2-294-01059-0]
• Gilles Lyon, Philippe Evrard. Neuropediatrics. 2000. [2-225-83753-8]
• Brigitte Chabrol, Olivier Dulac, Josette Mancini, Gérard Ponsot, Michel Arthuis. Pediatric Neurology (3rd edition). 2010. [9782257000309]
• Dr Michel LAURENCE. 2005. Recommendation HAS “Propositions portant sur le dépistage individuel chez l’enfant de 28 jours à 6 ans, destinées aux médecins généralistes, pédiatres, médecins de PMI et médecins scolaires”.[Link]
• HAS recommendation – Autism spectrum disorder – Warning signs, identification, diagnosis and assessment in children and adolescents. 2018[Link]
• Marie-Agnès JEUNE. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children under 2. 2020[Link]
• Recommandation HAS – Autisme de l’enfant – Rester en alerte pour dépister au plus tôt. 2019[Link]
• Government : Délégation interministérielle à la stratégie nationale pour l’autisme au sein des troubles du neuro-développement. Detecting signs of unusual development in children under 7. 2020[Link]
• Claude Bursztejn, Charles Aussilloux. Ministère des solidarités et de la santé – Normal language development and its disorders. [Link]
• Touzin. Troubles du langage oral chez l’enfant de 3 ans. Archives de Pédiatrie. Volume 21, Issue 5, Supplement 1. 2014. Pages 307-308. ISSN 0929-693X. doi :[Publication]
• Danièle SOMMELET et al. Société Française de Pédiatrie / Direction Générale de la Santé – Les troubles de l’évolution du langage chez l’enfant. 2007[Link]
• L’assurance maladie – Sleep disorders in children. 2020[Link]
• Marie Thirion, Marie-Josèphe Challamel. Sleep, dreams and the child. 2011
• François MARIOTTI, André BRIEND, Christophe DUPONT. ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation de l’environnement et du travail) – Actualisation des repères alimentaires du PNNS pour les enfants de 0 à 3 ans. 2019[Link]
• M. Bellaïche, A. Mosca, J. Viala. Société Française de Pédiatrie – Gastroesophageal reflux disease. 2016
• Marc Bellaiche (Paris) and the entire GFHGNP Board of Directors. Groupe Francophone d’Hépatologie-Gastroentérologie et Nutrition Pédiatriques – Infant colic. 2018[Link]
• O. Mouterde. Société Française de Pédiatrie – constipation in young infants. 2017[Link]
• C. Louis-Borrione, G. Hery. The constipated child seen in pediatric surgery. Archives de Pédiatrie. Volume 21, Issue 5, Supplement 1. 2014. Pages 188-189. ISSN 0929-693X, doi: http: //dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0929-693X(14)71525-8[Publication]
• Björn FISCHLER, Claus PETERSEN. Orphanet, the portal for rare diseases and orphan drugs – Isolated biliary atresia. 2020[Link]
• Coordinated by Anne-Françoise PAUCHET- TRAVERSAT, under the direction of Patrice DOSQUET. HAS + Agence Nationale d’Accréditation et d’Évaluation en Santé – Allaitement maternel. 2002[Link]
• Claire ROSSIGNOL. Programme National Nutrition Santé – Le guide de l’allaitement maternel. 2009[Link]
• Pierce K, Gazestani VH, Bacon E, Barnes CC, Cha D, Nalabolu S, et al. Evaluation of the diagnostic stability of the early autism spectrum disorder phenotype in the general population starting at 12 months. JAMA Pediatr 2019 Jun 01;173(6):578-587[Publication] [doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.0624]
• Justine BACCHETTA, Agnès LINGLART. Société française de pédiatrie – Vitamin D prescription alert in pediatrics. 2020[Link]
• Cox JL, Holden JM, Sagovsky R. Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Br J Psychiatry. 1987 Jun;150:782-6. doi: 10.1192/bjp.150.6.782. PMID: 3651732. [Publication]
• Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983 Jun;67(6):361-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x. PMID: 6880820[Publication]
• M. Bydlowski, D. Candilis. Perinatal psychopathology. 1998
• Jacques Dayan. Perinatal depressions. [ISBN: 9782294008665]. 2008
• Wetherby AM, Brosnan-Maddox S, Peace V, Newton L. Validation of the infant-toddler checklist as a broadband screener
  for autism spectrum disorders from 9 to 24 months of age. Autism 2008 Sep 01;12(5):487-511[Publication] [doi:10.1177/1362361308094501]
• Turner-Brown LM, Baranek GT, Reznick JS, Watson LR, Crais ER. The first year inventory: a longitudinal follow-up of 12-month-old to 3-year-old children. Autism 2013 Sep;17(5):527-540[Publication][doi:10.1177/1362361312439633]
• Chlebowski C, Robins DL, Barton ML, Fein D. Large-scale use of the modified checklist for autism in low-risk toddlers. Pediatrics 2013 Apr;131(4):e1121-e1127[Publication] [doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-1525]
• Robins DL, Casagrande K, Barton M, Chen CA, Dumont-Mathieu T, Fein D. Validation of the modified checklist for Autism in toddlers, revised with follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F). Pediatrics 2014 Jan 23;133(1):37-45[Publication] [doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-1813]

You can also find our first publications here:

• Denis F, Maurier L, Carillo K, Ologeanu-Taddei R, Septans A, Gepner A, Le Goff F, Desbois M, Demurger B, Silber D, Zeitoun J, Assuied G, Bonnot O
  Early Detection of Neurodevelopmental Disorders of Toddlers and Postnatal Depression by Mobile Health App: Observational Cross-sectional Study
  JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2022;10(5):e38181 DOI: 10.2196/38181
  The publication can be accessed here.

Heloa’s scientific intelligence process

Heloa’s Scientific Committee meets quarterly to analyze the latest advances in research and clinical recommendations. Heloa’s scientific committee is chaired by Pr Denis for data and e-health, and by Dr Gepner for children and parents.