Live webinar for therapists. Complete all four sessions for 11.5 Contact hours (1.15 CEUs)
October 11 and 12, 2025
9:40 am EST • 8:40 am CST • 7:40 am MST • 6:40 am PST (US)
SAVE $20 when you register by August 30, 2025. Use coupon code EARLYBIRD20 at check out.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Learn tools and strategies to guide your clinical decision-making process for assessment and treatment of a child with complex feeding issues. Managing pediatric dysphagia can be challenging as practices evolve, new protocols are implemented, and multiple developmental as well as anatomical factors can impact an infant or child’s ability to eat or drink safely and efficiently. By identifying, assessing, and treating the multiple factors causing or contributing to pediatric dysphagia, BRIDGE provides a multifaceted assessment and treatment approach that provides therapists the tools to think critically when working through difficult cases. The BRIDGE Approach taught in this course provides attendees with information from embryology through childhood and focuses on how the neurological, anatomical, as well as physiological components of growth and development impact pediatric feeding and swallowing. Evaluation to treatment, is presented through the collaborative lens of a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist. Different perspectives will be discussed from the pediatric swallowing mechanism from an anatomical and physiological perspective including both instrumental and clinical assessment methods by the SLP to the postural, sensory, and behavioral components to feeding and swallowing including considerations for adaptive interventions when applicable. Attendees will be given strategies to implement immediately when working with children with dysphagia as well as discuss questions, cases, and concerns with the presenters. By BRIDGEing the gap between the multifaceted components of pediatric dysphagia, attendees will gain effective tools to implement when managing pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Identify the embryological, neurological, anatomical, physiological, and developmental factors as it relates to pediatric feeding and swallowing.
- Apply the foundational skills necessary to assess and treat pediatric dysphagia by applying intervention strategies and implementing appropriate treatment techniques during interactive case studies.
- Choose an appropriate and evidence-based tool to use when working with infants, toddlers, and children with pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.
- Distinguish between the benefits and limitations in current best practices including positioning, thickening, treatment of dysphagia, and both clinical as well as instrumental assessment.
- Determine when and why to apply strategies when managing pediatric dysphagia based on presenting impairment and response to intervention.
AUDIENCE:
This course is designed for OTs, SLPs and PTs who work with children with complex feeding disorders.
Anais Villaluna is an SLP, Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, and Certified Lactation Counselor. Anais earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2006 and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2008 from Texas Woman’s University. Anais is a doctoral candidate in Speech-Language Pathology (SLPD) at Northwestern University. Anais has specialized training in a variety of feeding and swallowing interventions methods as well as the instrumental assessment of swallowing via VFSS and FEES. She practices in a variety of pediatric hospital settings at including pediatric hospital inpatient, pediatric hospital outpatient, and multidisciplinary specialty clinics with gastroenterology and otolaryngology. Anais expanded her reach from hospital-based dysphagia services to also include concierge dysphagia services as she has a passion for improving access to highly qualified dysphagia services in a variety of settings. Co-lead of the Pediatric Committee for the IDDSI USIRG, she has an interest in the standardization of thickened liquids in the pediatric population. Anais has presented locally at TSHA Conventions, nationally at ASHA Conventions, and virtually on many platforms. Anais is a published author on the subject of pediatric feeding and swallowing. Anais also volunteers her time with Feeding Matters by serving on the PFD Alliance to help improve access to resources for families and professionals through her contribution as the chair for the Digital Outreach Committee. As a mother of three children, one being a NICU graduate, Anais strives to provide the highest level of care and compassion when partnering with families impacted by pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.
Financial Disclosure: Anais Villalluna receives a salary from Texas Children’s Hospital and Feeding and Swallowing Specialists of The Woodlands. She receives a speaking honorarium from Education Resources, Inc.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Anais Villaluna has a non-financial relationship with IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative) as a US IRG Pediatric Co-Chair, Communication Committee Member. She has a non-financial relationship with Feeding Matters as a volunteer for Digital Outreach Committee.
Dana Kizer is an occupational therapist, Board Certified in Pediatrics, and has a special interest in feeding as well as sensory processing. She has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including a pediatric hospital, specialty clinic, private practice, and home health. Dana has presented on feeding therapy and interventions nationally and across virtual platforms. Dana is a published author on the subject of pediatric feeding disorders. She currently volunteers her time with Feeding Matters by serving on the Pre-Conference Committee and the Family Advisory Council to help families navigate the complex world of pediatric feeding disorders. In addition to her professional experience with feeding disorders, Dana brings a family perspective to her treatments and teaching experiences as her initial experience with feeding therapy occurred when she would accompany her younger brother to his feeding therapy appointments. She has seen first-hand the difference therapy can make in the lives of patients and their families.
Financial Disclosure: Dana Kizer receives a salary from Texas Children’s Hospital and Feeding and Swallowing Specialists of The Woodlands. She receives a speaking honorarium from Education Resources, Inc.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Dana Kizer has a non-financial relationship with Feeding Matters as a volunteer for the Family Advisory Council and the Pre-Conference Committee.
Thank you, Anais and Dana for providing such a wonderful and informative course. I am now more confident in goal writing, assessment, and treatment of infants and toddlers. I loved how this course discussed and taught treatment techniques, as well as provided functional goals for report writing. I also appreciated the real-life examples of cases and the method of choosing appropriate treatment techniques for a specific case. I would love to participate in more continuing education courses taught by Anais and Dana. Thank you again! -Kelsea S., SLP
This class was so informative and helpful. I would definitely recommend this to my fellow OTs or STs that are interested in feeding or are wanting more information on techniques and recommendations to provide to families to improve their child's participation in feeding. -Cherlyn O., OTR
This helped my confidence in treatment and assessment approaches with families...I took a lot of notes and plan on organizing all the advice/tips I learned, resources, goals, and EBP links provided for my own use and to share some of this knowledge with my team. -Alexandra D., SLP
This quickly became my favorite CEU on feeding/swallowing that I have taken. I will be recommending this course to my co-workers. -Amy S., SLP
Loved this course - will recommend and wish I had taken it years ago. -Nicole L., OT
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