Therapy Tip: Autism and Feeding

Jennifer Posts:

DEAR ERI COMMUNITY: Tip for OT’s working on feeding:
I recently attended a conference on Autism and an amazing OT & DO, Paula Aquilla was one of the presenters. She shared many techniques she has tried, but one that has really worked for me is a feeding game. You begin by making a die with words such as lick, kiss, smell, touch, look, etc. We have a pile of cards with pictures of foods we are exploring that day; we used the PEC images with the word underneath. We take turns rolling the die and picking a card from the top of the pile. We both follow the directions on the die matched with our card and we maintain a very non threatening environment. This patient has begun trying food at home. I have my fingers crossed but so far this has worked for us!

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Evidence Based Approach to Feeding Fragile Infants

ERI Faculty, Erin Ross publishes Paper:

[caption id="attachment_449" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Erin Sundseth Ross"]

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Erin Ross, a speech language pathologist and Education Resources, Inc. faculty recently co-authored a paper describing her successful oral feeding of preterm and other ill and fragile infants, based on the SOFFI (“Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants”) method. This method utilizes sensitive, ongoing assessment of an infant’s physiology and behavior, requires knowledgeable decisions that support immediate and long-term enjoyment of food, and competent skill in feeding. Therapists, nurses and parents can use the SOFFI method to increase the likelihood of feeding success in the population of infants at risk for feeding problems that emerge in infancy and extend into the preschool years. It stresses the quality of the feeding rather than the quantity, so that feeding skills develop pleasurably and at the infant’s own pace. Once physiologic organization and behavioral skills are established, an affinity for feeding and the ingestion of sufficient quantity occur naturally.

She teaches this highly successful method in her course: Feeding the Most Fragile: From NICU to Early Intervention

Clinicians: Please share your experiences using the SOFFI approach

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Help: Challenging EI Patient

Linda Posts:

DEAR ERI COMMUNITY:I am an experienced OT (37 years) working in Early Childhood Intervention working in the home. Our program really wants us to use what is in the home and in the child’s natural environment. I have a 23 month old child who is in Spanish speaking family (so I work through an interpreter). He is extremely shy (fearful of all change)and will not interact with me at all. The way I treat is giving the mother ideas and then she tries them with him. The interpreter is an ECI Early Intervention Specialist who can also interact with the child and get him to do some of the things I suggest. He did not walk until 19 months. He never tolerated tummy time and even after he crawled he would not get on the floor to look for a toy under the bed, etc. He is an over responsive sensory avoider, extremely posturally insecure, moderate hearing loss, balance and motor planning are very poor. We have made lots of improvements and he will now get on the floor and look for a toy that rolls under furniture, get on a jumping horse and bounce, sit on a donut gym ball and play with toys, runs in the house but not the yard or playground, climbs on and off furniture, allows Mom and Dad to bounce him on their knees as long as it is not too aggressive and kicks a ball. I have left a few things in the home to work with (Rody Jumping Horse and Donut Ball). I am needing some new ideas in the challenging case.

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Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) for Dummies

Professionals train throughout their careers to stay updated on industry standards and maintain various qualifications. Understanding the continuing education units definition and meaning can help you be more prepared when enrolling in classes and training sessions.

What Are Continuing Education Units?

Continuing education units exist across industries, supporting professionals with their specific needs. Because courses can be expensive and time-consuming, CEUs aim to make license and certificate management and knowledge expansion more accessible to professionals trying to advance their careers while maintaining their current workloads.

You can earn CEUs by taking approved courses. They can cover various topics relevant to your position or industry, from cybersecurity to skills unique to your job.

How Many Hours Is Equal to One CEU?

How many contact hours is a CEU? A CEU typically equals one-tenth of an hour. With this calculation, a single-hour course will equal 0.1 CEU. When taking a two-day class, you will earn around 1.2 or 1.4 CEUs because these courses are usually 12 to 14 hours long.

In states like New York and Florida, physical therapy boards and associations classify an hour as 50 minutes. In this case, the best way to calculate how many continuing education hours a course provides is to add up the hours and multiply by 60 to get the total minutes. Then, divide by 50. At Education Resources, Inc., we will do this for you, and this information will be on each brochure you download from our website.

Education Resources is also an ASHA-approved CEU provider, and ASHA considers an hour one CEU.

Why Do I Need CEUs?

CEUs have many purposes, helping professionals meet several specific and essential goals. Whether you want to continue practicing or learn new skills, CEUs are efficient ways to gain relevant and industry-specific knowledge. Here are some benefits of this method.

Maintaining your existing license and certifications: You can use CEUs to earn the credits you need to keep your license and certificates. When you have the licensure and other paperwork, you can continue to practice. CEUs allow you to renew your credentials and optimize your career management without taking additional time from your personal or work life.
Advancing your career: You can use CEUs to earn new and more specialized certifications. With the proper requirements, getting more documentation will allow you to expand your skills and services as a therapist.
Increasing job opportunities: Your career advancement might include looking for new positions or locations. You can apply for more jobs when you have additional credentials and a valid license. Career growth and development might qualify you for promotions or positions at your current location.
Keeping up with industry standards: Every industry evolves. New research comes out, causing professionals to update their methodology, technology and tools. CEUs allow you to explore new developments, so you can provide better and more accurate care to your clients. Continual education helps you stay competitive, ensuring you can keep up with other experts in the industry.

These functions benefit many therapists and professionals in this industry. With several types of CEUs available, you can continue your education and learn new skills on your schedule and by your preferences, making it perfect for those with busy work and personal lives.

Earn CEUs With Courses From Education Resources, Inc.

When you want to continue your education, you must find a course provider with approved classes to begin earning your CEUs. Education Resources designs courses specifically for physical and occupational therapists and speech language pathologists. Other therapists create these, ensuring the material is relevant to your industry and applications with your best interests in mind.

We offer many training methods. On-demand online courses are available anytime after registering, allowing you to work on your schedule. If you love connecting with other professionals, the live webinars will enable you to participate in Q&As and other activities. In-house courses can reach your entire staff for efficient, widespread training and education.

Contact Education Resources today to learn more about earning CEUs with our courses.

earn CEUs with courses from Education Resources Inc

Clinical Rotations? Specialization?

Rick Posts

DEAR ERI COMMUNITY: I am in an acute setting for a large university hospital in the midwest. Currently our management staff prefers we rotate on an average of 4 month schedule around the hospital, with all Level 1 Trauma areas such as Cardiac, Neuro, Ortho/trauma, Oncology, Renal, Transplant, Burn, and ICU. Are there any other hospitals out there that work in a similar function? I have been looking at other area hospitals and they seem to keep their therapists in areas of preference rather than a rotation that allows little room for specialization. Thanks for your input.

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