*This course is now full with a waitlist in place. If you would like to sign up for a 2026 date, please visit Holly’s faculty page for more options.
Live Webinar for Neonatal Therapists. Complete all four days for 12 Contact Hours (1.2 CEUs)
October 6, 8, 13 and 15, 2025
5:40 pm EST
EARLY BIRD RATE!
Register by August 25, 2025 to receive $20 off your registration. Enter coupon code EARLYBIRD20 at checkout to receive the discount. Must be used at time of registration.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Medically complex and extremely premature infants have a greater survivability rate with advances in maternal/fetal medicine and NICU medical technology. Effective developmental interventions require the neonatal therapist to understand embryological, maturation, and developmental impacts of these medical conditions with adaptations to manual therapy techniques to improve alignment and movement for the infants. This course will build on information from Baby Beats and Breaths but could be a stand-alone course for the seasoned clinician. Evidence based literature will be provided on development of movement, manual therapy techniques to promote ribcage/abdominal, upper airway, and segmental trunk control as infant transition away from positioning devices and require activation of postural control muscles. Information will be shared on neonatal therapy interventions for the medically complex infant requiring ECMO, CRRT, PD, and early mobilization techniques.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Identify the impact of prematurity on musculoskeletal development and maturation.
- Correlate the maturation of infant reflexes, synergies, and/or planes of movement to motor skill development in premature infants.
- Assess alignment of the infant spine during positioning and handling.
- Demonstrate handling techniques to support optimal alignment for segmental spinal positioning
- Adapt the environment and/or handling interventions to reduce stress cues during motor interventions.
- Choose appropriate positioning or environmental adaptations to facilitate improved participation with feeding, diapering, and/or movement to support play development.
AUDIENCE:
This course is recommended for neonatal therapists, PTs, PTAs, OTs, OTAs, and SLPs, working with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Holly Schifsky, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC, CBIS, has worked in pediatrics for the past 28 years with the past 17 years in a level IV NICU. She is a Certified Neonatal Therapist, Certified Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapist, Certified Brain Injury therapist, a member of National Association of Neonatal Therapists, and has completed 6-month mentorship in infant/child NDT.
She has worked within the NICU and NICU follow-up clinic to maximize patient and family outcomes for the most complex premature and medically-fragile term infants. Holly received her BS in OT from the University of North Dakota. She is a faculty member for the Neonatal Touch and Massage certification; and Manuel Edema Mobilization training. She is the recipient of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists Clinical Excellence award in 2018, due to her clinical expertise and dedication to advancing the therapeutic interventions for NICU infants with cardiopulmonary conditions.
Financial Disclosure: Holly Schifsky receives an honorarium from Education Resources, Inc.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Holly Schifsky has no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
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Continuing Education Hours for disciplines not listed below: 12 contact hours (1.2 CEUs). Intermediate level. License #______________.
Education Resources Inc. is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Course approval ID# 13684. This Distance Learning-Interactive course is offered at 12 contact hours 1.2 CEUs. (Intermediate Level, OT Service Delivery & Foundational Knowledge). AOTA does not endorse specific course content, products or clinical procedures. This course can be used toward your NBCOT renewal requirements for 12 units. Provider for the FL Occupational Therapy Association CE Broker for 14 CE Hours - approval #20-1297223. ASHA CEUs are awarded by the ASHA CE Registry upon receipt of the CEU Participant Form from the ASHA. Approved CE Provider for up to 1.2 CEU’s. ASHA credits are accepted by the TX Department of License and Renewal. Approved by the FL Physical Therapy Association for 14 CE Hours - approval #CE25-1297223. This course has been approved by the MD State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 12 Continuing Education Hours. Approved by the MN Board of Physical Therapy for 12 CE Hours, #12871. Approval #2504-73 by the NJ State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 12 CEC's. Approved sponsor by the State of IL Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for Physical Therapy for 14 contact hours. Approved provider by the NY State Board of Physical Therapy for 14 contact hours (1.4 CEUs). Education Resources is an approved agency by the PT Board of CA for 12 contact hours. This activity is provided by the TX Board of PT Examiners accredited provider #2210017TX for 12 CCUs and meets continuing competence requirements for PTs and PTAs licensure renewal in TX. Approved Provider by the NM Board of Physical Therapy for 12 CE Hours. Approved Provider for OK State Board of Medical Licensure & Supervision #BAP202310003. 12 hours of this course qualify towards the discipline-specific hours for the 20-hour requirement for NDTA re-certification. They do NOT qualify towards the 8-hour NDTA Instructor requirement for re-certification.
Education Resources Inc., 266 Main Street, Suite 12, Medfield, MA 02052 508-359-6533
