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, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CLC is a trilingual Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. She earned her Bachelor of Science (2006) and Master of Science (2008) degrees from Texas Woman’s University and completed her clinical doctorate (SLPD, 2025) at Northwestern University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Services Research at Texas A&M University, focusing on improving the implementation of evidence-based care for pediatric dysphagia.
Anais practices in a variety of pediatric hospital settings, including pediatric hospital inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and multidisciplinary specialty clinics with gastroenterology and otolaryngology teams. Her clinical work is centered on medically complex infants and children with feeding and swallowing disorders, and she is passionate about translating evidence into practice to improve care quality and outcomes.
She has presented nationally and virtually on topics related to pediatric dysphagia, culturally responsive practice, and implementation science, and is a published author in peer-reviewed journals. Anais also holds leadership roles with organizations such as the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) and Feeding Matters. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, clinician education, and ethical, system-level change to advance pediatric dysphagia care.
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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