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Live Webinar for Therapists. Complete Both Sessions for 8.5 Contact Hours (.85 CEUs)
November 3 and 5, 2025
5:40pm EST • 4:40pm CST • 3:40pm MST • 2:40pm PST
EARLY BIRD RATE!
Register by September 22, 2025 to receive $15 off your registration. Enter coupon code EARLYBIRD15 at checkout to receive the discount. Must be used at time of registration.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Advance your assessment, treatment, and outcomes for infants requiring a tracheostomy tube. Medical co-morbidities associated with infants requiring a tracheostomy tube, implications of the tracheostomy tube on oral feeding/motor development, integrating physical rehabilitation treatments and respiratory therapy interventions to maximize infant outcomes with oral feeding, motor development, and daily activities related to play skills will be discussed. Expand your practice by integrating evidence into your clinical decision-making including reading/interpreting vent settings during interventions for objective assessments of infants that are intubated or have tracheostomy tubes. Expanded lecture/lab section devoted to infants with tracheostomy tubes include oral motor, feeding interventions, postural control, manual cough facilitation, positioning/handling, integrating use of a one-way valve into treatment, weaning respiratory support, and durable medical equipment recommendations for infant/family in preparation for home discharge. This course will focus on infants up to 12 months corrected gestational age with information applicable to clinicians working in the NICU, PICU, transitional pediatric care, in-home therapy, early intervention, and outpatient clinics.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Differentiate medical pathology from normal development for infants requiring a tracheostomy tube
- Determine how the placement of a tracheostomy tube influences the development of oral feeding and postural control skills.
- Identify three risk factors for feeding dysfunction associated with oral feeding an infant with a tracheostomy
- Apply at least two feeding strategies for infants requiring a tracheostomy tube to improve sensory and motor performance with oral feeding
- Apply at least two postural control strategies for infants with a tracheostomy tube to improve their ability to utilize vocal cord movement to enhance their cough, phonation, and gross motor movement
- Choose an individualized care plan for an infant using the provided case study with tracheostomy tubes for improved outcomes with oral feeding, cough facilitation, motor control, and phonation
AUDIENCE:
Clinicians in the NICU, PICU, transitional pediatric care, in-home therapy, early intervention and outpatient clinics. Infants up to 12 months corrected gestational age.
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 Disclosures: Holly Schifsky receives a speaking fee when she teaches for ERI.
Non-Financial Disclosures: Holly Schifsky has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.
This is an amazing course. The reference list is extensive and a wonderful resource. Holly is very knowledgeable and provides practical strategies you can use right away! She answers questions effectively and is so willing to share her expertise. I would definitely take another course with her! -Rebecca P., PT
Taking this course with Holly was an amazing experience. Holly is a true expert in her field, and I walked away with a wealth of knowledge that I could start applying immediately. Holly's teaching is backed by solid evidence, which made everything feel both practical and credible. Her passion for the subject really shone through and I highly recommend her course to anyone looking to expand their skills! -Amber S., OTR/L
Holly is a phenomenal therapist with a brilliant mind. Taking any of her courses is an excellent way to learn novel treatment strategies that are evidence-based and readily implementable when you return to work. -Jonathan F., OTR
Excellent course for anyone wanting to advance their skills and understanding of trach/vent babies. -Sara T., OTR
This is yet another amazing course from Holly Schifsky with invaluable information in working with infants with tracheostomy tubes. I highly recommend it to all therapists working with this population! -Heather P., OTR, NTMTC
The treatment strategies were so great! Very applicable! Holly is an excellent presenter who is extremely knowledgeable of the content in all of her courses - I've taken 3 with her now. -Terri K., OTR/L
Holly is an expert on this topic, skilled presenter, and able to answer participant questions effectively. She presented a plethora of evidence from literature and her own practice which made her presentation both interesting and robust. -Kristin S., OTR
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