On-Demand Webinar

Pediatric Dysphagia for the Medically Complex Infant, Toddler, Child

On-Demand Webinar Eligible for .6 ASHA CEUs, click here.

Course Description

The ability to eat with peers in during snack time, or participate in family mealtimes may be the norm for the general population, however there is a subset of the pediatric population that does not have the ability to independently or safely engage in these activities of daily living due to the presence and severity of their oropharyngeal dysphagia. This 6 hour course is designed to educate attendees on the intricate interplay of the pediatric Brain-Mouth-Gut connection and how errors in this system, (such as intrauterine CVA, diminished mastication reflexes, and delayed GI motility), can result in oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Objective

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Explain typical development and sequence of deglutition and digestion.
  • Explain the typical development of at least 3 reflexes related to mastication and deglutition.
  • Name 4 common pediatric medical diagnoses and describe how each diagnosis in conjunction with medical management can contribute to oropharyngeal dysphagia.
  • Name 3 different “tubes” for feeding and describe their impact on the normal Brain-Mouth-Gut connection.
  • List 5 examples of therapeutic interventions to help re-establish the brain-mouth-gut connection and treatment of orophayrngeal dysphagia and how to implement.

Presenter

Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, Coordinator for Clinical Education and Assistant Clinical Professor with the Master of Speech-Language Pathology at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC

Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, Coordinator for Clinical Education and Assistant Clinical Professor with the Master of Speech-Language Pathology at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC, is the acclaimed host of “First Bite: Fed, Fun, Functional” a weekly Speech Therapy Podcast that addresses “all thangs” Pediatric Speech Therapy which is presented by Speechtherapypd.com. Recently, Michelle authored, “Chasing the Swallow: Truth, Science, and Hope for Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders”. She is an accomplished lecturer; traveling across the nation delivering courses on best practices for evaluation and treatment of the medically complex infant, toddler, and child with respect to their pediatric oropharyngeal dysphagia, pediatric feeding disorder, as well as language acquisition within the framework of Early Intervention.

She has served as the Treasurer for the Council of State Association Presidents, is a Past President of the South Carolina Speech, Language, and Hearing Association, a 2017 graduate of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Leadership Development Program, a 2020 recipient of the Pediatric Feeding Disorder Awareness Champion from Feeding Matters, a 2021 recipient of the Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Outstanding Clinical Achievement from the South Carolina Speech, Language, and Hearing Association, and six time recipient of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s ACE Award for continuing education.