Early intervention and pediatric treatments are changing. There are not enough resources to serve the numerous children with feeding, speech/communication, and mouth function problems (e.g., those with prematurity, autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, other congenital disorders, etc.). Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, early intervention specialists, lactation consultants, orofacial myofunctional therapists, dieticians, pediatricians, nurses, and others need detailed information to make appropriate referrals, choose appropriate treatment techniques, divide team responsibilities, and train parents/care providers. Techniques (learned in this course) are functional practices interventionists can safely teach parents and care providers. Group experiences and video demonstrations encourage clinical problem solving throughout the course. The course also covers the prevention of feeding, speech, and mouth development problems beginning at birth.
Learning Outcomes