Sensory and Feeding Issues in Premature Infants
How therapists can address feeding, swallowing, and sensory processing with their premature patients with confidence
Are you a new feeding therapist who is completely overwhelmed in the NICU?
Are you looking to increase your understanding of the complexity regarding infant feeding?
Are you looking to add NICU feeding into your career skillset but don't know where to start?
Do you understand the basics of infant feeding, but are not sure why the sensory system play a key role in successful feeding and global development?
Are you tired of not feeling unsure of why a premature infant is not progressing with feeding?
What if it doesn't need to be that way?
Gain the confidence to handle and feed the tiniest and most fragile patients. Leave the NICU feeding jitters at the door!
You CAN make a difference starting NOW!
Take Our Introductory NICU Feeding Course Today!About This Course
Distance Learning Online Recorded Webinar
Instant Access as soon as you enroll. Learners are able to access the online recorded webinar from their desktop computer or mobile device from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
About This Course
Introductory educational level, self-paced course is for pediatric Occupational Therapy Practitioners and Speech-Language Pathologists. This course awards 0.2 AOTA CEUs (2 contact hours). This is not a course for experienced feeding therapists.
An Introductory NICU feeding course designed for speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, and other feeding specialists.
If you are new to infant feeding, this course will:
- provide you with the essential foundations needed to grow your skillset for working with this unique and specialized population
- guide you in the decision-making regarding feeding readiness
- provide you with an understanding of the different options for infant feeding such as tube feeding, breastfeeding, and bottle feeding
- provide you with a basic understanding of sensory processing in the premature infant and tools for enhancing the sensory development
- provide you with basic training regarding risk factors, such as aspiration, and the impact on feeding ability
- provides you with the tools to guide parents and other practitioners regarding a premature infant's readiness and ability to eat by mouth
This course lays the groundwork for becoming a more confident and competent feeding therapist for premature infants!
AOTA Approved and Awards 0.2 AOTA CEUs
(2 contact hours)
Take Our Introductory NICU Feeding Course Today!INTRODUCING...
Sensory and Feeding Issues in Premature Infants:
A Beginner Course for New Graduates and New Feeding Therapists
Our training course will help you learn and understand why premature infants struggle with feeding and strategies to get started.
At the end of the course, you will be able to:
- List three signs of feeding readiness with preterm infants.
- List the most significant difference between tube feeding, breastfeeding, and bottle feeding and identify in which scenarios each feeding method is most appropriate.
- List the two most significant evidence-based benefits of breastfeeding.
- Identify three evidence-based sensory processing strategies to enhance sensory development, organize an infant in preparation for feeding and reduce overstimulation.
- Identify the four signs of stress feeding and the associated risk factors.
- List three different breastfeeding positions the mother and infant can model to promote safe and effective participation and engagement in feeding and swallowing.
- Summarize the most significant differences between the informed various bottles and nipple systems most commonly used in the NICU setting.
Course Outline
MODULE #1
- Sensory Feeding Issues in Premature Infants
- Course outline
- Introduction of instructors
MODULE #2
- Learn about the components for feeding
- Discuss the normal oral motor development
- Learn about the different types of feeding and sucking patterns
- Assessing the non-nutritive suck
MODULE #3
- Learn about the sensory systems and how they impact feeding
- Learn about the states of arousal in newborns/premature infants
- Assessing the infant's engagement for feeding
MODULE #4
- Signs of distress for breast feeding
- Signs of distress for bottle feeding
- Discuss signs of overstimulation
- Learn about signs and symptoms of aspiration
MODULE #5
- Breastfeeding basics
- Benefits of breastfeeding
- Most popular breastfeeding holds
- Breast pumps
MODULE #6
- Most popular bottle systems used in the NICU
- Nipple types
- Nipple flow rates
MODULE #7
- Assessing Feeding Readiness
- Assessing Feeding Efficiency
- Formal and Informal Feeding and Oral Motor Assessments
MODULE #8
- Tips and strategies for feeding overstimulated infants
- Organizing the sensory systems
- Basic sensory strategies that can be easily incorporated during feeding
- Positive sensory and oral experiences
- Pacing techniques
- When to refer
About Our Instructors
Hi, I am Tracey!
I am a mom, entrepreneur, and owner of a telehealth website. I have been a pediatric Occupational Therapist who has specialized training in infant feeding, massage, and sensory integration in the NICU and Early Intervention for over 25 years. I felt overwhelmed feeding premature infants until I took courses just like this one. I am excited to teach you about infant feeding in this foundational course!
Tracy Kondrasuk-Brander, MAOTR/L, LMT, CNT, NTMC, CSC
Financial - Co-author of this PD Activity and receives royalty payments for this PD Activity and is an independent contractor for Helping Hands Therapy Services PLLC.
Non-Financial - No relevant non financial relationship exists/None.
Hi, I am Kim!
I am an Occupational Therapist with nearly 18 years of pediatric experience. I am also a business owner working with children ages 0-10. I am a mom of 4, two of whom are NICU graduates. I am also an OTA instructor and love teaching. I am excited to share with you my personal experiences as a mother and therapist!
Kimberly Aiello, MSOT, MSHS-IHW
Financial - Co-author of this PD Activity and receives royalty payments for this PD Activity and is an independent contractor for Helping Hands Therapy Services PLLC.
Non-Financial - No relevant non-financial relationship exists/None.
Hi, I am Kathy!
I am a mother, entrepreneur, and a business owner. I have been a pediatric Occupational Therapist for almost 25 years. I specialize in infant feeding and sensory processing. I have worked in the NICU, outpatient, and in Early Intervention. I love coaching families and therapists because I believe that knowledge is power, and am passionate about providing others with the tools they need for success!
Kathleen Yopp, OTR/L
AOTA Approved Provider #0000001046
Financial - Co-author of this PD Activity and receives royalty payments for this PD Activity and is an employee at Helping Hands Therapy Services PLLC.
Non-Financial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists/None.
Reviews
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"Kim has been amazing from day one. She is so intuitive and has been very helpful in helping my son who is dealing with attention issues and behavioral impulse issues. She has figured out what many have not been able to see, including ocular issues that she was able to refer us to an eye doctor for! The eye specialist was very impressed and said not many OTs are able to detect ocular motor skill issues! Just a testament to how thorough and amazing Kim is! I highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a good OT."
- Katarzyna B
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"Tracey was my son's OT as he had many sensory issues related to feeding. Now my son can touch foods and eat! She is kind and very professional. She works with the parents as a team! Thank-you Tracey!"
- Fernanda B.
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"Tracey is passionate about her work. My son showed remarkable improvement in a short period of time. We are forever grateful and would highly recommend her!"
- Angie Y
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"We looked forward to seeing Kathy each week and exploring new ways for Samuel to learn how to eat. She was always very helpful without ever being pushy. Our son is now 3 years old and his feeding tube has been gone for almost 6 months and he continues to gain weight."
- Candace R.
IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR YOU?
Have you felt you are missing the niche skills you need in your profession? Have your wanted to become a feeding specialist with premature infants? Do you have a passion to help premature infants thrive when it comes to feeding?
If so, then the Sensory and Feeding Issues in Premature Infants: A Beginners Course for New Graduates and New Feeding Therapists is definitely for you.
This is course is not for feeding therapists who have already taken other NICU feeding courses.
This course is specifically about the sensory system and how to help infants with feeding. It will motivate you to want to further your skills in infant feeding. Join us!
FAQs
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Final Thoughts From Tracey, Kim, and Kathy...
If you have come down to this final note, we know that you are passionate about learning more about working with premature infants, and are getting to make a choice to change the lives of premature infant's feeding success.
Whether you decide to take the course or not, please know we will cheer you on and want you to have a successful career as a therapist working in the specialized area of the NICU.
To your success,
Tracey, Kim and Kathy