Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing

This course provides information on the development of pediatric feeding and swallowing and their associated disorders. It includes an overview of normal development, including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and transition onto solids; anatomy, physiology, and neurology of pediatric feeding and swallowing; and the epidemiology of common pediatric feeding and swallowing problems. The course covers formal and informal clinical assessment; instrumental assessments; treatment of pediatric feeding and swallowing problems, including the use of thickened fluids, modified diets, special equipment, positioning, oral sensory-motor therapy, and behavioral feeding therapy. A team structure approach is emphasized along with the importance of counseling families and caregivers, including a discussion of multicultural feeding influences. Students will be able to implement assessment and therapy tasks in the form of hands-on skills and integrate these with patient interaction skills via immersive scenarios, simulation equipment and staff role-play of situations commonly encountered in clinical practice.