CIAO Seminars - Feeding and Swallowing in the NICU:

COURSE MENU

Course Description

Master Feeding Therapy in the NICU and Beyond

Feeding difficulties in the NICU are common and present unique challenges, even for experienced therapists. Premature infants and medically fragile or sick newborns differ significantly from typically developing, healthy newborns. To serve this population effectively, therapists must understand their fragile and immature subsystems, the maturation process of these systems, and how to positively impact them.

This comprehensive two-day seminar provides a solid foundation in evidence-based practice, offering theory and critical analysis of key areas such as:

Subsystem analysis, swallowing safety, and function
Therapeutic interventions that are both appropriate and effective
Family and caregiver engagement to support successful outcomes
Discharge planning to ensure continuity of care

Additional topics include the infant's communication skills, the impact of positioning on feeding and swallowing, pre-feeding skills, therapeutic feeding trials, bottle and breastfeeding techniques, family involvement, and feeding in palliative care.

Through interactive lectures, videos, case studies, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, participants will expand their knowledge and skills. This seminar empowers feeding therapists to confidently support fragile infants in the NICU and beyond, equipping them with tools to make a meaningful difference for this vulnerable population.

What to Bring:

A baby doll with soft movable extremities OR a "NDT doll"
One receiving blanket
One baby bottle

Course Level: Introductory

Assessment Methods: Labs, Case Study Discussions, Q&A, Self-Assessment on Evaluation
For events that are Live Streamed, the streaming participants will verify attendance through codes given throughout course and complete a multiple choice quiz (80% passing score) and evaluation at the end

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe embryologic development and maturation and impact of prematurity on feeding and swallowing skills
Explain environmental, physiologic, sensory motor and psychosocial influences in this specialized population that affect feeding and swallowing
Identify readiness signs to begin pre-feeding and oral feeding opportunities
Indicate appropriate clinical analysis for thorough evaluation of feeding and swallowing skills
Detail at least 3 feeding treatments to enhance feeding and swallowing skills
Determine appropriate involvement of feeding therapy in palliative care
State common feeding difficulties that can arise with NICU graduates following transition home
Detail 3 appropriate techniques and plan to facilitate a successful transition home
Establish thorough discharge recommendations and follow up needed

Karin Mitchell

M.A. CCC-SLP

Karin Mitchell is a worldwide respected Speech Language Pathologist specializing in the care and treatment of pediatric feeding and swallowing, developmental care of the medically fragile infant and child, and pediatric traumatic brain injury. Her love of teaching and helping others drives her to create and deliver fun and empowering continuing education courses across the nation and internationally. Areas covered are Developmental Care in the NICU, Cue Based Feeding, pediatric feeding and swallowing analysis and treatment, including the use of VitalStim, swallow studies, enhancing decision making and clinical analysis, breast feeding the medically fragile infant and child, and developmental milestones supporting feeding skill acquisition. Beginning her practice in 1995, Karin sought out learning opportunities and creative ways to teach others. She now serves as a lead therapist for the NICU and Feeding Teams at CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange, CA. With a clinical practice formed by a strong theory base in NDT and SI therapies, Karin is also NOMAS trained and VitalStim certified. She provides ongoing education in-services and hands-on labs for appropriate developmental care, positioning, handling, and feeding skills for clinical staff including medical residents, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists. Karin was a key player in the development of unit protocols and care plans for evidence-based developmental care in the highly specialized Small Baby Unit (ELBW) at CHOC which includes an ongoing education series required by all medical and support personnel. She is an active committee member for multiple qualities of care committees including Skin to Skin Care, Developmental Care, Infant Driven Feeds, Breast Feeding Coalition, Palliative Care, Neuro NICU Team, Trauma Team, and Family Centered Care. A dedicated leader, Karin devotes much of her time to the support and development of clinicians, serving as a mentor committed to building therapist's skills in clinical analysis and therapeutic effectiveness with medically fragile patients. She is a strong advocate for her patients and their families and speaks at local associations, community centers, local universities, and school districts to support medically fragile infants and children.

Financial Disclosure: Karin receives an honorarium from CIAO for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-financial Disclosure: Karin uses VitalStim in her clinical practice.

Day 1

07:30 - 08:00

Registration (snack/refreshments provided)

08:00 - 08:30

Objectives & Clinical Expectations

08:30 - 09:00

Embryology & Maturation of Feeding and Swallowing

09:00 - 10:00

Brain & Sensory Development

10:00 - 10:15

Break

10:15 - 12:00

NICU Environment: impact on the Patient, Family & Feeding Development

12:00 - 01:00

Lunch (on your own)

01:00 - 01:30

NICU Medical Terminology & Hot Topics

01:30 - 03:00

Suck Patterns & Swallowing Development

03:00 - 03:15

Break

03:15 - 04:00

Feeding Readiness Assessment & Programs

04:00 - 04:30

Signs of Stability vs Stress

04:30 - 05:00

Questions & Answers

Day 2

07:00 - 07:30

Registration (snack/refreshments provided)

07:30 - 08:30

Key Components of a Thorough Evaluation

08:30 - 09:00

Analysis of Readiness to Oral Feed: Video Interpretation

09:00 - 10:00

Quality of Nippling Analysis: Video Interpretation

10:00 - 10:15

Break

10:15 - 11:15

Set Up for Success: Pre-Feeding Interventions

11:15 - 12:00

NNS Interventions

12:00 - 01:00

Lunch (on your own)

01:00 - 02:00

NS Interventions

02:00 - 02:15

Break

02:15 - 03:00

Swallowing & Feeding Interventions: Sensory Processing Disorders, Oral Aversion & Severe Swallowing

03:00 - 03:30

Successful Transition Home

03:30 - 04:00

Questions & Answers

Delivery VIA:

Live On Tour - This course is now being offered live on locations throughout the United States.
Live By Request - This course is available to come to you! Contact us to see how easy that can be. mail@ciaoseminars.com
Live Stream - This course is offered from our Live Stream studio. Watch and interact with the instructor from wherever you are or join us as part of the studio audience in sunny Gulf Breeze, FL. Included with each Live Stream registration is access to the course recording for the 14 days immediately following the broadcast.

Contact hours pre-approved for:

14.5 hours
CIAO is an ASHA Approved Provider #AAWA (1.45 ASHA CEUs) bubble sheet submission required
ASHA CE Provider Approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures.
CIAO is an AOTA approved provider #4119 (OT/COTA)
This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (14.5 PDUs)
The Physical Therapy Board of California recognizes CIAO Seminars as an Approval Agency to Approve Providers Offering Continuing Competency Courses
The Physical Therapy Board of California has determined that CIAO meets the standards set forth in section 1399.95 of the CA Code of Regulations
This activity is provided by the Texas Board of PT Examiners Accredited Prov #2502009#TX
The assignment of Texas PT CCUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by TPTA or TBPTE
This activity meets continuing competence requirements for PT/PTA license renewal in TX
CIAO is a PT Approved Provider #BAP202310092 for the Oklahoma Medical Board. All PT courses for the 2022-2023 reporting period are approved.
CIAO is a Rule Approved Provider for the Florida Board of Physical Therapy
CIAO is an Approved Provider for the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy
Pre-Approved for:
14.5 Hrs. PT/PTAs in CA (CIAO23-60), IL, OK(#BAP202310092), TX (APTA TX #2502009 for 14.5 CCUs)
14.5 hrs by the CA Board of OT for Advanced Practice (Swallowing): #25-S22
15.0 Hrs Illinois EI (3.0 Assessment, 3.5 Atypical Development, 5.0 Intervention, 3.0 Typical Development, 0.5 Working with Families)
17.0 Hrs. PT/PTAs and OT/OTAs in FL (CE Broker #20-588048)

Course meets requirements for:

PT/PTAs in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, MT,

PT/PTAs in NE, NH, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY

OT/COTAs in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT,

OT/COTAs in NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

AOTA Classification Codes: Domain of OT: Client Factors, Activity Demands OT Process: Intervention

The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

CIAO is recognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)

Introductory Level
1.45 ASHA CEUs

CIAO Automatically reports to CE Broker for Florida Occupational and Physical Therapists and Assistants. Florida SLPs can either use the ASHA CE Participant Form (Bubble Sheet) or self-submit through CE Broker.

Reviews

The material and the way Karin explains and gives examples help the therapists to be knowledgeable and confident to assess and treat.

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

The slides in the handouts could be bigger and easier to read when we refer back to them.

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

Karin was refreshing, insightful, and helpful. She made this topic easy to understand and provided a wealth of knowledge! I truly enjoyed the course and look forward to using the tools given.

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

Very informative and helped make a seemingly complex topic extremely approachable and digestible for a physical therapist.

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

Great mix of clinical and research based evidence that can be applied directly to practice!

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

Loved the explanations of cause/symptoms/how to treat it. A great course that actually dives into treatment- very helpful. Loved the breakdown and detail of different nipples/flow rate.

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

I have gained a wealth of swallowing information after taking this course.

- San Antonio, TX / Aug 2023

I really enjoyed and loved this course! Hoping to make my dream of being a NICU therapist come true!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2023

This was great information and presented very well!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2023

Great course to prepare for hopefully working in the NICU!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

Great streaming quality and great content.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

Great presentation! Relatable, nurturing, compassionate... Loved Karin!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

Karin is such a good instructor. I have taken at least 3 courses from her now and look forward to more. Would you ever consider also including more case studies and practicing how to document. Terminology was helpful; for me having more information how to communicate with the doctors and in the notes would be a nice addition.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

I thought Karin was AMAZING! She has a such a command of her practice and expertise! I would highly recommend this course to fellow SLPs!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

This was a great course. Videos super helpful, would love specific case studies included. As a result of the course, I'm revived with more energy to enter my unit and make some change.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

Karin is awesome, great ,knowledge & personable.

- Houston , TX / Jun 2021

Karin is great. Very knowledgeable on the topic. She is up to date with current research and best practice.

- Houston , TX / Jun 2021

Karin was fabulous, I appreciate her knowledge base and teaching style tremendously.