Feeding and Swallowing Disorders in Infancy: Implications for Breast and Bottle

The course is designed for lactation consultants, occupational and physical therapists, speech pathologists, nurses and other allied health professionals who specialize or have an interest in feeding disorders in infancy. It will provide a framework from which to view the continuum of infant feeding options, including breast and bottle feeding. Participants will have an opportunity to expand their repertoire of evaluation techniques and intervention strategies when working with infants who demonstrate feeding or swallowing dysfunction:

Course Objectives:

1. Understand the pathophysiologic principles underlying the suck-swallow-breathe triad and how they apply to breast and bottle feeding.
2. Have an increased awareness of diagnostic procedures such as videofluoroscopy, clinical evaluation of feeding, and evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux.
3. Understand the interplay between specific diagnoses (prematurity, gastroesophageal refulx, et.) and infant feeding dysfunction.
4. Be able to delineate specific treatment strategies for management of infant feeding disorders.
5. Have an increased understanding of the way therapists (occupational physical or speech) and lactation consultants can work together in the evaluation and treatment of infants with feeding disorders.

Lynn Wolf, MOT, OTR, IBCLC and Robin Glass MS, OTR, IBCLC practice occupational therapy at Seattle Chiildren's Hospital. Their clinical specialty is the treatement of infants, with a strong focus on feeding issues. They are NDT trained and Borad Certified Lactation Consultants with extensive national and international experience speaking about infant feeding. They have published numerous journal articles as well as the book Feeding and Swallowing Disorders in Infancy: Assessment and Management.