Objectives/Agenda
- List the seven areas of human function that need to be examined to provide a comprehensive Feeding Assessment.
- Identify at least five of the oral, sensory, motor, cognitive or emotional developmental milestones key to being able to eat well.
- List three reasons why children won’t eat, as based on learning theory principles.
- Differentiate classical and operant conditioning principles as applied to resolving feeding problems.
- Identify at least four of the necessary components of an SOS Approach to Feeding program for babies, toddlers and young children in either an individual or group therapy session.
- List all three requirements for building a Food Hierarchy.
- Identify at least one play based strategy for progressing a child up each of the 6 major Steps on the Steps to Eating Hierarchy.
** To ensure Learners successfully achieve the Learning Outcomes above and to satisfy the completion requirements for the SOS Approach to Feeding conference, all participants are expected to attend the course for the entire duration of each day (8:00 AM to 5:30 PM Days 1-4). Additionally, all participants must also complete a course evaluation form in order to receive their certificate of attendance.
Adelaide SOS Conference Agenda – November 2023
Speakers/Disclosures
Speakers:
Dr. Kay Toomey is a Pediatric Psychologist who has worked with children who don’t eat for over 35 years. She has developed the SOS Approach to Feeding as a family centered program for assessing and treating children with feeding problems. Dr. Toomey speaks nationally and internationally about her approach. Dr. Toomey helped to form The Children’s Hospital – Denver’s Pediatric Oral Feeding Clinic, as well as the Rose Medical Center’s Pediatric Feeding Center. Dr. Toomey co-chaired the Pediatric Therapy Services Department at Rose Medical Center prior to entering private practice. Dr. Toomey acted as the Clinical Director for Toomey & Associates, Inc.’s Feeding Clinic, and then the SOS Feeding Solutions @ STAR before shifting into clinical consultation in order to focus on her teaching. Dr. Toomey is currently the President of Toomey & Associates, Inc. and an Adjunct Research Fellow at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
Erin Sundseth Ross, PhD, CCC-SLP is a Speech Pathologist with a Doctoral degree in Clinical Sciences – Health Services Research. She completed a two-year post-doctoral training in the Section of Nutrition and is a Clinical Instructor in the School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Ross has over 30+ years of experience working in the NICU within several HealthONE hospitals, and with children when she was at the Toomey & Associates, Inc. Feeding Clinic and at SOS Feeding Solutions @ STAR in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Ross is the creator of the SOFFI Method®, a feeding program for use in the NICU. She has specialized in the development of feeding skills, and the etiology and treatment of feeding and growth problems in infants and very young children from initial hospitalization through the first 5 years of life.
Statement of Financial/Non-Financial Relationships for Toomey & Associates, Inc. Speakers
Dr. Kay A. Toomey – Financial: President, Toomey & Associates, Inc. and the Developer of the SOS Approach to Feeding program (paid), Adjunct Research Fellow of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (paid); Non-Financial: Co-Author, “Behaviorally Based Feeding Problems” in Suiter & Gosa (Eds.) Assessing and Treating Dysphagia: A Lifespan Perspective (2019). New York: Thieme Publishers (unpaid), Founding Medical Professional Council Member with Feeding Matters – PFD Alliance Committee Member and Conference Committee Member (unpaid).
Dr. Erin S. Ross – Financial: President, Feeding FUNdamentals, LLC. (paid), Consultant for Nestec/Gerber Baby Foods (paid), Gerber Child Advocate/Developmental Panel member (paid), Consultant for Intertek (paid), Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc. & Feeding Fundamentals, LLC (paid); Non-Financial: Co-Author, “Behaviorally Based Feeding Problems” in Suiter & Gosa (Eds.) Assessing and Treating Dysphagia: A Lifespan Perspective (2019). New York: Thieme Publishers (unpaid), PFD Alliance Leadership with Feeding Matters – PFD Alliance Advocacy Chair (unpaid), Consensus Committee of the Standards, Competencies, and Best Practices for Infant and Family-Centered Developmental Care in the Intensive Care Unit.
Other Toomey & Associates, Inc. Speakers
Lindsay Beckerman, MOT, OTR/L – received her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Ohio State University. She currently works in a private practice with children, teens, and adults with feeding challenges in their home and community as well as Developmental FX, a non-profit clinic supporting children with a wide variety of developmental needs. Prior to this, she worked as a Pediatric Feeding Specialist at SOS Feeding Solutions at the STAR Institute with Dr. Lucy Jane Miller. She specializes in feeding difficulties in atypical learners, including children and teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and multisensory processing difficulties. Lindsay has also worked as a member of a multidisciplinary team with Autism Spectrum Disorders, SPD, emotional/behavioral disorders and feeding problems. Lindsay has completed the STAR Institute’s Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Intensive Mentorship Programs and is a certified DIR Floortime Provider. Lindsay also serves as a board member for Charlotte’s Day, a non-profit group that helps to provide posturally supportive chairs to children in feeding therapy.
Kelly Fitzpatrick, CCC-SLP received her Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of Memphis. She currently works as a Pediatric Specialist and Speech Pathologist for Rocky Mountain Human Services. She specializes in feeding difficulties in children 0-5 years old and those who are G-tube dependent. Prior to her position with RMHS, Kelly acted as the Assistant Clinical Director of SOS Feeding Solutions at the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder with Dr. Lucy Jane Miller. Kelly began her career in a pediatric outpatient hospital setting using the SOS Approach to Feeding program. Kelly has also completed the STAR Institute’s Intensive Mentorship Program and is a certified DIR Floortime Provider.
Susan Kniffen, MS, OTR/L received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Shenandoah University (VA). She spent the first two years of her career working with adults in acute care and rehabilitation settings before transferring to working in pediatric settings in 2005. Since 2006, she has been a feeding specialist in addition to working with children who have orthopedic, neurological, and complex medical needs. She is currently an occupational therapist and feeding specialist in the early intervention program for The Resource Exchange. Previously she provided pediatric outpatient feeding and rehabilitation services through Memorial Hospital, Toomey & Associates Inc., and Children’s Hospital Colorado. Educating and empowering parents to be students of their children is her passion.
Deborah Lagerborg, CCC-SLP received her Masters in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. During her graduate studies, she focused on feeding disorders and dysphagia in infants and children. Deborah currently works as a Pediatric Feeding Specialist and Speech Pathologist for Developmental Disabilities Resource Center. Prior to this position, Deborah worked at a Pediatric Feeding Specialist at SOS Feeding Solutions at STAR Institute. Deborah began her career in a pediatric outpatient hospital setting, working primarily with infants and children with feeding disorders. She also spent time working in the NICU as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting premature infant development and early feeding experiences. Deborah’s passion is to work with the families, empowering parents to support their own child’s development and success.
Statement of Financial/Non-Financial Relationships for Toomey & Associates, Inc. Speakers
Lindsay Beckerman – Financial: Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc. (paid); Non-Financial: Board Member for Charlotte’s Day (unpaid).
Kelly Fitzpatrick – Financial: Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc. (paid); Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Susan Kniffen – Financial: Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc. (paid); Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Deborah Lagerborg – Financial: Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc. (paid); Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Attendance & Policies
Attendance Policy
This Conference has a 100% attendance requirement. During the in-person segment of the Conference, Participants are expected to attend the course and participate fully for the entire length of each day (8:00 AM to 5:30 PM on Days 1-4) in order to receive their Certificate of Completion, any continuing education credits, and/or to be allowed to use the SOS Approach to Feeding program. Participants will miss crucial information needed to be able to correctly use the SOS Approach to Feeding program if they come late or leave the course early.
Participants who arrive late or leave early on any day MUST make up any missed time. If the Participant does not make up the time, they will not receive a Certificate of Completion, and they will not be authorized to use the SOS Approach to Feeding Program. During the conference, the Participant must immediately make arrangements with Dr. Toomey to stay late each day of the conference until all of the missed time has been made up.
Participants MUST make their travel arrangements on the last day of the conference so that they will not be leaving the conference for any reason before 5:30 PM. NO EXCEPTIONS for flight or train schedules will be made.
COVID GUIDELINES – 2023
View Host website for details.
Course Evaluation Form Requirement
Upon full completion of the SOS Approach to Feeding Conference, participants must complete a course evaluation form in order to receive their certificate of attendance.
Complaint Policy & Procedures
Toomey & Associates, Inc. views complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve future programs and resources, as well as a chance to put things right for the person or organization that has made the complaint. Please read the full Complaint Policy and Resolution Procedures.
Maintenance of Attendee Records
Let’s Grow Together and Toomey & Associates, Inc. maintain attendee records for a minimum of 7 years. Attendees can request proof of attendance and a copy of their certificate of completion from either organization by submitting an email request.
