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 and continuing education credits, all attendees are expected to attend the course for the entire duration of each day (7:30am to 5pm, Days 1-3 and 7:30am to 3:15pm Day 4).
Agenda 2021 TEXAS 3.75 Days Conference
Pricing/Cancellations
Registration Fee
$850
Cancellation of Registration by Registrant – Policy
Cancellations must be received in writing to [email protected] no later than September 24, 2021 to receive a refund minus a $75 processing fee. No refunds will be issued for cancellations received on September 24, 2021 or later. Registrations may be substituted for another attendee. A Therapy Connection must be notified of substitutions at least 48 hours in writing (email acceptable) before the start of the event otherwise the substitution cannot be honored.
Cancellation of the Event by Toomey & Associates, Inc.
Please be aware that Toomey & Associates, Inc. will present this conference despite one or even two Speakers being ill. One SPEAKER can present in an emergency situation, although it is certainly not ideal. If all three Speakers are ill, substitute SPEAKERS will be sent. If all 3 Speakers are ill and no substitute Speakers are available, this would then constitute a SPEAKER cancellation.
If the conference is cancelled by Toomey & Associates due to, but not limited to, the following:
- Speaker cancellation
- Limited enrollment
- Severe weather (snowstorm, flooding, etc.)
- Conference site issues (power outages, emergency situations)
Registrants will receive a full refund of their registration fee within 30 days of the originally scheduled conference by the method that the registrant used to pay for the registration. (If payment was received by credit/debit card, the refund will be refunded to the original credit/debit card used, if payment was received via a check, a refund will be provided by check.) Costs incurred for nonrefundable travel arrangements or other related individual expenses will not be refunded by Toomey & Associates, Inc.
Speakers/Disclosures
Speakers: Dr. Kay Toomey, Deborah Lagerborg, CCC-SLP and Susan Kniffen, MS, OTR/L
Dr. Kay Toomey is a Pediatric Psychologist who has worked with children who don’t eat for almost 30 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 is currently the President of Toomey & Associates, Inc., as well as the Clinical Director of SOS Feeding Solutions @ STAR (Sensory Therapy and Research Center with Dr. Lucy Jane Miller).
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.
Amanda Foster, MS CCC-SLP, received her Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Massachusetts General Hospital IHP. For over 15 years, Mrs. Foster has worked with children with a variety of diagnoses in school, clinic, hospital, and early intervention settings. She began her feeding career in 2005 at Toomey & Associates, Inc. and then moved to the STAR Center with Dr. Toomey. In 2010, Mrs. Foster started a private practice specializing in providing feeding support for families in their homes and in community settings. Currently, she is the Lead Speech and Feeding Therapist at a multi-disciplinary pediatric clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to presenting The SOS Approach to Feeding with Toomey & Associates, Inc. Mrs. Foster has lectured on swallowing disorders at Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado. She also regularly presents on speech and feeding disorders at parent, teacher, and professional seminars.
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.
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.
Dr. Erin Sundseth Ross 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 an Assistant Clinical Professor in the School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, at the University of Colorado Denver. She is also on faculty at the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Dr. Ross has over 30 years of experience working in the NICU within several HealthONE hospitals, and with children when she was at the SOS Feeding Solutions clinic in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Ross is the creator of the SOFFI MethodTM, 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: Paid Consultant for Nestec, a division of Nestle (Gerber Child Advocate/Developmental Panel member);Owner Toomey & Associates, Inc. and the SOS Approach to Feeding program; Non-Financial: Founding Medical Professional Council Member with Feeding Matters – PFD Alliance Committee Member (unpaid).
Lindsay Beckerman – Financial: Paid Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc.; Non-Financial: Unpaid Board Member for Charlotte’s Day.
Kelly Fitzpatrick – Financial: Paid Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc., Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Amanda Foster – Financial: Paid Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc., Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Susan Kniffen – Financial: Paid Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc., Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Deborah Lagerborg – Financial: Paid Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc., Non-Financial: No relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Erin S. Ross – Financial: Paid Consultant for Nestec, a division of Nestle (Gerber Child Advocate/Developmental Panel member); Paid Consultant for Intertek; Paid Speaker for Toomey & Associates, Inc.; Paid Speaker for Feeding Fundamentals, LLC; Paid Salary, Feeding FUNdamentals, LLC.; Non-Financial: Unpaid 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.
Attendance & Policies
In order to achieve the intended Learning Outcomes and to satisfy the completion requirements for the SOS Approach to Feeding conference and Continuing Education Units, all attendees are expected to attend the course for the entire duration of each day (8am to 5pm, Days 1-3, 8am to 3:15pm on Day 4). Attendees 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. Late arrival or early departure on any day will not be accepted. Continuing Education Units and Certificates of Attendance will not be given to Attendees that are late or leave early. Please make any travel arrangements to ensure that you do not need to leave the conference early on any day. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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.
Video/Audio/Photography Notification/Disclaimer
When you participate an SOS Approach to Feeding Conference, you will be participating in an event where photography, video and audio recording may occur. By participating in the SOS Approach to Feeding event, you consent to video recording, audio recording and/or photography and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, web casts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on web sites, or for any other purpose(s) that SOS Approach to Feeding (Toomey & Associates), its vendors, partners, affiliates and/or representatives deems fit to use. You release SOS Approach to Feeding owners, staff and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or or sound recordings. View full video/audio/photography disclaimer.
Continuing Education
ASHA
This course is offered for 2.85 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level, Professional content area). This course will focus on the treatment SOS Approach to Feeding and will not discuss other similar or related treatments. Not available for partial credit.
** Note: Upon full completion of the SOS Approach to Feeding Conference, participants must complete a course evaluation form.
AOTA
Toomey & Associates is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Course approval ID #11556. This live activity is offered at 2.85 CEUs, intermediate level, OT Service Delivery, Foundational Knowledge. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
** Note: Upon full completion of the SOS Approach to Feeding Conference, participants must complete a course evaluation form.
Commission on Dietetic Registration
Activity Approved – Activity #159212 – CPEUs Hours Approved 28.5
** Note: Upon full completion of the SOS Approach to Feeding Conference, participants must complete a course evaluation form.
Other Associations
Please contact your association to inquire as to whether this course will meet the requirements for continuing education credits. Upon request, we are happy to provide any additional information for submission to your association.