Overview

Feeding is one of the most complex things we require our bodies to do because it involves every sensory system integrating information about our body and the world around us.   

Supporting Individuals with Feeding Difficulties. Sensory Integration in Practice. A Multidisciplinary Perspective will be delivered by Laura Osman, Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Advanced Sensory Integration Therapist, Feeding Therapist and Teacher and Louisa Hargett, a Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist, Advanced Sensory Integration Therapist, Feeding Therapist and Teacher. 

Laura and Louisa are experienced in conducting complex multidisciplinary team feeding assessments and intervention for individuals and for school-wide feeding interventions.   

Teaching and learning will be supported with engaging presentations, photos, videos, quizzes and clinical discussions between Laura and Louisa.

Is this course suitable for those working with adults with learning disabilities and feeding difficulties?

The lecturers are paediatric therapists and therefore talk about feeding in relation to children, including children with severe and complex needs.

However, the information and content of the course would support those working with adults with learning difficulties to think about the impact of earlier feeding experiences, the sensory profile of an individual and how this might relate to their current experience of food.  They discuss assessment, strategies for developing feeding skills, the importance of playful interactions with food/ sensory experiences along with establishing mealtime routines and promoting autonomy and responsibility in mealtimes which is all as relevant for adults with learning difficulties as it is for children.

How does this training fit in with other feeding approaches?

Louisa and Laura are trained and experienced in other well-known clinical feeding approaches. They have used their knowledge and experience in therapy and in education to support professionals to understand why children experience difficulties and relate this to challenges you might see in their sensory integration and in all other areas of their development. 

This course is designed to inspire professionals to implement therapeutic and educational changes that are sustainable and achievable within their particular services. Sensory feeding challenges/picky eating is an area that is often under-recognised and underfunded despite the prevalence of need which increases the need for sustainable interventions. 

It will enable professionals to identify and respond to the level of need within their service to improve children's experiences of food every day.

However, if you have limited resources, limited support and need to prove that you can make an impact in your setting or service then this course will empower therapists to implement changes that are sustainable before specialising in other approaches to feeding.

Objectives

This course will provide you with a multidisciplinary perspective to understanding the complexity of feeding and will provide strategies that will inform therapeutic and educational planning to support children with feeding difficulties to improve their relationship with food.

You will learn the theory and what it means in practice.

Who should complete this course?

Open to all. 

This course is aimed at Therapists, Dietitians, Psychologists and Teachers working with children described as fussy or picky eaters and those with feeding difficulties or challenges. 

This course expects the audience to have a sound understanding of sensory integration theory. Therefore, if required,  we would strongly recommend that participants complete the online Introduction to Sensory Integration Difficulties for Everyone before starting this course. 

This course has closed captioned videos. 

Technology requirements

Stable WiFi/Broadband - This is an online course. You cannot download this course. You cannot access it without being connected to WiFi Broadband.

Google Chrome browser (latest version) - You may not be able to view the learning content and assessments properly whilst using other browsers.