Managing FEDS in Infants and Young Children: A Post Basic Workshop for SLTs in Local Services

This course is now full. You can add your name to the waiting list here.

IASLT are delighted to be working with Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin to bring you this in-person course. It will take place over two dates in February with a follow up date later in 2023.

Dates: 21st & 22nd of February 2023 with a follow up date later in 2023 (mid to late September - TBC)

Time: 9.15am to 4.30pm

Participants must attend all three dates.

This training is for

• SLTs who have an active FEDS caseload in their place of work or are re-establishing a FEDS service
• SLTs who are interested in building their skills and increasing their confidence in working with infants and young children with FEDS needs in a primary care or CDNT setting

Aims of the workshop:

• To be able to apply theoretical knowledge about paediatric feeding difficulties to clinical practice
• To increase confidence in working with children and young children with FEDS needs within a Primary Care or CDNT setting
• To be able to manage infants and young children with FEDS needs independently (with access to appropriate supervision)
• To recognise when an issue is beyond the therapist's competency level and to know when to ask for help and make an onward referral as appropriate
• To create a peer group and a support network for SLTs working in FEDS

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Carry out a comprehensive clinical assessment to evaluate feeding and swallowing difficulties in infants and young children
• Develop a holistic management plan for infants and young children with feeding and swallowing difficulties, through problem solving and clinical reasoning
• Use a range of compensatory and rehabilitative strategies to support infants and young children with feeding and swallowing difficulties
• Know when to link with the MDT and other agencies as appropriate.

Course Presenters:

Catherine Cunningham

Catherine qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in London in 1986 and has been in clinical practice ever since. The first 12 years of her career were mostly spent working in intellectual disability settings both in London and Dublin. She moved to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC) in 1997. Catherine set up the paediatric dysphagia service in OLCHC. The department has gradually grown and she is now the manager of a department of 10 therapists. Catherine has continued to pursue her clinical practice as well as being a SLT manager. She has a special interest in infants and children with complex airway disorders and in dysphagia in rare diseases and life limiting conditions. She completed her Masters (Dysphagia) through Trinity College Dublin in 2008.

Catherine was one of the lead SLTs involved in the setting up of the first accredited paediatric FEDS qualification course in Ireland in 2004. She has teaching experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and together with her colleagues in the SLT department in Children’s Health Ireland, has developed and taught on a number of courses for qualified SLTs addressing issues in the assessment & management of feeding difficulties in infants & children.

Catherine started the videofluoroscopy service in CHI at Crumlin and has 20 + years’ experience of running weekly videofluoroscopy clinics.

Kate Fitzmaurice

Kate Fitzmaurice is a Senior Speech and Language Therapist currently providing SLT services in CHI at Crumlin. Her main areas of expertise include providing FEDS services to the cardiology and cardiothoracic services, videofluosocopy and children with tracheostomies.

Kate has been working in the area of acute FEDS for over 10 years. Previously, Kate has worked in acute services in Singapore and London. Her training includes SOS, SOFFI and NOMAS. Together with her SLT and ENT colleagues, she is currently involved in the development of fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in CHI at Crumlin.

Bronagh O’ Hara

Bronagh O’ Hara is a Speech and Language Therapist currently providing SLT service to the Neurosurgical team in CHI@Temple Street. She works with children from birth to 16 years who experience communication and swallowing difficulties as a consequence of their brain and/or spinal tumours, acquired and traumatic brain injuries.

Previously, Bronagh worked in a community neurodisability setting for over 17 years providing assessment and intervention, including VFSS, for children with a range of neurodisabilities including cerebral palsy.

Bronagh completed her advanced paediatric dysphagia through Manchester Metropolitan University in 2008 and her Masters (Dysphagia) through Trinity College Dublin in 2017. Her training also includes SOS and SOFFI.