Date/Time: Friday, June 20, 2025, 9:00 am ETA
Description:
Pediatric feeding disorders (PFDs) are becoming increasingly common, with estimates that 1 in 37 children are affected. The prevalence reported is much higher in children with developmental delays and chronic diseases, with 1 in 5 children identified (Kovacic et al., 2021), while 90% of children on the autism spectrum are reported to have feeding difficulties (Volkert & Vaz, 2010). Autistic children represent a special patient population in that many of the behavioral features of autism make feeding intervention particularly challenging. Taking into account the unique learning styles of autism (Van Bourgondien & Coonrod, 2013) and associated Structured TEACCHing strategies, professionals can better understand and treat pediatric feeding disorders in this population.
Objectives:
At the completion of training, participants will be able to:
- Define PFDs
- Identify key professionals involved in the assessment & treatment of PFDs
- Apply autism learning styles to PFDs
- Identify 1-2 strategies for working with autistic clients with PFDs
Target Audience:
This course is designed for speech pathologists, occupational therapists, BCBAs, as well as others interested in feeding strategies for children on the autism spectrum, ages 5 – 18, who have feeding difficulty, selective eating, food refusal, and/or oral aversion.
Presenters:
Carmen Caruthers, Psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor·UNC TEACCH Autism Program
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Dr. Carmen Caruthers is a Psychologist in the TEACCH Autism Program and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. She is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). In her roles at TEACCH, Dr. Caruthers completes diagnostic evaluations for toddlers, children, and adolescents. She also serves as a supervising clinician for the intensive TEACCH for Toddlers program, which combines NDBIs and structured TEACCHing strategies. Additionally, Dr. Caruthers is a co-PI on an award centered on combining structured TEACCHing and behavior analysis in the clinical treatment of pediatric feeding disorders.
Janet Martin, Director of Toddler Services·UNC TEACCH Autism Program
Janet Martin is the Director of Toddler Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. In this role, Janet is responsible for coordination of training activities for Autism Specialists across NC TEACCH Centers who provide early intervention services: leading didactic presentations/discussions, providing feedback on case presentations, and supervising clinician implementation of the TEACCH for Toddlers Intervention Model (NDBIs and Structured TEACCHing) through the scoring of fidelity measures and providing clinical feedback. Previously, Janet was an Autism Specialist and a Research Assistant with the TEACCH Program, assisting with diagnostic assessments and training other clinicians and interns in the Structured TEACCHing model. Additionally, Janet is currently acting as an autism consultant to the UNC Feeding Team, Rehab Services.
Krisi Brackett, Co-Director UNC Feeding Team, Speech Pathologist·UNC Healthcare
Krisi Brackett, PhD, CCC-SLP, C/NDT, is a pediatric feeding/swallowing specialist with over 30 years of experience. She is a co-founder of the UNC Pediatric Feeding Team and the UNC Pediatric Dysphagia Clinic. She is an adjunct instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill, Yeshiva University, and UNC-Greensboro. She is an international speaker and author, developed the CAN-EAT Approach, and is certified in Neuro-Developmental Training. She blogs about feeding at pediatricfeedingnews.com.