Food preoccupation is when a child’s interest in (or seeking of) food interferes with their social, emotional or physical development. These children may be referred to you for “binge eating,” “oral seeking,” “weight management,” interoception training (to tune in to fullness), or for selective eating (help them eat more vegetables). A responsive approach supports children to become tuned-in eaters; helps parents let go of the “food cop” role; and helps parents and children enjoy each other and mealtimes more fully. With Katja Rowell MD.

Because we live in a society that celebrates a thin body ideal and subscribes to complicated notions around what it means to “eat healthy,” kids in all body sizes are exposed early and often to weight bias and diet culture. This can exacerbate a child’s struggles with food. Recognize how diet culture can harm children with feeding differences and challenges, when a parent’s fatphobia and diet culture are an obstacle to responsive feeding, and come away with strategies for reframing this conversation.

Explore one of the main issues that impact the work of pediatric feeding professionals: weight and growth. Unnecessary worry about slow or low growth can worsen (and in some cases, even cause) feeding problems. Misperceptions around weight on the part of parents and professionals, hurt children and families. Discern when to worry and when you can reassure parents and help support a responsive  approach. With Katja Rowell MD.

The values of responsive feeding therapy (RFT) are aligned with the guiding principles of early intervention. This course will introduce and grow your understanding of RFT and strategies. You will explore ways to integrate these strategies into therapy interactions to better meet the needs of the children and families you serve in early intervention settings. With Ashley Glasser MS, OTR/L and Brianna Brown MS, CCC-SLP from Thrive with Spectrum.

Collaborating with medical providers can have a direct impact on feeding treatment, yet many clinicians find that their attempts to communicate are unsuccessful in bringing team members together, especially around Responsive Feeding. This course focuses on the importance of collaboration, and provides strategies around responsive feeding, growth expectations, food, and mealtime pressure to facilitate meaningful dialogue with other team members. With Heidi Liefer Moreland MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S and Jennifer Berry MS, OT/L.