Eating and Drinking: A complex developmental process
Our post-master's 15 credit Advanced Certificate in Pediatric Dysphagia is designed with you in mind. Created by master clinicians, experts in this specialized practice area, the program offers coursework and practica relevant to the currently practicing speech-language pathologist. Throughout the program, you will also learn about collaboration with other health care providers, as well as parents and families, in a team approach geared towards best-practice quality patient care.
For many, food and drink are a source of pleasure and socialization. Eating and drinking satisfy hunger and thirst, as well as help structure the day and allow for social interactions. For some children, eating and drinking may not be a source of pleasure. Between 25%-45%* of typically developing children demonstrate feeding and swallowing problems. The incidence of such problems is even higher (30%-80%) for children with developmental disorders. These problems can have severe consequences, such as growth failure, malnutrition, dehydration, and increased susceptibility to chronic illness. The prevalence of these disorders is increasing due to improved survival rates of children born prematurely, with low birth weight, and with complex medical conditions.
As one of the few medically-based speech-language pathology programs in the country, we are uniquely positioned to provide Speech-Language Pathologists with the knowledge and skills they need to understand, assess, and treat these feeding and swallowing disorders in newborns, toddlers, and children. Few practicing clinicians have had the opportunity to take coursework specifically designed to address the clinical needs of this population, children with feeding/swallowing disorders. Fewer than a handful of graduate programs in the U.S. offer comprehensive coursework in dysphagia in children; fewer externship placements offer supervision to graduate students or clinical fellows in order to develop these skills.
The curriculum provides:
Registration for ASHA Continuing Education
ASHA continuing education credits are available only to those enrolled in this academic course through the Advanced Certificate in Pediatric Dysphagia Program. Only participants who successfully complete each course and receive academic credit are eligible for ASHA continuing education credit. Click here for more ASHA CEU information.
APPLICATION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS
The School of Health Sciences and Practices invites Speech-Language Pathologists to apply to the Pediatric Dysphagia Certificate program. Our program is a Fall only start. Completed applications are reviewed by members of the faculty in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology. The staff from the Admissions Office is available to provide information and answer questions before and during the admissions process.
In order to be considered for the program, please submit the following:
* (Arvedson, 2008; Bernard-Bonnin, 2006; Brackett, Arvedson, & Manno, 2006; Burklow, Phelps, Schultz, McConnell, & Rudolph, 1998; Lefton-Greif, 2008; Linscheid, 2006; Manikam & Perman, 2000; Rudolph & Link, 2002).
The Advanced Certificate in Pediatric Dysphagia requires completion of 4 courses and 1 online practicum. Option to complete an in-person second practicum is available. Completion of this 15-credit certificate requires maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or above for all coursework and practica combined.
Courses
Courses are taught online, with strong faculty support throughout. Chat sessions are regularly scheduled to ensure the material is being processed appropriately. Class discussions also serve to attend to student concerns.
The course work is accompanied by the Clinical Practica 1 course which is a fully remote learning experience that focuses on increasing the knowledge/skills to work with a complex pediatric population in a variety of clinical settings through the use of remote learning modules based on real-time case examples and case review.
Optional Additional 2 credit experience in Clinical Practica 2 is a live working experience for students to work alongside clinical educators in the assessment and/or treatment of pediatrics with feeding and swallowing challenges in a variety of settings such as Outpatient clinic, NICU and/or inpatient care. The experience is live and has the ability to be tailored in ways to the site needs and student's needs. Certain sites will only offer in-person learning while others can incorporate remote LIVE experiences. A student's work in these LIVE settings is to work with their clinical supervisors to develop their diagnostic plans, discuss clinical observations and put into practice the skills learned in their clinical writing.
Registration
Please note the class size is limited. Registration for Fall begins in June.
Classes
Classes begin around September 12.
SHSP Office of Admissions
(914) 594-4510
Samantha Behar
Assistant Director, Admissions
(914) 594-4693
Dr. Kathleen Franklin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Department Chair
(914) 594-4239
Lindsay Murray-Keane, M.S., CCC-SLP, IBCLC
Program Coordinator
(914) 594-4239