Feeding challenges in the NICU & beyond: Expert tips to improve infant outcomes

Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CT 

For infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, transitioning to independent oral feeding is a key milestone and often a last criterion before discharge. But some infants need considerable support to develop the skill of non-nutritive sucking — one of the most complex and essential precursors to successful oral feeding. Underdeveloped sucking skills can profoundly affect infants and their caregivers, leading to delayed transition to full oral feeds, increased length of stay in the NICU, altered neurodevelopmental outcomes and increased parental stress. In this live panel discussion, neonatal experts from organizations like Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System will share their experiences with feeding challenges in preterm infants and infants in the NICU, as well as best practices that can address some of these difficulties.

Learning points:
 
  • Why infants admitted to the NICU often present with underdeveloped sucking skills and the importance of proactively addressing it
  • How underdeveloped sucking skills affect infant health/developmental outcomes
  • Challenges families and caregivers can face when an infant with feeding difficulties is discharged from the NICU
  • Resources, tools and preventive measures that help hospitals and caregivers address challenges with infants and feeding difficulties in the NICU

 

 

Presenters: 

 

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Dr. Christy Gliniak, PhD, OTR/L, CNT, CPXP, NTMTC

MultiCare Deaconess Hospital, Washington and National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT)

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Dr. Britt Pados, PhD, NNP, IBCLC

Infant Feeding Care and Infant Feeding Labs

Jae Kim

Dr. Jae Kim, MD, PhD

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Moderator:

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Dr. Louisa Ferrara-Gonzalez, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CNT, NTMTC

Board Certified Neonatal Therapist
Manager Clinical Operations/Medical Affairs - Cardinal Health’s NTrainer
Clinical Researcher at NYU Langone Hospital - Long Island, NICU