$69.00 USD

100% rating - reviews

0.3  ASHA CEUs

Treatment Of Picky And Problem Eaters Using Food Chaining Therapy #e161


Presenters: Cheri Fraker, CCC-SLP, CLC & Laura Walbert, CCC-SLP, CLC

Learn analysis of core diet, flavor mapping and flavor masking, and use of transitional flavors.


"Everything was beneficial. Comprehensive and extremely practical course."

– J.B., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

This course instructs professionals in the treatment of children with complex feeding aversion. Multidisciplinary, evidence-based information will be presented with emphasis on Food Chaining as a treatment technique for aversive feeding disorders. Participants will learn the Food Chaining rating scales to rate children's reactions to foods and group similar foods by taste, texture and temperature. Learn analysis of core diet, flavor mapping and flavor masking, and use of transitional flavors. Interventions discussed also apply to the adult population.

Course is offered for 0.3 ASHA CEUs – 3 Contact Hours. The Illinois Early Intervention Training Program has approved this course for 3 hours of EI credential credit.

also see course #e313
“Food Chaining Therapy – New Without No”

Course Overview – Run Time: 3:17:28

  1. The Evaluation Process
  2. Nutritional Considerations
  3. Food Chaining - The Concepts and Program Development
  4. Case Studies
"Presenters were very knowledgeable and provided fantastic resources, recommendations for actual treatment practice, and case studies/example situations to better achieve learner outcomes."

– K.W., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

This presentation will focus on the technique of PreChaining and Food Chaining© developed by the course presenters. Other treatment approaches will receive limited coverage during this lecture. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Reviews

"The rating scale and case studies were the most helpful. Content I can immediately apply to practice." M.S. (Mar. 2024)

"The information in each section was important to know. I believe that the first section about all the medical issues that could interfere with feeding was really important. I really liked the food chaining part of the presentation because it will help myself and my parents look at feeding in different way. I liked learning about the different products and what they're best used for. I liked learning about the different medical issues that can interfere with feeding." L.M. (Mar. 2024)

"Discussing how to chain a specific food and how you can gather similarities in a child's diet to understand their sensory preferences was helpful. I liked how informative this course was and also how it was self-paced and I could do it on my own time. I am a mom and work full time so this was very helpful for me." L.P. (Mar. 2024)

"The 6 steps of the food chaining program were well explained in this course. The case studies certainly helped with my learning." X.J. (Mar. 2024)

"It was beneficial learning about everything that needs to be assessed and all the different professionals that may need to be involved before considering any dietary changes. Learning how to implement a food chaining program. I liked how the rating scales and strategies were broken down and applied to specific clients." D.K. (Feb. 2024)

"Learning how to use a scale with food chaining was helpful. I enjoyed the detailed information on food chaining and how it is incorporated into the treatment of this pt population." M.D. (Feb. 2024)

"The examples of expanding foods were beneficial. I liked the general information regarding food chaining." H.L. (Feb. 2024)

"Discussing portion size and rating scale was helpful." K.C. (Feb. 2024)

"It was beneficial to discuss that evaluation of a child's reaction to a new food should be rated to determine progress, and that food chaining is not linear. I enjoyed the case study and example of food chaining used with actual clients." N.H. (Feb. 2024)

"Food chaining concept was helpful. I liked that I was able to repeat parts that I couldn’t catch well and able to view the course according to my time." O.K. (Jan. 2024)

"All of the course was beneficial, especially the chaining process. Very knowledgeable speakers." M.G. (Jan. 2024)

"The specific examples, like the case studies, were helpful. Kept to the topic at hand and gave several examples." K.M. (Jan. 2024)

"Discussing general guidelines on how to establish a chain was beneficial. I liked the examples of food chains." L.R. (Jan. 2024)

"Loved the rating scale. I liked the presentation organization of: Introduction of what would be discussed, delivery of new information, summary of new information discussed in each section, and short assessment with explanation. Excellent course." J.B. (Jan. 2024)

"I enjoyed the case studies and the overall layout of the course." C.Y. (Jan. 2024)

"All the clinical implications were beneficial. Many feeding CEUs are hospital-based or focus on infants, while this course pertained more to my caseload of toddlers and school-aged children. I liked the pace of the course and the way in which it was broken up. In addition, I thought the case studies were helpful and a good way to apply learning." M.K. (Jan. 2024)

"The Evaluation and Food Chaining sections were helpful. All of the examples!" B.N. (Jan. 2024)

"I get a lot of kids who are on a liquid diet. Info about reducing liquid consumption to increase hunger sensation was beneficial. Easy course to understand and follow. I like how the presentation was divided into sections." T.J. (Jan. 2024)

"The examples of food-chaining foods were beneficial. I liked how the course was broken into sections. The third section was most beneficial to me." M.C. (Dec. 2023)

"The case studies with videos were very helpful. I liked the photo comparisons and case studies." L.H. (Dec. 2023)

"Helpful information regarding the negative effects that mouth breathing has on all aspects of feeding. Implementing a chewing program and using specific feeding utensils to facilitate chewing. I enjoyed the case studies and the food progression examples." A.R. (Dec. 2023)

"Beneficial topics included breathing considerations; taking preferred foods and making slight modifications (to texture / flavor / presentation); ideas for modifying pasta / rice; and reasons why a child might accept food in one situation and refuse it in the next (e.g., due to pressure). I liked that there were many practical examples of children similar to the ones I treat." K.K. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the examples and case studies and rating scale. I use a sensory hierarchy scale to get to items in mouth and this will be the next level of data that I can collect. Thank you. I liked examples of how to modify the different groups (bread, cheese, etc)." S.F. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the breakdown of all aspects of picky eating as well as the examples of the scale. It made course easy to understand. I liked the facts and how everything was on a PowerPoint to follow along and take notes." E.L. (Dec. 2023)

"Helpful case studies to see examples of using the food chaining program. I liked that there was information about the whole process (eval, caregiver training, developing treatment)." C.C. (Nov. 2023)

"All of the topics were overall very helpful and beneficial to my daily practice. I enjoyed learning about food chaining." K.H. (Nov. 2023)

"I loved this course. It kept me engaged and gave me TONS of useful information. I especially loved the case histories where I could see the chaining therapy being implemented." F.J. (Nov. 2023)

"The rating scale and methods of diet expansion techniques were helpful. I enjoyed the presentation of the material." T.C. (Nov. 2023)

"The process of food chaining was beneficial to discuss. I liked the range of examples provided." P.L. (Nov. 2023)

"I liked the details provided for the implementation of a food chaining system. Great examples of how to implement it." K.B. (Nov. 2023)

"Provided specific examples of food chaining and explanation of how physiological deficits impact munching/chewing patterns. I liked the clarity of presenters and how they explained how liquid intake (water and milk) impacts intake of solids." S.Y. (Oct. 2023)

"The examples of real clients were beneficial. This course helped me relate to my current clients. I liked the multiple examples of food chain sequences." T.K. (Oct. 2023)

"I loved all the strategies mentioned to expand food choice. Liked how the rating scale helps to track progress." C.L. (Oct. 2023)

"The case studies regarding medically complex food chaining were helpful." M.P. (Sep. 2023)

"I liked all of the suggestions for which foods to go to next given a child's current preference and the emphasis on looking at the whole child. The discussion on different bottles/considerations for each and the difference between the parent and child rating scale was beneficial." S.M. (Sep. 2023)

"This course was informative and provided examples from real cases. I liked discussing the importance of using rating scale." M.S. (Sep. 2023)

"The information about recommended intake for toddlers and strategies to increase eating at meal time was helpful (e.g., reduce amount of milk, reduce grazing, etc). I liked the product recommendations and the rating system." A.K. (Sep. 2023)

"I loved the real life examples and case studies. It really helps put things together. I liked the flexibility to pause and resume when needed." K.S. (Aug. 2023)

"I found the topic of food chaining and how to implement it to be most helpful. I enjoyed the rating scale examples and case studies." G.D. (Aug. 2023)

"Concrete examples and case studies. I liked the rating scale." S.B. (Aug. 2023)

"I thought the rating scale was helpful to use consistently with a child, and it's easy to use with caregivers. I liked the explanation of how to refer and complex needs vs. children with less needs. The case studies brought the program to life, giving real problems/concerns and solutions that happen over time." M.E. (Jul. 2023)

"Framework to consider/organize food and their experiences were beneficial. I liked the case studies." I.L. (Jul. 2023)

"The case studies were helpful! I loved that there was a variety in the severity. This course was very easy to follow along with!" H.N. (Jul. 2023)

"I found the case studies helpful as well as talking through how to food chain. I liked the real life examples." A.A. (Jul. 2023)

"The whole approach seems like it will be an effective way to help expand upon a child’s limited food repertoire. I liked how course was divided into sections, had lots of helpful information in addition to the slides, and had practical information that can be used immediately." K.S. (Jul. 2023)

"Explanation of the food chaining steps was beneficial. I liked the case studies." K.P. (Jun. 2023)

"I plan to encourage my staff to take this course. The evaluation portion of the presentation was a very complete overview and very concise. Personally, I really liked the specific recommendations for spoons, bottles, and cups. I liked the pace and how thorough course was - the case studies were really great." L.H. (Jun. 2023)

"Food Chaining 101, including the specific 6 steps (food chaining is the last step!)" N.E. (Jun. 2023)

"Presenters provided an abundant amount of examples to help relate to clients. Learning what foods can be chained together based on textures was beneficial." C.S. (Jun. 2023)

"I liked the food chaining rating scale and the case studies at the end." M.C. (Jun. 2023)

"I enjoyed the thorough breakdown, examples, and ideas. I liked the case studies and seeing real life examples." M.M. (Jun. 2023)

"The case studies were particularly helpful." S.I. (Jun. 2023)

"This can be immediately applied to therapy. I liked the depth of knowledge presented. Milk-protein allergy was a beneficial topic." M.M. (Jun. 2023)

"I liked all aspects r/t the Food Chaining to assist with the feeding therapy with my clients." S.P. (Jun. 2023)

"The case studies were the most helpful part of the training! They showed real life examples of food chains that could be models for current clients." G.S. (Jun. 2023)

"Rating scales were beneficial (and the recommendation to make one with the child). I liked the practical examples." C.A. (May 2023)

"Discussing the 5 steps to consider before changing foods was beneficial. This course was concise, informative, and visual." S.W. (May 2023)

"This course is clear and to the point. I liked the recommended eating tools/products, and all the examples of food and how it can be modified or expanded as one progressed through therapy." J.C. (Apr. 2023)

"Discussing methods of food training with parents. Easy to comprehend course, good pace." N.L. (Apr. 2023)

"I appreciated the examples of how to chain the food together. I liked the examples." B.B. (Apr. 2023)

"Medical and nutritional considerations, equipment to trial, and case studies to understand examples of chaining were beneficial. I liked the case studies, and being online allowed me to pause and re-listen to ensure my understanding." A.M. (Apr. 2023)

"The feeding strategies to try in therapy were the most beneficial. I enjoyed hearing the case study information." B.M. (Mar. 2023)

"The integration of the child's sensory preferences when determining what food to chain was beneficial. I liked the case history section." R.M. (Mar. 2023)

"Simple food chaining ideas: pulling apart pop tarts, adding 1 tbsp sauce to another sauce, and using flavored broth for rice. I liked the practical pieces and examples, and the rating scale." D.L. (Mar. 2023)

"Learning importance of food education - how effective it can be in daily practice with families of children with picky eating to understand their children better and moreover make mealtime fun rather than stress." C.M. (Mar. 2023)

"Each topic was well explained. I liked the case studies." E.P. (Feb. 2023)

"All the information presented in this workshop was very beneficial. I loved the way presenters linked the red flags in aspects of health history. These are a key piece to implementing the appropriate technique; not just observed feeding skills. The steps to use the therapeutic approach were beneficial." I.V. (Feb. 2023)

"I liked the food chaining technique itself and rating scale." B.M. (Feb. 2023)

"Good overview of expanding food choices. I liked the rating scale." J.H. (Feb. 2023)

"It was a new concept to me so overall course was very helpful. The instructors were clear and concise." M.S. (Feb. 2023)

"The medical and oral motor factors to consider prior to food chaining and the practical examples of food chaining were beneficial." C.M. (Jan. 2023)

"Absolutely everything!! Seriously, the best course I've ever taken! Thank you!" D.E. (Jan. 2023)

"All six steps were helpful. Learning the specific ways to modify foods in the chaining program." H.R. (Jan. 2023)

"The oral motor ideas, such as using tools like the duo spoon, crumbing, and cutting food into rectangles to work on chewing were beneficial. I liked all the examples." J.S. (Jan. 2023)

"I liked the rating scale. Handouts, sectioned material were beneficial." M.R. (Jan. 2023)

"I liked the examples of food chaining specific foods. And the ease of course access." E.O. (Jan. 2023)

"I liked the discussion of food chaining and mapping. And the specific case studies that shared real ideas on how to modify preferred foods." M.D. (Dec. 2022)

"All of this was beneficial. Our dysphagia class in grad school did not offer an in-depth section for treating feeding disorders, especially in the pediatric population. The amount of information given, and the recommendations for treatment were great." A.W. (Dec. 2022)

"I liked the Meal Modification Plan. The topics covered were relevant and everything was explained in a simple way." Z.R. (Dec. 2022)

"The rating scales for food chaining and specific examples of food chains were very informative. Vast amount of information and specific examples given to supplement the information." A.L. (Dec. 2022)

"There were excellent ideas for ways that children can interact with food. Also, the rating scale will be a great way to monitor my kiddos. The presenters were clear and concise. The knowledge checks were great." C.P. (Dec. 2022)

"The structure and information was presented clearly and in an organized way. I liked the ideas presented for chaining different foods." M.R. (Dec. 2022)

"The presentation was simple and easy to follow. The rating scale is helpful. And learning medical reasons a child will not accept foods." M.V. (Dec. 2022)

"I liked the case studies." A.D. (Dec. 2022)

"Course was very specific and explained in detail the concepts." Y.R. (Nov. 2022)

"Understanding how medical problems such as congestion and breathing problems impact feeding. I liked learning how Food Chaining works and the use of the rating system." V.N. (Nov. 2022)

"There are practical suggestions of where to start and how to chain specific foods." S.H. (Nov. 2022)

"Easy to understand course." M.S. (Nov. 2022)

"The case studies were very helpful. Great examples." A.B. (Nov. 2022)

"Food chaining examples, recommendations, tips and tricks, as well as visuals, were very informative. Handouts were easy to follow along with the presentation. Presenters were very knowledgeable and provided fantastic resources, recommendations for actual treatment practice, and case studies/example situations to better achieve learner outcomes." K.W. (Nov. 2022)

"Feeding for craniofacial children under 3 - how to encourage parents in early intervention was good." B.B. (Nov. 2022)

"I found the examples of how to initiate food chaining extremely helpful. I liked that course gave a descriptive overview of food chaining as well as example case studies." K.B. (Nov. 2022)

"The content was easily integrated into clientele examples." D.J. (Nov. 2022)

"I did not know much about food prechaining or chaining. I liked all of the topics. The information was excellent. I liked that I could stop and go and come back where I left off. I liked how I could re-listen as needed." K.H. (Nov. 2022)

"There was a good amount of quality information." A.F. (Nov. 2022)

"A lot of practical usable suggestions! Love the ongoing offering of examples. Just what I need to liven up and change my current sessions." P.B. (Oct. 2022)

"Everything discussed is very important to know when you are working with children that have feeding problems. I liked how the modifications in the foods are helping the kids to expand diet core." R.P. (Oct. 2022)

"Everything was beneficial. Comprehensive and extremely practical course." J.B. (Sept. 2022)

"The presentation was clear." N.U. (Sept. 2022)

"The format was helpful for understanding the material." S.P. (Sept. 2022)

"I liked the clear info that i can use in my cases." J.N. (Sept. 2022)

"The course was very informative." A.B. (Aug. 2022)

"How to practice this feeding chain and step by step, and the videos helped a lot."  M.R. (Aug. 2022)

"I liked all of it. New ideas on chaining methods." A.L. (June 2022)

"The order of presentation of information and topics addressed were good. I liked the specific examples of food chaining." C.F. (June 2022)

"I found that the evaluation process as well as changing the flavor rather than the texture of foods will be very beneficial." W.B. (June 2022)

"I liked the layout and the video presentation. Learning the food chaining process and food rating." K.M. (June 2022)

"I liked the direction it provided for completing a proper case history and learning the detailed technique for food chaining." H.L. (June 2022)

"I work with a lot of kiddos in Early Intervention with feeding/swallowing issues. I read the book by the presenters in my first year as an SLP and loved it. I think they have some great ideas that work with the kiddos I serve. I think the rating scale will be most beneficial, especially for some of my older 6-8 year old outpatients who come just for feeding. The presenters explained everything so well. I enjoyed the pictures and hearing the case studies." T.N. (May 2022)

"Everything was great. I'm very interested in feeding therapy and have a child with ASD. Their use of examples helped a lot." (May 2022)

"Information was very clinically based with a lot of good takeaways to use right away." S.B. (May 2022)

"Helped me to know when to refer patients for feeding consultation." P.B. (Apr. 2022)

"I liked the discussion of food chaining and how to implement strategies." S.S. (Apr. 2022)

"I believe the deep specifics on the steps of food chaining and the examples of different foods and liquids that could be incorporated was beneficial" J.T. (Mar. 2022)

"The explanation of food chaining and case studies were helpful for my understanding. Course expanded my knowledge and understanding of what food chaining is and what foods to try with my feeding patients." J.V. (Mar. 2022)

"The case studies combined with the in-depth explanation of food chaining (by food groups) was helpful in understanding the general concepts and how to put them into practice. I enjoyed the pace and real-world examples presented in the course." K.O. (Mar. 2022)

"I liked the hands on examples of how to chain." D.D. (Mar. 2022)

"Rating scales and how to modify foods was beneficial. The case studies helped me piece things together." J.P. (Mar. 2022)

"Course provided good information on how to assess and begin a food chaining program, and also provided examples." J.R. (Feb. 2022)

"EVERYTHING!!! I'm an SLP and I'm new to feeding therapy. New student on my caseload has feeding goals, however, he's 12!" A.A. (Jan. 2022)

"The rating scale will be most helpful in my daily practice when treating children with feeding disorders. The scale will be helpful in creating goals and monitoring progress. I liked how the course was broken up into different segments. It helped me stay focused on the topic and helped me better retain information when I had to pause the course after each section." D.O. (Jan. 2022)

"The presentation was easy to follow, and there were many practical examples of therapy for a variety of infants and children with different feeding needs." J.B. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the background information about health issues causing picky eating. I'm wondering when EOE came on the radar. My son, now 16, was an extremely picky eater with the associated health issues. We went to so many doctors (pediatricians, allergists, 3 ENTs, immune system doctors). Nobody caught the EOE, despite what I know now to be classic symptoms. We finally figured it out at age 12. We tried more testing, diets, and medications to no avail. At age 14, he went on Neocate and no food for 6 weeks and finally saw remission. At age 14, he was 4'11" and 90 pounds. 18 months later, he was 5'7" and 135 pounds. We still struggle with picky/slow eating. This will be helpful." (Dec. 2021)

"I really enjoyed this course. It really helped me understand how to expand children's diets using their current food preferences. The entire content was wonderful, as well as the case studies and examples. So helpful!"  A.C. (Dec. 2021)

"How to modify existing food preferences with other flavors or textures to improve variety was helpful for my daily practice. The course was very specific and had lots of practical recommendations that will be useful."  T.J. (Nov. 2021)

"I liked the resources and ideas on how to present new foods, and expand. The rating form is very helpful."  L.B. (Oct. 2021)

"I liked that the course was broken down into sections." A.E. (Oct. 2021)

"How to address the evaluation when we have a picky eater. The great strategies, tools and examples about how we can modify a child's diet." J.S. (Oct. 2021)

“I liked that it discussed Food Chaining from infancy through childhood. Many other courses focus on infants and toddlers, and this course incorporated school-age.” R.R. (Oct. 2021)

"The use of rating scales and importance of prechaining process was beneficial for my daily practice." G.L. (Sept. 2021)

"The case studies. It helped to synthesize all the information given and show how the information could be used in the "real world" with "real children". I liked the handouts because I can use them for quick reference." C.D. (Aug. 2021)

“I enjoyed food chaining, the case studies, and examples. I think the instructor was very thorough and detailed with her presentations. I like how I was able to learn at my own pace.” L.H. (Aug. 2021)

"The examples of food chains that were shared will be beneficial to my practice.  I liked how in depth the case studies were." L.S. (Aug. 2021)

“I enjoyed the breakdown of treatment planning of food chaining and an explanation of the rating scale. I also liked that it was broken down in a way that you can use it in your practice immediately.” J.C. (Jul. 2021)

“How to initiate a food chaining program, and using the rating scale to determine which new foods to incorporate or modify was very insightful. I liked how the food chaining method follows a sensory approach to feeding, respecting the child's sensory profile without forcing new foods on them.” Y.D. (Jun. 2021)

"Learning how to modify foods to expand preferences was great!" M.I. (Jun. 2021)

"Learning how to implement Food Chaining and the importance of rating will be beneficial for my daily practice." K.B. (Jun. 2021)

"I loved hearing the thought process for analyzing a new client and then the various ways of altering foods to make them chain off a preferred food. My favorite aspect of this course was learning tidbits like grilled peanut butter and jelly can be easier to tolerate than regular peanut butter and jelly... little nuggets of knowledge that expand my repertoire of chaining knowledge. It was a fabulous course." F.A. (May 2021)

"The specific food groups discussed for food chaining, as well as, how to mask new foods introduced were beneficial. I found the two case studies and monthly updates beneficial to my daily practice with my pediatric feeding patients. Learning about the 6 steps, as well as, specific ways to assist children with oral-motor and sensory needs. I felt that this course covered all of the areas about food chaining (which I wanted to review). However, would have liked to see more videos of food chaining strategies." J.B. (Apr. 2021)

"It was fantastic to have a course on specifics to address the oral stage for swallowing disorders and a plan to help the child expand their palate. I liked the quality of content. Excellent course!!" L.G. (Mar. 2021)

“I enjoyed the in-depth discussion on treatment procedures including the use of rating scales, food chaining examples, and how to approach expanding from a currently accepted food.”  H.G. (Mar. 2021)

“I found the food chaining examples were helpful and increased my understanding.” K.E. (Feb. 2021)

"I liked that it went through anatomy and then went into food chaining for a very complete look. The food chaining rating scale was most helpful." M.H. (Feb. 2021)

“I liked how they presented a few case studies so I could see how to implement the food chaining program.” T.P. (Jan. 2021)

Course Objectives

  1. List the six steps of program development prior to implementation of a Food Chaining therapy.
  2. Describe the treatment techniques of Food Chaining: analysis of core diet, flavor mapping and flavor masking, and use of transitional flavors.
  3. Utilize the Food Chaining rating scales to rate children's reactions to foods and group similar foods by taste, texture and temperature.

Northern Speech Services is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Course approval #25672. This eCourse is offered at 0.3 CEUs, educational level Intermediate, 1. Domain of OT: Areas of Occupation: ADL; Activity Demands: Objects used and their properties, required actions, required body functions and structures; Performance Skills: Sensory perceptural skills, motor and praxis skills 2. OT Process: Evaluation: analysis of occupational performance;  Intervention: Develop intervention plan and approaches, implementation of intervention; Outcomes: Occupational performance. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Presenter & Disclosures

Cheri Fraker, CCC-SLP, CLC, is an ASHA certified pediatric speech pathologist who earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Speech Pathology from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, 1986. Cheri's work in feeding is recognized internationally. She has published articles on Food Chaining in international medical periodicals, The Nest and Nutrition and the MD.

Cheri has worked in pediatrics for 28 years. She developed the techniques of Pre-Chaining and Food Chaining. Cheri has lectured on pediatric feeding disorders at ASHA, the UCLA/UMH Nutrition Leadership Conference, The American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, The North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the 2004 World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in Paris, France.

She is the co-author of the books "Evaluation and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders: From NICU to Childhood” and "Food Chaining: The Six Step Solution to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems and Expand Your Child's Diet." Cheri specializes in evaluation and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders and is the lead therapist for the pediatric feeding team clinic at The Center for Selective Eating and Pediatric Feeding Disorders and the SIU-Koke Mill Pediatric Swallowing Clinic in Springfield, Illinois.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Cheri Fraker is a presenter of online CE courses offered by Northern Speech Services; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Cheri Fraker is the co-author of "Evaluation and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders: From NICU to Childhood" and "Food Chaining: The Six Step Solution to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems and Expand Your Child's Diet"; receives royalty payments.

Nonfinancial — Cheri Fraker has no relevant nonfinancial disclosures.

Laura Walbert, CCC-SLP, CLC, is an ASHA certified pediatric speech pathologist who earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, 1996. Laura’s work in feeding is recognized internationally in medical journal periodicals and conference presentations on pediatric feeding disorders. Laura has also presented on evaluation and treatment of athlete’s with vocal cord dysfunction. She is the co-author of the books “Evaluation and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders: From NICU to Childhood” and “Food Chaining: The Six Step Solution to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems and Expand Your Child's Diet."

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Laura Walbert is a presenter of online CE courses offered by Northern Speech Services; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Laura Walbert is the co-author of "Evaluation and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders: From NICU to Childhood" and "Food Chaining: The Six Step Solution to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems and Expand Your Child's Diet"; receives royalty payments.

Nonfinancial — Laura Walbert has no relevant nonfinancial relationship to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.3 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists
  • OT

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

  • Current ASHA Member
  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder
  • Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology
  • Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC
  • Currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral program in SLP or audiology

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.

Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:

  • California: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. Provider #PDP4. Online CEU limits may apply; please contact SLPAHADB for current online CEU acceptance policies.
  • Iowa: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners. Provider #169.
  • Kansas: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Provider #LTS-S0005.
  • Florida: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Florida Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board. Provider #SPA-026.
  • New Jersey: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the New Jersey Department of Education. Provider #1654.

Frequently Asked Questions



Customer Support: Please phone 888.337.3866 or email info@northernspeech.com.

Course Completion Timeframe:

You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Content Access:

Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.

Certificate of Completion:

On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.

ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

Purchase Orders:

Purchase orders are currently not accepted for online orders, if you wish to submit a purchase order please do so at info@northernspeech.com or fax to 888-696-9655.

What is an Online Course?

Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

Receiving CEUs:

Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.

Registering for an online course:

You may browse all online courses by clicking the Continuing Education tab above, then Online Courses. Once you find a course, click Enroll Now, and you will be asked to either log into your existing Northern Speech account or create a new online account. Once you’ve entered your account information and provided your credit card payment, your course will be immediately available to you.

Accessing your purchased course or returning to a purchased course:

You will be able to access your online course by logging into your Northern Speech account and then clicking the My Online Courses tab on your profile screen. Click the course you would like to start or to resume. From there, proceed through the course sections until you are ready to complete the post test. You do not have to complete your course all at once. You may log on and off as you wish.

Testing requirements:

Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

Number of CEUs offered:

We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

Course formats:

Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

Course handouts:

Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file. 

Group discounts:

Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

Computer requirements:

For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.

Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

Special Needs:

Please click here for any special needs requests, and we will do our best to accommodate them. 

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