$119.00 USD

96% rating - reviews

0.8  ASHA CEUs

Developing Critical Thinking Skills In Pediatric Dysphagia: Part 1 – Postural Stability And Oral Motor Feeding Disorders #e201


Presenter: Jennifer Dahms, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Part 1 – Postural Stability And Oral Motor Feeding Disorders

Oral motor feeding disorders are quite common in the world of pediatric feeding disorders. It is important that the speech-language pathologist who is working with this population understand the sensory innervation and muscle movements that contribute to such areas of deficits.

The exercises that we use with children to improve their overall oral motor functioning must be chosen based on the child’s needs and overall tolerance to the therapeutic process. We also need to be aware of the underlying support that the body provides to the oral motor system. The body works as a whole for oral motor feeding success. This course includes video examples, case studies, lab practice and application activities. Research on various topics regarding pediatric oral motor feeding disorders will be discussed.

Offered for 0.8 ASHA CEUs – 8 Contact Hours. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Course Topics – Run Time: 8:20:27

  • Cranial Nerves and Muscles
  • Postural Stability Deficits and Therapy Techniques
  • Positioning Deficits and Therapy Techniques
  • Oral Motor Deficits – General Information
  • Therapy Techniques Addressing:
    • Lip Deficits
    • Cheek Deficits
    • Tongue Lateralization Deficits
    • Tongue Elevation Deficits
    • Biting Deficits
    • Chewing Deficits
  • Review and Summary
"This is the first course with actual therapy techniques for each difficulty level. I have many patients that these techniques would benefit."

– K.K., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!
"I am trying to build my base knowledge for pediatric swallowing disorders and this was a great introduction to therapy techniques, with concrete and thorough information about clinical signs, symptoms and impressions. It was extremely informative and I look forward to taking the subsequent parts of the course series!"

– E.H., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

The content of this online CE course does not focus exclusively on any specific proprietary product or service. 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

"Labs, videos, and discussion using the case studies were helpful. I liked that I could go at my own speed." K.U. (Mar. 2024)

"I really appreciated the specific treatment strategies for each area. The patient videos were really helpful to reinforce the discussion." J.H. (Jan. 2024)

"Discussing the signs and symptoms of chewing disorders was beneficial. I liked having notes as well as the video." H.S. (Dec. 2023)

"Discussing the massage techniques and how they are effective was helpful. The presentation was clear and practical." M.N. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the specific examples of deficits and how to provide therapy for them." A.V. (Dec. 2023)

"Therapeutic strategies were helpful. I liked the use of real-life videos of patients." S.P. (Nov. 2023)

"The use of tethering and clinical swallow techniques to support children with difficulties in these areas was beneficial. I liked the ability to go at my own pace." J.C. (Nov. 2023)

"I liked the intervention strategies and the interactive lab practice and video examples." A.A. (Nov. 2023)

"Biting/chewing deficits were beneficial to discuss. I liked the breakdown of different categories." J.J. (Nov. 2023)

"Strategies for therapy. I liked the use of video modeling." E.R. (Nov. 2023)

"The course was organized in a manner that made sense, and I feel like everything was covered, from background to assessment to treatment. The information on tongue tie was particularly helpful for my daily practice." K.S. (Oct. 2023)

"Very informative course. It made me think about some of my current patients and why I am seeing some of the behaviors I am seeing. Discussing postural stability was beneficial because it really emphasized that safe feeding is not isolated to the oral motor system and that the core needs to be addressed as well." C.C. (Oct. 2023)

"I am starting to work with more feeding clients, and this course will improve my therapy techniques. I liked that I could pause and replay sections." A.A. (Oct. 2023)

"I liked the therapeutic exercises. And the applications to daily practice." J.B. (Oct. 2023)

"Providing sensory input to elicit motor response! Presenter did a great job of pacing course, and the order of info was great." J.J. (Oct. 2023)

"Relevant to my caseload." R.R. (Sep. 2023)

"Chewing therapy was beneficial. I liked the videos and lab exercises." R.A. (Sep. 2023)

"The therapeutic strategies were helpful. The presentation was clear and concise. The presenter had great visual slides and examples. I also appreciated the case study scenarios - they were very functional." A.A. (Aug. 2023)

"Helpful information about therapy techniques and how to assess." T.M. (Aug. 2023)

"Jaw section and chewing were beneficial topics. I liked all the different therapy techniques mentioned." M.V. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the treatment applications and the examples." K.M. (Aug. 2023)

"The exercises were very helpful. Applicability to my practice." A.W. (Aug. 2023)

"The specific information on biting and chewing was beneficial, and I liked the video examples." J.F. (Jul. 2023)

"I liked how presenter broke down all components of the oral phase and described treatment techniques for each area of weakness. I liked the flexibility of completing course on my own time." K.B. (Jul. 2023)

"Chewing and progression of food textures were beneficial topics. I liked all of the information." A.J. (Jul. 2023)

"Buccal tightness and weakness was very interesting. I enjoyed the video inserts. I also enjoyed the research articles." A.S. (Jul. 2023)

"Tongue lateralization was a beneficial topic. I have a student who has very low tone and decreased tongue movement, and I've been struggling to help her increase lateralization/ROM. I appreciated all of the therapeutic techniques discussed - many courses spend a lot of time on background information but don't provide enough info for putting strategies into practice." J.R. (Jul. 2023)

"The therapy recommendations for oral motor exercises were beneficial. I liked that I could take course at my own pace. It was a lot of information to digest. I liked that I could go back and listen to some sections twice to fully comprehend the material." J.M. (Jul. 2023)

"Very clear explanations and instructions with real case video examples. Types of exercises that benefit different problems and how to complete them." G.L. (Jun. 2023)

"Strategies for all areas of deficits. The video examples were helpful to visualize the material being presented." M.R. (Jun. 2023)

"Review of neuromuscular underpinnings was beneficial. I liked the lab activities and video examples." T.L. (May 2023)

"This is the course I needed to understand what to look for and how to improve different deficits for all structures involved with feeding and positioning! I liked the video demonstrations." H.B. (May 2023)

"All of this content was beneficial. I liked the demonstration with real-life clients." H.H. (May 2023)

"Therapeutic approaches to OME and feeding were beneficial. I liked the videos and demonstrations." V.A. (Apr. 2023)

"All topics discussed were beneficial beginning with anatomy and connecting all of the body. I liked the techniques and anatomy." K.G. (Mar. 2023)

"The presenter was very knowledgeable. This course thoroughly reviewed the connection between postural stability and oral motor/feeding deficits with applications that could be used right away with my clients." L.M. (Jan. 2023)

"I enjoyed the practical applications of each activity to demonstrate examples of feeding difficulties among children and how they might benefit from therapeutic techniques." C.C. (Jan. 2023)

"I enjoyed the structure in terms of areas of deficit, followed by signs and symptoms, then the ways in which it can be treated." C.C. (Jan. 2023)

"Function of muscles and how it is applicable to children's development was beneficial. I liked the layout of the course." C.A. (Jan. 2023)

"Good demonstrations and research." K.W. (Jan. 2023)

"I liked all of it. Therapy techniques were beneficial." A.W. (Jan. 2023)

"Practical application and things to look for in order to determine what intervention to apply." M.C. (Dec. 2022)

"Postural stability specifically trunk stability and mobility was beneficial. The examples and video demonstrations were helpful." M.A. (Dec. 2022)

"Each section's practice questions/clinical application questions were helpful to see how the information learned could be used to assess and treat "real-life" patients. I liked the suggested therapeutic activities/strategies included in each section." E.K. (Dec. 2022)

"Therapeutic exercises were beneficial. I liked the course organization." A.R. (Dec. 2022)

"I liked the oral motor treatment strategies, and in-depth discussion about each oral motor structure." A.J. (Dec. 2022)

"Wealth of information. I liked the assessment and therapy strategies looking at different skills in feeding." A.M. (Dec. 2022)

"Oral motor deficits broken down and discussed by anatomical structures." L.H. (Nov. 2022)

"Videos and the way info was broken down was helpful. The presenter's knowledge was great!" K.L. (Nov. 2022)

"The step by step information of all the parts of the mouth involved in eating was good." D.S. (Oct. 2022)

"I loved the thoroughness of explanations for each aspect of oral structure and function and therapeutic interventions for each deficit area." L.G. (Oct. 2022)

"I liked the videos and intervention examples provided. And the information about Buccal and lingual deficits and therapeutic strategies to improve them." K.O. (Sept. 2022)

"Speaker provided multiple examples and the videos were quite good. I got a new perspective on approaches I have been using." D.V. (Sept. 2022)

"I liked the layout and how it moved from one area of concern to the next and ended with chewing. It helped show that there is a lot to consider during feeding other than chewing and swallowing." C.J. (Sept. 2022)

"Gave deficits then specific ways to help remediate. I liked the strategies for tongue lateralization and chewing." A.W. (Sept. 2022)

"I liked the ability to stop and start." E.P. (Aug. 2022)

"I enjoyed the review of the cranial nerves and the therapy techniques presented." M.K. (Jul. 2022) 

"Learning exact exercise techniques for lips, cheeks, tongue, jaw to process food textures was beneficial. Also, identifying weaknesses. I liked that the course is online and you can go at your own pace." M.M. (Jun. 2022)

"I liked how intensive the course was regarding recognizing red flag signs. Liked the specific exercises that address each area of concern. The importance of each movement per structure and the clinical signs and symptoms of problems in each area." M.L. (Jun. 2022)

"Practical material. Liked the therapeutic strategies." L.H. (Jun. 2022)

"I liked that the course covered therapy techniques in great detail." S.C. (Jun. 2022)

"The course was very thorough." D.W. (Jun. 2022)

"Wealth of information! And I liked that you could go at your own pace, pausing and giving yourself breaks as needed." L.P. (May 2022)

"All of the course was great, as I am a new SLP going into a clinic with feeding clients. Liked the lab exercises and videos to get a feel and a visual of the information." J.S. (May 2022)

"I found the whole course to be beneficial because I am new to feeding therapy. The demonstration videos were especially helpful." L.B. (May 2022)

"I loved the progression of oral motor skills and exercises from front to back. It was very comprehensive and thorough." H.D. (May 2022)

"I liked the strategies and therapy techniques for chewing as chewing deficits are what I most commonly see." C.B. (May 2022)

"She was very thorough and organized in her content." K.W. (May 2022)

"This entire course was beneficial, as I am beginning my training in order to work with children with feeding and swallowing deficits." M.W. (Apr. 2022)

"I liked the ease of video streaming and testing formats. Also loved the discount to buy all portions of course!" A.S. (Apr. 2022)

"I liked the specific tx techniques & strategies (e.g. lollipop pull for lip closure). Course provided very practical info." O.S. (Apr. 2022)

"Practical therapeutic strategies. I liked that the videos and examples were of actual patients/clients." E.S. (Mar. 2022)

"The exercises were very helpful. I liked the demonstration of exercises and laboratory to demonstrate the deficits and strategies." F.D. (Mar. 2022)

"Videos of actual swallowing therapy were beneficial." S.P. (Feb. 2022)

"I liked the strategies for therapy. The instructor did an excellent job explaining material as well as providing lab work." C.A. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the discussion of how things interconnect and ways to work on one area while supporting another – how everything was discussed in relation to one another." A.M. (Jan. 2022)

"I am trying to build my base knowledge for pediatric swallowing disorders and this was a great introduction to therapy techniques, with concrete and thorough information about clinical signs, symptoms and impressions. It was extremely informative and I look forward to taking the subsequent parts of the course series!" E.H. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the use of research and implications for therapy. Additionally, the videos of patients before, during, and after therapy techniques." M.W. (Dec. 2021)

"Very detailed and thorough. I definitely need to take parts 2 and 3 to feel that I have the best base possible for the topic. Use of videos were very helpful to learn the topics, and more would be even better." N.N. (Dec. 2021)

"It was very thoughtfully constructed with the application sections and lab practices. Well organized for immediate clinical use."  A.M. (Dec. 2021)

"I am trying to build my base knowledge for pediatric swallowing disorders and this was a great introduction to therapy techniques, with concrete and thorough information about clinical signs, symptoms and impressions. It was extremely informative and I look forward to taking the subsequent parts of the course!" E.H. (Dec. 2021)

"I liked the variety of techniques described for each area of difficulty. It contained a lot of practical information and resources that I will be able to use daily." D.B. (Oct. 2021)

"All of this information will benefit me in daily practice!  I liked the labs and videos, I am a visual learner!" S.S. (Sept. 2021)

"Chewing patterns and placement/positioning tips were beneficial for my daily practice." E.H. (Sept. 2021)

"The detailed information and techniques/strategies for oral motor feeding disorders were very good." N.H. (Aug. 2021)

"I fully appreciated all of the oral-motor signs and symptoms and the therapeutic techniques.  I loved that she used lab practices!" J.V. (Aug. 2021)

"I really enjoyed the discussion of the exercises to do and applications for them. I also liked how the course tied all of the concepts together, and reinforced them throughout the presentation.  Because of the length of the course, I appreciated that I could pause the course at any time, and return later when I was available. I liked that NSS kept track of my progress." K.W. (Jul. 2021)

“I enjoyed the predictable pattern of presentation of each topic, supplemented with practical practice and video examples.”  D.B. (Mar. 2021)

“I liked that videos of real children with real issues were included. It helped to visualize what was being discussed.”  E.B. (Feb. 2021)

"I have recently begun working with clients in early intervention, which requires additional knowledge around feeding/swallowing. While I definitely feel more confident having experts on my team, I wanted to extend my knowledge to have a better understanding of certain techniques used and the science behind them." A.O. (Feb. 2021)

“This course was clear and easy to understand with informative slides paired with case studies and research. I found this information to be very applicable to everyday practice.” K.B. (Jan. 2021)

"I liked the videos and research part. I love how the course is broken down into clinical signs and symptoms, and therapy, and research. It was well organized. Thank you! Also, I love the personal clinical experience embedded in the course material." R.N. (Jan. 2021)

"In depth discussion of facilitating chewing skills was one of the most comprehensive I've experienced. I liked the breadth and depth of information and immediate application potential to clinical practice." S.R. (Jan. 2021)

"All of it was beneficial! The presenter is definitely an expert in her field and has such a vast knowledge basis. She was very detail oriented and explained everything well. I have already recommended this course to colleagues. I also appreciated the lab activities and videos." G.S. (Jan. 2021)

“I loved the detailed therapeutic activities. Also, the videos to support what coursework detailed. I'm a visual learner, so it helped tremendously to see it in action.” V.B. (Jan. 2021)

“This is an excellent course for any specialist working on feeding skills to have a broader idea and knowledge of how to properly engage in a feeding assessment and therapy. Everything was wonderful!” C.R. (Jan. 2021)

Course Objectives

  1. Identify the cranial nerves and muscles associated with disordered oral motor movements for feeding.
  2. List the limitations in postural stability and positioning that can negatively influence feeding.
  3. Describe the activities that can be used to improve postural stability and positioning.
  4. Identify symptoms of and therapeutic activities for lip movement deficits.
  5. Identify symptoms of and therapeutic activities for cheek movement deficits.
  6. Identify symptoms of and therapeutic activities for tongue lateralization deficits.
  7. Identify symptoms of and therapeutic activities for tongue elevation deficits.
  8. Identify symptoms of and therapeutic activities for biting deficits.
  9. Identify symptoms of and therapeutic activities for chewing deficits.

Presenter & Disclosures

Jennifer Dahms, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.  She has worked in two different counties in Wisconsin, providing Birth-to-Three and outpatient therapy services.  She moved to Boise, Idaho in 2006 and initially worked for St. Luke’s Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services for two years.  Jennifer then opened her own private practice, Valley Pediatric Feeding LLC, in October 2008.  Over the course of her career, she has focused the majority of her continuing education on pediatric feeding disorders.  Jennifer earned ASHA’s ACE Award in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. She initially became Board Certified in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders in 2011.  She is a member of the Dysphagia Research Society and is a SIG 13 member.  Jennifer has presented on pediatric feeding disorders at state and regional conferences as well as with several online webinars.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Jennifer Dahms is presenter of online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Nonfinancial — Jennifer Dahms has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.8 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

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 master's 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.

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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.

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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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