SLP Learning Hour

Each season of the SLP Learning Hour we release a new miniseries, all dedicated to going in-depth on a different speech therapy topic. Hear from a variety of hosts and guests who are leaders in the field as they discuss topics including: stuttering, AAC, sports concussion, teletherapy, ethics, and more! Each episode of SLP Learning Hour is worth .1 ASHA CEU when you complete the accompanying course through Speech Therapy PD.

  1. 2 days ago ·  Bonus

    Making Sense of Responsive Feeding Therapy: Child-Centered Feeding Therapy - Making Sense with Madi the SLP

    Follow the child’s cues for more meaningful feeding therapy. Guest: Karen Dilfer, OTR/L Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD Watch on YouTube In this episode of the Making Sense podcast, host Madi Metcalf, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Karen Dilfer, OTR/L, to discuss child-centered feeding therapy and how it aligns with the principles of responsive feeding therapy. Together, they explore the importance of honoring a child's autonomy and share practical ways to implement child-led approaches during feeding therapy sessions. Whether you're new to responsive feeding therapy or looking to strengthen your current approach, this episode offers practical strategies for balancing therapeutic goals with respect for each child's cues, preferences, and participation, supporting more positive and meaningful feeding experiences. About the Guest: Karen Dilfer MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and food enthusiast. She is trained in the Get Permission Approach to pediatric feeding and is privileged to spend the majority of her time as a clinician, working with children and families. Karen is the director of the feeding program at Amy Zier + Associates, a private pediatric therapy clinic in Chicago. She participates in research activities at the University of Chicago where she works in the department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Karen is a co-founder and board member of The Chicago Feeding Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families of children with Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) and advancing continuing education for professionals serving this population. Recognized as a leader in the field, Karen is a sought-after educator and regularly presents for advanced practice platforms, including the Early Intervention training program in Illinois, Sooner Start in Oklahoma, and national professional organizations such as the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Show Notes: Contact Madi Metcalf: LinkedIn, Instagram, Function First Contact Karen Dilfer: LinkedIn Pediatric feeding disorder in early intervention: Expanding access, improving outcomes, and prioritizing responsive feeding Responsive Feeding Therapy: Values and Practice Chicago Feeding Group Get Permission Institute

    Making Sense of Responsive Feeding Therapy: Child-Centered Feeding Therapy - Making Sense with Madi the SLP
  2. 20 Aug ·  Bonus

    The Brain Health Toolbox with Jennifer Ruckner - Brainstorms: Functional Neurorehab for SLPs

    How can we incorporate brain health into everyday clinical practice? Guest: Jennifer Ruckner, MS, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD Watch on YouTube Brainstorms podcast host Renee Garrett, MSED, CCC-SLP, CBIS, is joined by Jennifer Ruckner, MS, CCC-SLP, for a practical discussion on how speech-language pathologists can incorporate brain health into everyday clinical practice. Together, they break down the neuroscience behind neuroplasticity, cognitive reserve, and lifestyle factors that influence brain function, while exploring what brain health really means across the continuum of care. About the Guest: Jennifer Ruckner, MS, CCC-SLP, is a seasoned speech-language pathologist with over three decades of experience across Early Intervention, school districts, and private practice. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Communication Disorders from Auburn University and has practiced since 1990. Jennifer specializes in Social/Pragmatic Language, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Expressive Language Disorder, and Feeding Disorders. Show Notes and Resources: First Things First (Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board): This state-funded organization explicitly publishes these exact percentage benchmarks in their The First Five Years and general Brain Development guides to emphasize the importance of early childhood. [1, 2, 3]The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University: Harvard's research on early brain architecture and "serve-and-return" interactions serves as the scientific foundation for these milestones. They document that the brain's physical volume and synaptic pathways undergo their most rapid, critical expansion during this 0-to-5 window. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]National Institutes of Health (NIH): Public health studies track these figures based on physical brain weight and volume growth, explaining how a newborn's brain starts at about 25% of adult size, doubles in the first year, and hits the 90% mark around age 5. [1, 2]

    The Brain Health Toolbox with Jennifer Ruckner - Brainstorms: Functional Neurorehab for SLPs
  3. 17 Aug ·  Bonus

    How SLPs and OTs Can Transform School Mealtimes - School of Speech

    Whether you're part of a feeding team or looking to strengthen collaboration with colleagues, you'll leave this episode with practical, evidence-informed ideas you can put to work in your own school. Full Episode Title: More Than Lunch: How SLPs and OTs Can Transform School Mealtimes Guests: Maragryta Kuzmin, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD-BE & Lily Glasgo, PhD, OTR/L Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD Watch on YouTube In this episode of the School of Speech podcast, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Margaryta Kuzmin, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD-BE, BCS-S Candidate, and Lily Glasgo, PhD, OTR/L, to discuss how school-based speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists can work together to better support students with pediatric feeding disorder. They explore each profession's unique and overlapping roles in feeding, swallowing, self-feeding, sensory needs, and mealtime participation, while examining how feeding challenges can influence student safety, nutrition, attendance, learning, inclusion, and access to the educational environment. About the Guests: Margaryta Kuzmin is a bilingual speech-language pathologist based in New York City with over 15 years of experience working with infants, toddlers, and school-age children with complex communication, feeding, and developmental needs. She specializes in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, AAC, and working with medically complex populations. Dr. Glasgo received her PhD in Occupational Science in 2025 from UNC Chapel Hill, where she was funded through a Department of Education grant supporting young children with significant disabilities. She enjoys interdisciplinary collaboration and loves to bring an occupational perspective to research. She is co-chairing a large research project with the nonprofit Feeding Matters, which aims to increase physician education and outreach for early identification of pediatric feeding disorder.

    How SLPs and OTs Can Transform School Mealtimes - School of Speech
  4. 14 Aug ·  Bonus

    Making Sense of Responsive Feeding Therapy: Felt Safety as the Foundation - Making Sense with Madi the SLP

    Discover how felt safety can open the door to appetite, curiosity, and connection at mealtimes. Guest: Katja Rowell, MD Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD Watch on YouTube In this episode of Making Sense of Responsive Feeding Therapy, host Madi Metcalf, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Katja Rowell, MD, to explore why felt safety is the foundation of responsive feeding therapy. Together, they discuss how creating a sense of felt safety during feeding sessions and at home supports children with pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders by fostering appetite, regulation, and curiosity about food. Throughout the episode, Madi and Dr. Rowell examine the relationship between felt safety and responsive feeding, explaining how a supportive environment can reduce stress around mealtimes while encouraging intrinsic motivation and engagement. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how felt safety influences feeding outcomes and leave with practical insights for creating more effective, child-centered feeding experiences. About the Guest: Katja Rowell is a family doctor, author, and founder of The Feeding Doctor. She is one of the authors of the Responsive Feeding Therapy White Paper. Her mission is to help children grow up to feel good about food and their bodies. She has special interests in avoidant eating and supporting adopted and fostered children. Her books include Helping Your Child When Mealtimes are Hard, Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating, and Love Me, Feed Me, for fostering and adopting parents. She is a webinar contributor at Responsivefeedingpro.com. Show Notes: Contact Madi Metcalf: LinkedIn, Instagram, Function First Dr. Katja Rowell - The Feeding Doctor Self-Determination Theory as a Theoretical Framework for a Responsive Approach to Child Feeding Responsive feeding is embedded in a theoretical framework of responsive parenting Relationships between sensory sensitivity, anxiety and selective eating in children Impact of a Responsive Feeding Intervention on Children and Caregivers: A Nonrandomized, Repeated-Measures Study 'Finish your soup': counterproductive effects of pressuring children to eat on intake and affect The'picky eater': The toddler or preschooler who does not eat Modern Attachment Theory: The Central Role of Affect Regulation in Development and Treatment Role reversal method for treatment of food refusal associated with infantile feeding disorders

    Making Sense of Responsive Feeding Therapy: Felt Safety as the Foundation - Making Sense with Madi the SLP

About

Each season of the SLP Learning Hour we release a new miniseries, all dedicated to going in-depth on a different speech therapy topic. Hear from a variety of hosts and guests who are leaders in the field as they discuss topics including: stuttering, AAC, sports concussion, teletherapy, ethics, and more! Each episode of SLP Learning Hour is worth .1 ASHA CEU when you complete the accompanying course through Speech Therapy PD.

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