Dr. Brown's Medical Complex Swallowing/Feeding in the NICU: Where’s Your Magic Wand When You Need It?

Webinar

Complex Swallowing/Feeding in the NICU: Where’s Your Magic Wand When You Need It?

Speakers (Click for bio)

Catherine Shaker
M.S./CCC-SLP, BCS-S, NDT/C
Catherine Shaker
M.S./CCC-SLP, BCS-S, NDT/C
Ms. Shaker is a Neonatal/Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist with over 48 years’ experience with neonates, medically fragile infants, and children through school age with complex needs across the continuum of pediatric settings. An ASHA Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, and Advanced Clinical Specialist in the NICU, Ms. Shaker has worked full-time in large Level III and IV Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) for almost 40 years. She has published over 20 manuscripts on NICU intervention in peer-reviewed journals and co-authored The Early Feeding Skills Assessment Tool with Suzanne Thoyre, PhD, RN. Ms. Shaker received the Pioneer Award from The National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT) and is an internationally recognized leader in NICU feeding/swallowing practice, and in supporting Early Intervention clinicians following NICU graduates. She is both pediatric FEES and NDT trained and
is passionate about family-centered infant-guided feeding in the NICU. Parents in the NICU often call her "The Preemie Whisperer". Ms. Shaker has received invitations to guest lecture across the US, as well as in multiple countries, to therapists, nurses & physicians. Attendees at her conferences come from across the globe, including Spain, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Canada, Greece, Korea, Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Japan, and from coast to coast in the US. She is known for her passion for lifelong learning, critical thinking and evidence-based solutions, and building attendees’ confidence and competence for real-life problem-solving. 2026 will be her final year of teaching scheduled seminars, and she is actively planning her "next adventure".

Follow Ms. Shaker via her website at www.Shaker4SwallowingandFeeding.com.

Originally presented: May 5, 2026

Launch Webinar

For questions re: webinars or CE credit, please contact us at medinfo@drbrownsmedical.com

Disclosure

Financial - Honorarium from Dr. Brown’s Medical
Non-financial - None

Overview

The journey to successful oral feedings for many preterm and sick infants and their families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be arduous. This live interactive webinar is designed to capture the dynamic problem-solving process that underpins the infant’s journey to safe and successful feeding both in the NICU and beyond. There can be multiple roadblocks, such as sequelae from medical co-morbidities, well-intentioned actions that create risk, and worrisome clinical presentations that require a thorough differential, critical thinking, and consideration of risk-benefit at every juncture. Collaboration, especially with parents, and the entire care team is essential to truly support infant-guided feeding, and positive protective feeding experiences.

Learning Outcomes

After attending the webinar, the learner will be able to:

Explain how system-based differential diagnosis can be effectively used to problem-solve two complex feeding/swallowing patients in the NICU.
List at least three intervention strategies to support safe infant-guided feeding for infants with complex medical co-morbidities.
Identify at least two ways to navigate interactions with the team when advocating for an infant in the NICU.

Timed Agenda

1:00-1:05 Introduction
1:05-1:10 Clinical problem-solving in the NICU using co-morbidity-based differential diagnosis for complex feeding/swallowing problems
1:10-1:20 Problem-solve and discuss case one
1:20-1:30 Problem-solve and discuss case two
1:30-1:40 Problem-solve and discuss case three
1:40-1:50 Problem-solve and discuss case four
1:50-2:00 Summary Question and Answer Session

Instructional Method

The live webinar includes dynamic interactive case problem-solving, question and answer session, learning assessment and course evaluation. On-demand webinar includes recorded discussion, recorded question and answer session, learning assessment and course evaluation.

Course Completion Requirements

To receive education credit, the learner must view the entire webinar, complete the course evaluation, and complete the post-webinar learning assessment. Login and logout times will be recorded and documented.

Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Feeding Consultants is an ASHA CE Approved Provider of continuing education. This live webinar is offered at 0.10 ASHA CEUs, Intermediate, Professional level. No partial credit awarded. ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply ASHA endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures.

ASHA CEUs available for the live webinar on May 5, 2026 only.

Dr. Brown’s Medical is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID 15761. This webinar is offered at 0.1 CEUs, educational level, Intermediate. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Nursing: Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #16677 for 1 Contact Hour. Participant required to attend 80% of the activity to receive CE.

Notes