264 – Pediatric Feeding in Real Life: From the NICU to the Schools – Lauren Pontoppidan Straughan MA, CCC-SLP

Are you a medical SLP or a school SLP? What if I told you that you don't have to choose? Sure, many SLPs work in schools and PRN in a medical facility on the weekends or during school breaks... But what about the SLPs who work in the schools and help their PFD kids in the academic setting? My guest this week is sharing how she's paving the way for PFD to be treated in the school setting in her community after seeing a need left unmet!

After all, these kids are eating at school and don't get to check their PFD at the door...

In this episode of SYP, I have a conversation with Lauren Pontoppidan Straughan, MA, CCC-SLP about pediatric feeding disorders, the weight PFD parents carry, and the many settings in which SLPs can help PFD patients (hint: it's not just for "medical" SLPs!)

Lauren is deeply passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about PFD, but what I admire most about her after this conversation is her ability to meet families where they are and consider the entire picture of not just the patient, but their entire family when making recommendations and walking through the PFD journey with them. She's an asset to every family she encounters, her school team, and the entire field of speech-language pathology!

In this episode, you'll hear about:

-Getting into feeding/dysphagia when your CF was done in a school and the false dichotomy of the "medical SLP" vs "school SLP"

-Challenges and benefits of each setting (school, clinic, home health)

-Key differences in assessment and treatment of babies versus adults

-Valuable courses for pediatric feeding

-The role of the SLP for sensory feeding disorders

Get the show notes at syppodcast.com/264