An ICE Accredited Assessment Based Certificate Program
The VitalStim Certificate Program was introduced to the professional dysphagia community in 2003 as the competency course for the only FDA-cleared NMES device for dysphagia treatment. The program, then known as the VitalStim Certification Program, revolutionized dysphagia therapy!

The popular course has gone through multiple revisions since its inception, incorporating the latest findings from the research and clinical communities. This new course update is the most significant to date. It is the result of several converging trends in the field of NMES for dysphagia treatment. The new content reflects significant growth of scientific research, an increase in available treatment protocols and an expansion of available equipment options.

VitalStim® Therapy and Beyond includes the online course, MBS: The Clear Picture (12hrs) and the two day hands-on "VitalStim® Therapy and Beyond: DINES Specialty Certificate Program" (16hrs) for a total of 28 hours of continuing education credit.

Course Pricing
$775 (Individual)
$350 (Renewal at Live Course - earn 16 hrs. of continuing education credit)

Disciplines

• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist

• MBS: The Clear Picture
• MBS Course Instructions
• VitalStim Therapy Specialty Program Policies

Receive your Specialty Certificate in VitalStim Therapy!

The VitalStim® Therapy Specialty Program includes the online course, MBS: The Clear Picture-Pediatric (12 hrs.) and the two day hands-on "VitalStim® Therapy Course" (16 hrs.) for a total of 28 hrs.

Course Pricing
$775
$350 (Renewal at Live Course - earn 16 hrs. of continuing education credit)

The VitalStim Therapy Course Manual will be issued at the live course.

Disciplines

• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist

• MBS: The Clear Picture - Pediatric
• MBS Course Instructions
• VitalStim Certification Policies
• VitalStim Auditor-Refresher Policies

There are two ways to participate in this live stream event (BOTH count as LIVE Continuing Education!:):

1. in the LIVE STUDIO audience in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
2. via LIVE STREAM around the world - Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer and interact with the instructor.

Course time(s):
8:00 AM Central (9:00 AM Eastern; 7:00 AM Mountain; 6:00 AM Pacific)

Have you ever avoided AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) because you didn't know where to begin? If so, this is the course for you! This introductory course will provide an overview of the AAC process: from identification to acquisition. Participants will learn the benefits and applications of AAC (why) as well as how to identify AAC candidates (when). You will learn how to perform a comprehensive AAC assessment (how) and the ins and outs of navigating AAC funding.

Disciplines

• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

Do you ever find that you are faced with treating individuals with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID, and you are unsure how to best treat them? Are you expected to treat older children or people with food phobias/anxiety and do not have the skills with which to best help them? Are you searching for better ways to achieve greater outcomes for your patients with anxiety around eating? We were not taught this in school, and many of us are in need of ways to better help our patients with this complex and challenging diagnosis. For years, Kelly Komisaruk has specialized in Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and helping people specifically with this diagnosis. She will not only give you a solid understanding of what ARFID is (so you can explain it to caregivers!) but will also fill your therapy tool box with resources you need to be able to walk your patients through a journey to be able to eat successfully again. You will be able to troubleshoot, plan therapy sessions, and gain a better understanding of what your patients are going through while eating. You will leave this course feeling confident in your ability to take on your biggest feeding challenges like never before. You will also learn Kelly's successful "Low Pressure Still Progressing" approach to ARFID treatment to guide you along your way!

Disciplines

• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

Literature over the last 2 decades has shown an obvious link between motor function and cognition. Emerging data suggest therapies designed to improve specific aspects of cognitive function, may also improve gait, increase use of compensatory strategies, and reduce fall risk. Falls and fall-related injuries are a huge concern and costly burden to individuals, society, and healthcare systems. Despite the costly and physical consequences of falls, common interventions and 'fall prevention programs' have been shown to be inadequate or ineffective. This evidence shines a new light on the SLPs ability to target functional safety goals through cognitive therapy to change the outcomes of patient safety. The evidence-based techniques reviewed in this course are applicable to patients with fall concerns who mobilize in any way and/or participate in ADLs, including patients with Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and other neurological diagnoses. This course focuses heavily on evidence-based cognitive therapy techniques to improve patient safety; along with education essentials for training of staff/family as a part of your plan of care. Discussion will include how to target these skills without duplicating services with PT/OT. Course material will cover goal writing for best practice standards and avoiding insurance denials. Specific patient examples and documentation from referral to discharge will be covered. Steps to initiate and/or increase the success of a current fall prevention program will be described. Barriers and challenges will also be reviewed.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

Are you an SLP or OT and are struggling to treat Pediatric Feeding Disorder or Selective Feeding Disorder? This course will give you the nuts and bolts of feeding therapy, so you have solid tools for evaluating and treating kids as soon as you go back to work! Build your confidence evaluating and treating a variety of children with sensory, behavioral, and oral motor concerns so you know how to plan your sessions and counsel parents. From evaluation to discharge, we will cover case studies, sensory and behavioral feeding treatment techniques, and what to do in tricky situations. Leave this course feeling ready to take on complex and challenging feeding patients including children with sensory concerns, ASD, oral motor deficits, gastrointestinal concerns, and more.

Disciplines

• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

There are two ways to participate in this live stream event (BOTH count as LIVE Continuing Education!:):

1. in the LIVE STUDIO audience in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
2. via LIVE STREAM around the world - Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer and interact with the instructor.

Course time(s):
8:00 AM Central (9:00 AM Eastern; 7:00 AM Mountain; 6:00 AM Pacific)

t's out of the box, what's next? AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) is a tool in our toolbox, but without effective implementation, it is like a hammer without a nail. This introductory course will go beyond opening the box and into strategies for effective treatment planning and implementation. We will learn prominent treatment approaches, scaffolding techniques and review resources for goal writing and selection. Participants will acquire clinical decision making skills to circumvent potential barriers within AAC.

Disciplines

• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

This course instruction assumes a prior knowledge of dysphagia and anatomy/physiology of the head and neck. For an excellent review of the normal and abnormal swallow, we recommend bundling the ecourse "Anatomy of Swallowing". Please note that VitalStim Providers and past attendees of John Kelly's Myofascial Release and Other Manual Techniques in Dysphagia Management course may have already completed Anatomy of Swallowing (not sure, just ask CIAO).  We are offering the ecourse at a $20 discount when added as a bundle during registration (price reflects discount).

Elastic taping techniques have gained the attention of rehab providers offering support while allowing functional movement. This research-based modality has a variety of applications to address functional impairment. This course will focus on taping strategies relevant to dysphagia therapy. Therapeutic applications provide re-education of the neuromuscular system, influence lymphatic drainage, improve localized circulation and reduce pain. Diagnoses familiar to the dysphagia specialist benefit from its use. Taping strategies offer muscular inhibition as in craniomandibular hypertonus, muscular recruitment facilitating hyoid movement and minimize postural compensation related to sensory input. This course will educate the dysphagia clinician on the therapeutic benefit of taping to improve motor patterns and facilitate a client's functional independence. Though focused on the adult population, experienced pediatric clinicians can easily apply these techniques to the pediatric population.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

Have fun at the course, have fun with your clients! Join us in therapeutic play - the NDT way! This interactive basic level course for OT/COTA 's, PT/PTA's and SLP's will emphasize treatment strategies to promote "natural ways to play" in the child with neurological involvement. Therapists will learn introductory handling techniques to optimize postural control and visual/perceptual skills. Participants will learn how neuromotor control and influences of the sensory systems impact functional outcomes. Participants will learn basic components of Integrative Yoga Therapy (IYT) and how these strategies relate to NDT. Therapists will be challenged to facilitate creative play with the children they work with and gain knowledge in the value and foundation of "play". This course will take you through lecture, handling and movement labs, interactive discussions and problem -solving to spark individual creativity and basic understanding of NDT and IYT.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

"Lymphedema Management of the Head and Neck," is an intermediate level course that will provide the foundational knowledge and skills to evaluate and provide treatment for lymphedema of the head and neck. Medical Speech-Language Pathologists are recognized as key team members in the management of individuals with head and neck cancer and can bring value into the realm of lymphedema management. Learners will take a deep dive into the lymphatic system and discover how lymphedema can impact the swallowing mechanism and communication. This course will address considerations of lymphedema management especially for head and neck cancer as well as unique cases with solutions that therapists may face such as placement of tracheostomy or PEG tube. This course is open to speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, COTAs, physical therapists, and PTAs. Clinicians will complete the course with the knowledge and skills to determine appropriate intervention strategies to provide optimal care for individuals with lymphedema of the head and neck.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Massage Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

This interactive two-day workshop for rehabilitation teams will address evaluation and current treatment techniques appropriate for soft tissue and joint restrictions that contribute to an abnormal swallow.
Note: Registration for this course includes the pre-requisite online course "Anatomy of Swallowing" (you will receive an additional 4 hours for completion of this online course)
Click Here for a Preview

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Massage Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist

Despite the advances in technology, the developing fetal brain is placed in a "mismatched" NICU environment during a critical period of maturation. Research indicates that children who experience trauma early in life are at higher risk for retained primitive reflexes, nervous system dysregulation, difficulties with sensory processing and feeding delays. New evidence shows the importance of supporting the autonomic nervous system through a "whole body" treatment approach. Therapeutic interventions such as "Body Work" offers a new perspective on evaluation and treatment across all settings. This course will cover prenatal, perinatal and postnatal care. It also discusses factors that influence the function of neonates throughout the trajectory of their development including maternal/infant health, whole body regulation, and parent-child relationships. The approach taught in this course provides OT/PT/SLPs successful techniques for nervous system regulation, reflex integration, functional feeding and overall motor development. Considering the short term and long-term effects of trauma, the instructor will provide strategies for educating parents/caregivers on strategies to mitigate their infant/child's physiological and physical stress.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

So much of what we know about our world comes through our visual system. It affects reading, writing, posture, use of communication, and some much more, yet we are taught so little about this system that has such a huge impact on the functional abilities of our children. This course presents the most complete pediatric vision course curriculum ever offered. This expanded course will explain the anatomy and physiology of the visual system and, through evidence-based research, demonstrate the role vision plays in making academics more difficult for some children. Therapists will learn to recognize the simple signs of undiagnosed vision-based learning impediments so they might better interpret the results of standardized testing. Through lab practice and case studies, attendees will gain confidence in assessing ocular motor and near vision focusing skills then design programs and use modifications to get the best possible outcomes. Therapists will learn the common signs of dyslexia and get the truth on computer vision syndrome. Attendees will then learn easy and fun techniques for improving these skills. This course offers a curriculum to make the novice therapist into the "go-to" vision resource.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

On average, 80% of children identified with developmental delay suffer from oral motor dysfunction. This two-day pediatric sensory point taping (SPT) course focuses on smaller taping applications on strategic points to impact oral motor function. The SPT techniques address the co-morbidities surrounding oral motor dysfunction, including arthrokinematics, respiration, motility, oral motor coordination, jaw alignment, head posture, edema, pain, fascial restrictions, and scar tissue while maintaining skin integrity and providing comfort. The participant will be introduced to assessment methods, including musculoskeletal data collection for pre/post assessment and skills specific for successful, safe application of elastic therapeutic tape.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

Starting off in the world of administering swallow studies can feel overwhelming. This course will provide tools to help the therapist feel knowledgeable and confident in performing swallow studies. Specific topics will include setting up the room for the study, preparing the patient and family members, working with special populations, and mixing barium to follow IDDSI guidelines. In addition, the therapist will learn tips for cultural considerations, gain knowledge around radiation safety and precautions, and feel confident collaborating with the radiology team. Detailed information regarding how the fluoroscopy equipment works, how to choose views to obtain information to make recommendations, and clinical decision making regarding steps involved in completing the swallow study will be included in this presentation. This course will focus on administration of swallow studies, not interpretation.

Disciplines

• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

There are two ways to participate in this live stream event (BOTH count as LIVE Continuing Education!):

1. as part of the LIVE STUDIO audience in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
2. via LIVE STREAM around the world - Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer and interact with the instructor.

Course time: 1:00 PM Central (2:00 PM Eastern; 12:00 PM Pacific)


Drooling is a swallowing problem that can have significant consequences on quality of life as well as overall health and well-being. A speech pathologist has a vital role on the multidisciplinary team to assess saliva management and provide appropriate and functional intervention as well as oral and non-oral intake recommendations. This intermediate level course will address the role of saliva, drooling as a swallowing problem, methods to measure severity and frequency, and medical and therapeutic intervention across the lifespan. Case studies and pertinent research will be discussed.

This course will discuss both pediatrics and adults.

Disciplines

• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

There's a growing disconnect between evidence and action in cognitive therapy. Many current practices are outdated and no longer evidence-based, but now therapists have access to the 2023 Guidelines to help them plan and implement engaging, evidence-based cognitive therapy.

An expert panel of clinicians and researchers, known as INCOG, developed guidelines for treating TBI patients based on the latest research. This course dives into these updated guidelines, equipping therapists with the tools they need to deliver evidence-based cognitive therapy. A lot has changed in the last decade, and these guidelines provide essential help in planning more functional, effective therapy.

INCOG 2.0 outlines five key domains for cognitive therapy:

• Posttraumatic Amnesia
• Attention and Information Processing
• Executive Functions
• Cognitive-Communication and Social Cognition Disorders
• Memory

This course will explore specific evidence-based therapy interventions for each domain, as well as reviewing old therapy practices that have been proven ineffective. You'll also learn about medications that can assist physicians in decision-making, and audit tools to ensure the most critical interventions are being implemented in your practice.

This course is ideal for any healthcare provider targeting cognition in adults with neurological injuries.

Disciplines

• Physical Therapist
• Certified Occupational Therapy Asst
• Occupational Therapist
• Physical Therapy Asst
• Speech Language Pathologist
• Speech Language Pathology Asst

There are two ways to participate in this live stream event (BOTH count as LIVE CE):

1. in the LIVE STUDIO audience in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
2. via LIVE STREAM around the world - Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer and interact with the instructor.

Course begins: 8:00 AM Central (9:00 AM Eastern; 7:00 AM Mountain; 6:00 AM Pacific)
Please contact our office if you have any questions. 850-916-8886.


Current research will be reviewed to explore how the NMES parameters such as frequency, phase duration and duty cycle can be changed to maximize impact. Participants will learn about the benefit of using up to 4 channels of stimulation and will learn how to sequence the stimulation between channels to mimic a normal swallowing sequence. In addition, two new modalities will be reviewed and practiced: sEMG Biofeedback and sEMG triggered electrical stimulation.

Disclosure: This course offering will only cover information that pertains to the effective and safe use of VitalStim Plus.


NOTE: Participant must be a VitalStim Provider to attend this advanced level course.

Disciplines

• Occupational Therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist