Speaker - Elizabeth Schroeder, MOT, OTR/L. Occupational Therapist at Children’s Mercy Hospital's Down Syndrome Clinic in Kansas City, Missouri.
Elizabeth Schroeder achieved her master’s degree from Rockhurst University in Occupational Science. She has been providing feeding therapy for 10 years to children falling into a variety of diagnoses. She has special interest in oral motor therapy, oral sensory therapy, oral aversion, and in teaching positioning and motor strength in readiness for feeding. Elizabeth is SIPT certified, with 11 years of providing sensory integration therapy. She is certified in Trauma Informed Care and provides therapy for children with PTSD-like symptoms. Elizabeth enjoys working on a multidisciplinary team and feels this is the best way for families to get the support they need when their child’s health is a concern. She is a primary participant from her department on the Down Syndrome Clinic, the Beyond ACE’s evaluation team, and on the Multidisciplinary Feeding Clinic with in the Gastroenterology Clinic. Elizabeth is a licensed massage therapist; with specialization for certified Infant Massage Teacher and Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist. She is an adjunct professor at the college level for sciences, including Anatomy & Physiology, Pathology, and Wellness & Nutrition.

Topic - Feeding Difficulties in Children with Down Syndrome
We will spend the first part of the talk discussing the feeding process and how this may be altered in children with Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome have structural and functional differences in the mouth and throat areas that make it more difficult for them to make precise movements. We will discuss the difference between behavioral and sensory feeding problems and discern between a picky eater and a problem feeder. The second part of the talk will be real life examples and home therapy activity guidelines; guided by audience questions submitted prior to the conference in addition to live questions at the conference.