Course Outline:

Hour 1

• Review of biodynamic embryology, orofacial development, pre- and post-natal autonomic regulation, adverse plasticization’s, functional adaptations.
• Students will identify developmental aberrations leading to orofacial disruption, brainstem wiring disruptions, autonomic regulation, and our neuro-sensitive intervention approaches.
• Students will identify two developmental disruptions resulting in tethered oral tissues. pre- and post-natal wiring disruption events, and two common adverse plasticization events.

Hour 2

• Neurodevelopmental brain wiring dynamics and integrative circuits, creating orofacial structures.
• Students will be able to identify cranial nerve and integrative circuit developmental dynamics impacting orofacial development.

Hour 3

• Neuromuscular organization of mouth and throat, including fascial throat tubes. Neurovisceral dynamics impacting proper respiratory, oral and digestive function.
• Perceptual to proprioceptive processes; interoceptive regulation; neurobiology of therapist presence and engagement for developmental and functional outcomes.
• Students will be able to identify importance of throat tube organization, mandibular sling and pharyngeal dynamics, three positive engagement strategies to enhance developmental and functional oral motor outcomes.

Hour 4

• Clinical Integration: treatment protocols for infants and children, including recommendations for integrative mouth work. From survival strategies to thriving possibilities, new wiring, landing and naming. “Landing/Learning” protocol, clinical integration strategies for home and clinic settings.
• Students will be able to identify and perform the four-step process for effective connection, landing and learning (Landing/Learning Protocol). They will be able to identify three practical strategies in various treatment environments to enhance connection, landing, learning and oral motor function in their patients.