Expanding the Diet with Food Chaining Therapy
Presented by Cheri Fraker, CCC-SLP and Laura Walbert, CCC/SLP
This course will introduce the concept of Food Chaining© as a therapy technique to expand a child’s diet. Multidisciplinary evidence-based information pertaining to pediatric feeding disorders will be presented with emphasis on Food Chaining© as a treatment technique. Food Chaining Programs© will be demonstrated to instruct participants in the techniques of assessment of core diet, flavor mapping, flavor masking, transitional flavors and use of rating scales to introduce foods in a systematic manner.
Important Registration Information
Tickets are available for Parent/Caregivers, Students, or Professionals. Please use the appropriate ticket for your role. Professional are asked to register individually (not as as group).
Where Can I Find The Event Link?
The event link will be included in the confirmation email you receive upon registration. A second email with the link will be sent out when registration closes 24 hours before the live event time.
Time & Date
Please note this event is taking place at 6:30 pm Central Time, and will be held virtually via Zoom. To find out what time this is where you live, look here. Registration will close at 5:00 pm Central Time on 3/17/2025. **Please check your spam folder as our emails occasionally end up there.**
CEU Credits
This course is being submitted for credit with the Illinois Early Intervention Program. Please check with your local professional organization to determine additional professional education credit. Those who have paid for a professional ticket and are in attendance for the duration of the full event will receive a certificate of attendance for credit. Those who registered for a student ticket will also receive a certificate, however these will not be eligible for CEUs.
Financial Assistance
Should cost be a concern that would hinder your participation, we may be able to offer financial assistance. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Lindsay Hoffer at lindsay@chicagofeedinggroup.org
About Cheri Fraker
Cheri Fraker, CCC/SLP is an ASHA certified pediatric speech pathologist who earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Speech Pathology from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois. Cheri’s work in feeding is recognized internationally. She has published articles about Food Chaining in international medical periodicals. Cheri served patients in the pediatric feeding team clinic at The Center for Selective Eating and Pediatric Feeding Disorders. She also was a team member of the SIU -Koke Mill Pediatric Swallowing Clinic in Springfield, Illinois. Cheri developed the techniques of Pre-Chaining and Food Chaining. She has worked in pediatrics for 35 years. Cheri was also trained as a STAR certified oncology therapist and successfully treated adults with head and neck cancer using Food Chaining therapy. Cheri has lectured extensively on pediatric feeding disorders, notably at the UCLA/UMH Nutrition Leadership Conference, The 58 th and 59 th American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine conferences, The North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the 2004 World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Cheri has also presented her PreChaining and Food Chaining programs at ASHA, the Neonatal Nutrition Conference and The Neonatal Update Conference at UMass.
About Laura Walbert
Laura Walbert, CCC/SLP is an ASHA certified pediatric speech pathologist who earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, 1996 . Laura provides services at the Center For Selective Eating and Pediatric Feeding Disorders at Springfield Memorial Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. She serves as a member of the feeding team and in the Southern Illinois School of Medicine swallowing clinic. Laura’s work in feeding is recognized internationally in medical journal periodicals and conference presentations on pediatric feeding disorders. Laura has also presented on evaluation and treatment of athletes with vocal cord. dysfunction. Laura specializes in treatment of breastfeeding problems, selective eating and pediatric dysphagia. Cheri and Laura are co-authors of the books “Evaluation and Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders: From NICU to Childhood” and “Food Chaining: The Six Step Solution to Stop Picky Eating, Solve Feeding Problems and Expand Your Child’s Diet.” They have courses online at Northern Speech Services.