Integrated Ribcage and Upper Body Strategies

This 3-day intermediate workshop provides therapists with an integrated, hands-on approach to treating the rib cage, shoulder girdle, and upper extremities in children with neuromuscular impairments. Emphasis is placed on lab-based learning, clinical reasoning, and functional outcomes supported by live patient demonstrations.

Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists and therapy assistants.

At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify and detail the importance of significant anatomical and kinesiological characteristics of the structures and musculature of the rib cage (e.g., ribs, thoracic spine, sternum), shoulder girdle, and upper extremities.
• Examine and compare significant characteristics of typical development of the rib cage, shoulder girdle, and upper extremities during the first 8-9 months of life and their relationship to early respiratory, oral, and upper extremity function and early general movement development.
• Analyze significant aspects of thoracic cage structure, alignment, and function in children with neuromuscular system challenges.
• Formulate discipline-specific functional outcomes and treatment strategies which reflect the integration of rib cage, shoulder girdle, and upper extremity function in infants and children with neuromuscular system involvement.

Rona Alexander, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, C/NDT is a speech-language pathologist specializing in the assessment and treatment of oral, pharyngeal, feeding/swallowing, and respiratory function in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with primary neuromotor, musculoskeletal, and sensory systems impairments. She maintains a private practice; provides consultation services; provides short-term treatment intensives; and conducts workshops/courses/seminars/webinars on oral movement, oral sensory, pharyngeal, feeding/swallowing, and thoracic cage/respiratory coordination development, assessment, and treatment. Dr. Alexander is an active advanced speech instructor in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT). She has contributed chapters on oral, pharyngeal, feeding/swallowing, and rib cage/respiratory coordination function to numerous publications; is co-author of the book entitled, Normal Development of Functional Motor Skills: The First Year of Life; is author of the CEU product, Focus on the Rib Cage for Improvement of Respiration, Phonation, Movement, and Postural Control; and is co-developer of the CEU product, The ABCs of Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing.

Christine Cayo, OTR/L, C/NDT graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BS degree in Occupational Therapy in 1981. She has extensive experience in occupational therapy, pediatric practice, working in a variety of settings with children of all ages, diagnoses, and varying levels of abilities. Christine has taught workshops and certification courses nationally and internationally for the Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association (NDTA) since 2001. She is a pediatric Occupational Therapy instructor active status, in the Contemporary Practice Model for NDT and an active volunteer in this organization. She is recently retired from her job at Children’s Wisconsin and provides mentoring/consultation/assistance for individuals or therapists who request examination and intervention guidance. She continues to be involved in teaching and research.

This 3-day intermediate-level workshop has been designed to provide the therapist with an integrated approach to treatment of the rib cage, shoulder girdle, and upper extremities when providing services for children with neuromuscular system impairments. The thoracic cage (i.e., rib cage, shoulder girdle, upper extremities) and the trunk provide the foundation for head/neck, oral, pharyngeal, upper extremity, lower extremity and respiratory coordination function. A lab-intensive format will emphasize handling strategies with a strong kinesiological, anatomical, and developmental foundation. Treatment strategies will be addressed in the context of how they relate to discipline-specific functional outcomes. Live patient demonstrations will assist in integrating information throughout the workshop.

Friday, October 16

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Introductions/Overview/Definitions

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Overview of the NDTA Contemporary Practice Model

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM: Break

10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: Rib Cage/Respiratory Musculature: Skeletal Framework and Kinesiological Considerations

12:15 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:45 PM: Ribcage/Respiratory Musculature (cont.) Shoulder Girdle: Skeletal Framework and Kinesiological Considerations

2:45 PM - 3:00 PM: Break

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Patient Demonstration-Assessment (Child I)

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Assessment and Problem Solving

Saturday, October 17

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM: Typical/Atypical Development and Its Relevance to Treatment

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM: Break

10:15 AM - 12:00 PM: Treatment Strategies: Lab

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM: Lunch

12:45 PM - 2:00 PM: Patient Demonstration/Discussion - Treatment (Child I)

2:00 PM - 2:15 PM: Break

2:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Treatment Strategies: Lab

Sunday, October 18

8:30 AM - 11:00 AM: Treatment Strategies: Lab

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM: Break

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM: Patient Demonstrations- Treatment/Discussion (Child II)

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM: Break

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Treatment Strategies: Lab

Wrap Up/Adjourn

Continuing education credits for P.T. and O.T. will be offered through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Early Intervention credits, AOTA and ASHA have all been applied for 20 contact hours or 2.0 CEUs.

All participants will receive a course completion certificate upon successful completion of the conference. No certificates will be awarded until course completion is verified on the final date of the conference.

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