Post-Professional Pediatric Certificate

The Department of Occupational Therapy is proud to offer the Post Professional Certificate in Pediatrics for practicing occupational, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists. The program began with the first cohort of students in the summer 2003 term.

We are currently accepting on-line applications!
Click on the image below to access the application form.

SLP Pediatric Certificate - Summary of Classes

Fall 2009

Spring 2010

This program is designed to provide learning experiences in pediatric practice for practicing occupational, physical therapists and speech language pathologists using an adult learning model. Students in the program must complete 4 three credit graduate courses within a 4 semester time frame. Students can take greater than one course per semester, and are encouraged to do so particularly in the summer semester. One course is required: Advanced Practice Pediatric Issues and Trends. This course should be taken in the first semester of enrollment. Students can take an additional course at the same time they take this course. Students can enter the program in either the summer or fall semesters. Class size is expected to be 12-20 students per course.

Program Delivery: A combination delivery model of face-to-face and distance learning is used. Each course is offered in one or both of the following two delivery systems, depending on the best way to facilitate learning objectives:
1-4 days of on campus learning, with the use of distance education tools in between. Misericordia University uses WebCT as the platform for distance education. Training will be provided on how to use this fascinating internet tool.

Course Offerings for Pediatric Certificate
Fall	Spring	Summer
HP 615 Treatment and Evaluation of Feeding Issues HP 650 Early Intervention HP 620 Pediatric Vision Rehab HP 605 Pediatric Evaluation	HP 610 Assistive Technology HP 635 School Based Practice HP 660 Autism and PDD	HP 600 Pediatric Issues and Trends HP 670 Grant Writing HP 655 Seating in Pediatric Practice HP 625 Sensory Integration Treatment and Evaluation HP 630 Childhood Development in an International Setting

HP 600: Advanced Practice Pediatric Issues and Trends-
Course Description: This course is designed to explore the most recent issues and trends in the area of pediatric occupational and physical therapy. The course will focus on evidence-based practice, mentorship and leadership, and community based practice within the current profession of the student. The students will apply the course content to their clinical and professional practice settings through course assignments. It will be offered primarily in a distance-learning format with two weekends of on campus experiences. Semester offered: Summer –meets one day on campus.

HP 605: Pediatric Evaluation
Course Description: This course is designed to provide students with an intermediate to advanced level understanding of the process of pediatric evaluation in occupational therapy. The course will focus on the full process of occupational therapy evaluation including referral sources, identifying appropriate evaluation tools, clinical observations, standardized assessment, report writing, evaluation accommodations, and the reporting of assessment results. Semester offered: Fall- meets 2 days on campus, at beginning and end of class.

HP 615: Treatment and Evaluation of Pediatric Feeding Issues
Course Description: This course provides an extensive overview of evaluation and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. The course will focus on oral motor dysfunction, tube-feeding, sensory issues, positioning and handling, and behavioral management related to feeding/eating. Conditions that effect feeding/eating are explored along with medical and therapeutic assessments. The students will apply the course content to their clinical and professional practice settings through course assignments. It will be offered in both an intensive weeklong on-campus format. Semester offered: Fall-3 days on campus followed by distance learning.

HP 620: Pediatric Vision Rehabilitation
Course Description: This course is designed to provide the OT or PT with an understanding of the basic principles of the visual system and its influences upon daily activities for the pediatric patient. The course will discuss pediatric vision problems and appropriate therapies. After completing this course students will be able to describe key components of the visual system and how they work, understand Binocular vision, how it develops and its effects on ADLs, understand and treat children with binocular vision disorders and gain useful strategies for dealing with children who have learning related vision problems. This course is intended for OT and PTs who will be or who are working with the pediatric population both in an inpatient/outpatient and/or school environment. Semester offered: Fall-meets 2 days on campus, at beginning and mid point of class.

HP 625: Sensory Integration Treatment and Evaluation
Course Description: This course is designed to provide an extensive overview of sensory integration theory, neurology, evaluation and treatment related to clinical practice for occupational and physical therapists. Sensory integration theory is explored in relationship to function and occupation. The most relevant evaluations and treatment interventions are presented as well as a critical review of effectiveness research in sensory integration. The students will apply the course content to their clinical and professional practice settings through course assignments. This course is offered in a 4-day intensive course format. Semester offered: Summer-meets 4 days on campus followed by distance learning.

HP 635: School Based Pediatric OT & PT
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to provide the student with intermediate level knowledge related to the provision of best practice occupational therapy services within the educational environment. Practices particularly relevant to the school setting in terms of assessment, individualized educational planning, intervention, re-assessment and discharge will be discussed. Additional course topics will include legislation, service provision models, evidence based practice in the schools, consultation, effective teaming, and advocacy Semester Offered: Spring-meets one day on campus followed by distance learning.

HP 610 Special topics: Assistive Technology
Course Description: This course is designed to offer therapists and educators a detailed knowledge and skill level in the areas service provision involving the use of Assistive Technology. These can be low or high tech solutions and can impact areas of gross motor, fine motor, speech and language, self-feeding, social/adaptive play skill domains and education/learning. On site classes include experiential lab and introduction to low and high tech devices. Semester Offered: Spring-meets one weekend on campus followed by distance learning.

HP 650: Early Intervention
Course Description: Allied health professionals working in Early Intervention have a specialized role of helping families navigate the community and health care needs of their children with special needs. Early intervention providers need to be acutely aware of the medical, therapeutic, psychosocial, and physical environment factors as they influence growth and development of the child with special needs. Additionally, they need to have a grounded framework of knowledge in family centered care and family advocacy issues in order to promote care giver skills and knowledge, supporting care givers in educational needs to become care managers for their children’s life long needs. Such skills and knowledge require specialized training with reflection upon interdisciplinary constructs. The purpose of this course is to prepare the student to implement the occupational therapy process along with health care needs with children who are from birth to three years of age and to be knowledgeable about factors that affect service delivery. In-class exercises and out-of-class assignments will be provided to improve students’ skills and increase students’ self-confidence with the new content of the course. Semester offered: Fall-meets one weekend on campus followed by distance learning.

HP 660 Autism & PDD: Evaluation & Intervention Strategies
Instructor: Amy Lynch, MS, OTR/L and Amy Henry MS, OTR/L
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the diagnosis and treatment of Autism-spectrum disorders for pediatric therapists. An introduction of the basic information on how these disorders are diagnosed, what comprises the disorders and how to compose an interpretive report of evaluation findings, including a treatment plan with home and school setting strategies is provided Semester offered: Spring-meets one day on campus followed by distance learning.

HP 665 Seating in Pediatric Practice
Course Description: This course will assist treating clinicians in increasing their knowledge and skills when using seating strategies for their children. Seating needs for children include safe passive transport within the community and their environment, adequate support for eating, as well as support for independent postural control for task participation. This course will focus on all the needs for seating, including seating needed for postural management of the child, as well as seating for the child’s development of postural control. The course is offered over 8 hours a day for 5 days with assignments due after the ending of the on-campus portion of the class. Semester Offered: Summer-meets 5 days on campus.

HP 670 Grant Writing
Course Description: This course is designed to provide an extensive overview of the grant writing process. Students will learn how to identify a funding need, develop a case for support, and research potential funding opportunities. The student will develop a comprehensive grant proposal that directly responds to an identified funding opportunity. The various components of a grant proposal are explored, including the introduction, problem statement, objectives, methodology, evaluation, budget, and summary sections. Strategies for persuasive writing techniques are presented. Semester Offered: Summer-meets one day on campus.

Books Are Available Through The Misericordia University Book Store.
To Order By Mail Please Contact
Diane Morreale
AT 570-674-6271.
The Book Store Will Be Open
Saturdays 11AM-1PM
ALL CLASSES ARE 3 GRADUATE CREDITS AND REQUIRE ON-LINE TUTORIAL FOR BLACKBOARD DISTANCE EDUCATION TOOL AND ON CAMPUS LIBRARY ORIENTATION

FALL 2009

INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASS for OT, PT, SLP

HP 615: Treatment and Evaluation of Pediatric Feeding Issues
Instructor: Amy Lynch, MS, OTR/L
E-mail: lynch@misericordia.edu

Course Description: This course provides an extensive overview of evaluation and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. The course will review typical development of developmental and feeding milestones to set a scene for evaluation and treatment of feeding, eating, and swallowing dysfunction. The course will focus on oral motor dysfunction, tube-feeding, sensory issues, positioning and handling, and behavioral management related to feeding/eating. Additionally, conditions that effect feeding/eating are explored along with medical and therapeutic assessments. Videos, case studies, and research articles to ensure evidence based practice will support student learning. Students will leave this course with the information needed to complete a thorough evaluation and design a solid treatment intervention plan for clients with feeding, eating, and swallowing dysfunction.

Book: Morris, S. E. & Klein, M. D. (2000). Pre-feeding skills: A comprehensive resource for mealtime development (2nd ed.). USA: Therapy Skills Builders.

CLASS MEETS FRIDAY October 9 through SUNDAY October 11, 2009 (3 days) from 8am-6pm, followed by distance education learning assignment.

SPECIAL OFF CAMPUS LOCATION:
Austill's Rehabilitation
105 John Robert Thomas Drive
Exton, PA 19341
610-363-7009

INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASS for OT, PT, SLP

HP 650: EARLY INTERVENTION
Instructors: Jennifer S. Cave, OTR/L and Maria T. Unger MA CCC/SLP

Course Description: Allied health professionals working in Early Intervention have a specialized role of helping families navigate the community and health care needs of their children with special needs. Early intervention providers need to be acutely aware of the medical, therapeutic, psychosocial, and physical environment factors as they influence growth and development of the child with special needs. Additionally, they need to have a grounded framework of knowledge in family centered care and family advocacy issues in order to promote care giver skills and knowledge, supporting care givers in educational needs to become care managers for their children’s life long needs. Such skills and knowledge require specialized training with reflection upon interdisciplinary constructs.

The purpose of this course is to prepare the student to implement the occupational therapy process along with health care needs with children who are from birth to three years of age and to be knowledgeable about factors that affect service delivery. In-class exercises and out-of-class assignments will be provided to improve students’ skills and increase students’ self-confidence with the new content of the course.

Special Note: Students in this course should be working in an early intervention or other interdisciplinary setting with children birth thru 5 years of age, or have access to children receiving services through Early Intervention providers.

Prerequisite: Training on use of Blackboard tool through self administered on-line tutorial.

Books:
Greenspan. The child with special needs: encouraging intellectual & emotional growth. A guide to the use of Zero to Three's diagnostic classification of mental health & developmental disorder of infancy & early childhood in assessment & treatment planning.

CLASS MEETS ON CAMPUS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3rd & 4th IN ANDERSON 207 Followed by on-line learning through December 6, 2009.

HP 620: PEDIATRIC VISION REHABILITATION
Instructor: Dr. Jeffery Becker

Course Description: This course is designed to provide the OT or PT with an understanding of the basic principles of the visual system and its influences upon daily activities for the pediatric patient. The course will discuss pediatric vision problems and appropriate therapies. After completing this course students will be able to describe key components of the visual system and how they work, understand Binocular vision, how it develops and its effects on ADLs, understand and treat children with binocular vision disorders and gain useful strategies for dealing with children who have learning related vision problems. This course is intended for OT and PTs who will be or who are working with the pediatric population both in an inpatient/outpatient and/or school environment.

Prerequisite: Training on use of Blackboard tool through self administered on-line tutorial.

Book:
Gentile, M. (2005). Functional visual behavior in Children: an Occupational Therapy Guide to Evaluation and Treatment Options, 2nd Edition. The American Occupational Therapy Association. ISBN: 1569002029

ON CAMPUS SUNDAYS SEPTEMBER 20 AND OCTOBER 25, 2008 FROM 9AM -5PM followed by on-line learning through November 22, 2009

Spring 2010

ALL CLASSES ARE 3 GRADUATE CREDITS AND REQUIRE HP 6OO AS A PREREQUISITE OR TRAINING TO UTILIZE THE DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND LIBRARY ORIENTATION
Please email Judy Weintraub to schedule a library orientation at jweintra@misericordia.edu

HP 610 SPECIAL TOPICS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Instructor: Julie Wells, MS, OTR/L ATP

Course Description: This course is designed to offer therapists and educators a detailed knowledge and skill level in the areas service provision involving the use of Assistive Technology. These can be low or high tech solutions and can impact areas of gross motor, fine motor, speech and language, self-feeding, social/adaptive play skill domains and education/learning. On campus classes include experiential lab and introduction to low and high tech devices.

CLASS MEETS AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL PHILADELPHIA ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MARCH 6 & 7, 2010 FROM 9AM-5PM WITH DISTANCE EDUCATION FOLLOWING THE IN CLASS SESSION.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASS –OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS
HP 660 Autism & PDD: Evaluation & Intervention Strategies
Instructor: Amy Lynch, MS, OTR/L and Anne Van Zelst, MS, SLP

Course Description: This course addresses the diagnosis and treatment of Autism-spectrum disorders for pediatric therapists. An introduction of the basic information on how these disorders are diagnosed, what comprises the disorders and how to compose an interpretive report of evaluation findings, including a treatment plan with home and school setting strategies is provided. Theories of Autism, as well as perceptual, motor and cognition are explored as well as s review of research in fields of neurology, developmental and cognitive psychology, gasteroenterology. This is an "outside the OT box" look at autism, to help therapists working with children with autism explore other areas that are relevant and can be applied in a practical way to daily practice. After this course is done, you are sure to consider children with autism and their families in a very enriched way!

ON CAMPUS ONE DAY ONLY, SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2010, 8AM-6PM . REST OF COURSE ONLINE; COURSE INTERATION COMPLETE WEEK OF MAY 8 WITH FINAL ASSIGNMENTS DUE MAY 22.

POST PROFESSIONAL OT MASTERS CLASSES

OT 520 RESEARCH DESIGN IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAP

Course Description: The course presents the principles and processes involved in research. Qualitative and quantitative approaches are reviewed and analyzed relative to their strengths, limitations, and practical uses. The application of appropriate research methods to problems worthy of study is stressed. The student will complete a research proposal as part of this course.

Class meets on campus Sundays, January 17, February 28 and April 25, 2010 from 8am -12 noon.

OT 690 RESEARCH PROJECT I

Course Description: Students will begin a research project that contributes to the knowledge-base of occupational therapy; the outcome will include a paper acceptable for publication in a professional journal. Prerequisites: MTH 115

Class meets on campus Sundays, January 17, February 28 and April 25, 2010 from 1-5PM

Application Requirements/Process:

Please contact Larree Brown in our Adult Education Office by E-mail or 866-262-6363 for an application or with your questions. Requirements include:

A Bachelor's degree or higher in occupational or physical therapy from an ACOTE or CAPTE approved program. Send copy of diploma or transcripts.
$ 25.00 Application fee with completed application.
Photocopy of professional state license and registration/certification for occupational, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology.

A Few Highlights:

First program of its kind in the region with portable college credits
Low tuition - only $525.00 per credit - alumni discounts available
Designated specifically for adult learners
Predictable scheduling - classes offered in day, weekend, and via Blackboard format
Financial aid available
Program Length: Can be completed in 15 months or less
Meets NBCOT requirement for a portion of PDU credits

Program Coordinator: Amy Lynch, MS, OTR/L, SCFES

Amy has been practicing with the pediatric population since receipt of her degree from the Boston School of Occupational Therapy at Tuft’s University. She trained initially at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and went on to work at the Ayres Clinic. Her career took her to northern California and Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University before returning to the east coast to work at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 1998.

Ms. Lynch specializes in post-institutionalization of internationally adopted children, autism and sensory integration problems, feeding/ oral motor dysphagia, and cerebral palsy. She is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) and Infant Massage. She has completed her 8 week training in Neurodevelopmental Treatment. Ms. Lynch was the Manager of the OT Department at CHOP for 5 years. She is now works clinically part time at CHOP and is pursing a doctorate in Biomechanics and Movement Studies, with a concentration in Nutrition at the University of Delaware.

Amy has traveled extensively to Romania, providing training at the county, institution, and foster family levels. Ms. Lynch is a member of the national AOTA panel designing specialty certifications for Dysphagia management. She has presented regionally, nationally, and internationally in feeding, sensory integration, international adoption medicine, and developmental care.