First Bite with Michelle L.W. Dawson

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First Bite with Michelle L.W. Dawson

Tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform.

If you're a pediatric SLP with more questions than answers when it comes to treating your medically complex/fragile pediatric patients, this podcast is for you!

05/19/2026

Huzzah for ADVOCACY!! 💜🥳✨

05/18/2026

💜In this week’s episode Michelle requested that all 💜 donations be sent to La Leche League International💜

“At La Leche League International (LLLI) Inc., our goal is to make sure that all of our volunteers (La Leche League – LLL – Leaders) have the support they need as they help struggling mothers and families breastfeed. When you support LLLI you make a real difference in the lives of our LLL Leaders and the families they serve. Thank you!”

😊 Thank you Michelle for sharing this amazing organization with us 💜

🎧Listen Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-bite-fed-fun-functional-slp-insights/id1399630680?i=1000767369059

🎥Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xd77Kb-WBc

💜Donate Here:
✨ La Leche League International: https://llli.org/donate/

✨🙋🏻‍♀️💜Thank you for lifting one another up!

05/15/2026

✨💜🌼About last night…

It was such a joy to spend last night co-preswnting “Social Context in Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders: NICU to Schools” with and and having the brilliant hosting us!

To see the come to life was such an honor! 🌼 Y’all this tool is a conceptual framework that allows professionals and families to consider the impacts of social contextual factors for pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders…. And it’s kind of amazing!!!

Thank you for lifting our community up every day and especially this 💜

If y’all missed our life episode, don’t worry, you can still register for the .1 ASHA CEU for free here: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/upcoming/empowering-providers-through-transforming-pediatric-feeding-journeys

And catch it on YouTube here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAqLI0-BOrrLQegMb4RKHXTr4pdTiltDx&si=MczQqEnbNdmp-hpa

Also… Thank you Grace for catching this precious picture of us soaking in the beauty of the moment 🌼💜🌼

05/14/2026

✨🎙️New Episode Alert #341 🎙️✨ “Infant Reflexes for Feeding and Development”

In this interprofessional education episode for “May is PFD and ARFID Awareness Month,” Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, welcomes industry leader Michelle Emanuel, OTR/L, IBCLC, NBCR, CST, for a thoughtful and engaging conversation on infant reflexes and their role in early feeding development.

Together, the two Michelles explore the reflexes and sensory systems that support feeding in the earliest months of life. They walk through key reflexes involved in infant feeding, how they contribute to early suck–swallow coordination, and how these patterns evolve as infants grow during those critical early stages.

Their conversation also highlights the role of interoception, the body’s internal sense that helps infants recognize hunger and fullness cues, and how it shapes early feeding behaviors. They discuss torticollis and how neck muscle imbalance can impact positioning, latch, and overall comfort during feeding, and close with a candid look at tethered oral tissues and their potential influence on feeding outcomes.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

✨1. List and describe 4 reflexes involved in early infant feeding.

✨2. Define the term “Interoception” and how it impacts feeding hunger cues.

✨3. Define the term “Torticollis” and how it impacts early infant feeding.

Listen for free on all major podcast platforms and watch for free on YouTube… then log into your account for free.1 ASHA CEU!

🎙️Listen For Free Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-bite-fed-fun-functional-slp-insights/id1399630680?i=1000767369059

🎥Watch On YouTube Here: https://youtu.be/1xd77Kb-WBc?si=djX_vxWMDDV3f_42

🎓Register for .1 ASHA CEU Here: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/infant-reflexes

05/12/2026

✨🥳FREE .1 ASHA CEU 🥳✨”Social Context in Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders: NICU to Schools”

Thursday May 14th, 2026 at 7pm EST
Register Here: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/upcoming/empowering-providers-through-transforming-pediatric-feeding-journeys

Feeding does not happen in isolation. This session explores how social context shapes feeding development, from the NICU through school-age environments. You will examine the role of caregivers, routines, cultural influences, and environmental factors, and how these elements impact both assessment and intervention.

SESSION OBJECTIVES:
✨1. Describe a conceptual framework that allows professionals and families to consider the impacts of social contextual factors for pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.

✨2. Identify the roles and responsibilities for speech-language pathologists in the NICU, early intervention, and school-based settings for pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.

✨3. Describe how interprofessional practice partners can implement the framework for improved social care and quality of life for pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.

Thank you for making this possible!!

05/11/2026

💜Oh 🪿 and 🐻

What’s the best thing Momma and Dad have done in our lives?

Make you two 💜 Thank you for picking me as your Momma 💜

05/09/2026

💜In this week’s episode Helen and Meg requested that all 💜 donations be sent to the URI Student Speech Language Hearing Association and Feeding Matters💜

😊 Thank you Helen and Meg for sharing these amazing organizations with us 💜

🎧Listen Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-bite-fed-fun-functional-slp-insights/id1399630680?i=1000766241106

🎥Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDBNRGkraig

💜Donate Here:
✨ URI Student Speech Language Hearing Association https://sites.google.com/rhodysenate.org/urisslha-website/home
✨Feeding Matters https://secure.qgiv.com/event/itsnotpickyeating/

✨🙋🏻‍♀️💜Thank you for lifting one another up!

05/08/2026

✨Happy Day!! ✨AKA I woke up and received my ASHA ACE Award!!

My favorite three classes from past year were:
✨1. “IPE/IPP Seminar for School-Based SLPs” and “IPE/IPP Seminar for Pediatric Medical-Based SLPs” for 1.2 ASHA CEUs from ✨Find it here: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses

✨2. “Lactation and the Interprofessional Practice: NICU to Early Intervention” .5 ASHA CEUs from ✨Find it here: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/lactation-and-ip

✨3. “Pediatric Neurological Disorders: Key Insights on Feeding-Swallowing Assessment and Intervention for the SLP” .5 ASHA CEUs from ✨Find it here: https://www.swallowingdisorders.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1952103

Happy Learning folks ✨💜🙋🏻‍♀️😉

P.S. Thank you .babe for designing and creating this AMAZING Sweatshirt!!

05/07/2026

🥳✨New Episode Alert 🎙️ #340 “The PFD DAISI”

This episode of First Bite features Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, kicking off PFD and ARFID Awareness Month with the fabulous Meg Simione, PhD, CCC-SLP, and her phenomenal graduate student, Helen Cohen, BA, CLC, for an in-depth look at the Pediatric Feeding Disorder Dynamic Approach to Impacts and Social Integration (PFD DAISI).

Meg and Helen begin by exploring the symbolism of gardening and pediatric feeding disorder, introducing the six DAISI factors, represented by the flower’s petals, and explaining how they guide feeding assessment and treatment. They then dive into the four Social Spheres at the flower’s core, highlighting their influence on a child’s mealtime journey.

Finally, they share practical tips for using the PFD DAISI in clinical practice, helping SLPs take a holistic, dynamic approach to pediatric feeding care. This episode is packed with strategies, insights, and inspiration, while making a complex framework feel clear and usable in real-world settings.

Perfect for pediatric SLPs, feeding specialists, and clinicians, this conversation brings together creativity and clinical application. If you love gardens and feeding therapy, the symbolism in this innovative tool is sure to support both your clinical heart and your practice as it grows.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

✨1. Describe what “The Pediatric Feeding Disorder Dynamic Approach to Impacts and Social Integration (PFD DAISI)” is and how to use it in clinical practice.

✨2. List the six “DAISI Factors” that are represented by the petals.

✨3. Describe how four “Social Spheres” (that are represented by the core of the flower) impact the pediatric feeding journey.

🎧Tune in and listen for free on all major podcast platforms 💜 Log into your SpeechTherapyPD.com account to earn .1 ASHA CEU ☀️

05/05/2026

✨🥳Free .1 ASHA CEU🥳✨ “Interprofessional Management of the Medical Domain in PFD” on Thursday May 7th at 7pm EST! Perfect way to celebrate ✨

Tune in and learn from the brilliant leaders Tessa Gonzalez, MD, FAAP and Richard Noel, MD, PhD, hosted by Leena Sayed, MS CCC-SLP!

Medical factors play a critical role in feeding and swallowing, and they are often where collaboration is most essential. This session focuses on identifying and managing underlying medical contributors, including airway, gastrointestinal, and overall health considerations. You will gain a clearer understanding of when to refer, how to collaborate with physicians, and how medical complexity impacts feeding outcomes.

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

✨1. Define the “Medical Domain” of Pediatric Feeding Disorder.

✨2. List two strategies for successful collaboration between SLP and the General Pediatrician.

✨3. Describe the role and responsibilities of speciality physicians in the diagnosis and management of the “Medical Domain” of Pediatric Feeding Disorder.

Register Here: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/upcoming/empowering-providers-through-transforming-pediatric-feeding-journeys

05/04/2026

✨Dear May,

I sure am grateful for how you are starting out 💜

🌳 Safely removing the dying trees that would have taken off the back of our home.
☀️Stunning sunrises.
🐈 Fatty Patty caught drinking from the birdbath.
🐎 First time horseback riding!
🎳Bowling with the whole
🎸Gooser’s first middle school performance 🥹

I mean, yes, both boys woke up with fevers this morning and are home today, but rest and Gatorade, and we will get back to it 🙋🏻‍♀️💜

Now… on with the regularly scheduled celebrations and shenanigans for and 🥳

Address

255 Courtland St NE
Atlanta, GA
30303

Website

https://www.speechtherapypd.com/firstbite

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