Professional DEvelopment

Whether you’re a medical professional, childcare educator or a school teacher, advanced nutrition education can enhance your personal life and profession. Naureen offers a variety a workshops and Seminars for professionals of all backgrounds. These workshops are based on the most up to date nutrition research and provide practical skills and tools for all participants. 

Teaching kids to eat: Helping children become INDEPENDENT eaters   

 Eating is a learned skill and the very first experiences with food may determine children’s food choices later in life. This course will compare traditional and alternative method of introducing solids such as Baby-Led-Weaning (BLW), as well as the reasoning behind choosing one approach over another.

Course content:

  • Oral motor development related to feeding

  • How culture plays a role in feeding practices

  • Age appropriate textures and diet progression

  • Age appropriate portions and best first foods

  • Advantages/disadvantages of traditional feeding method and BLW

  • Fundamentals of BLW

  • Benefits of BLW

  • Choking hazards

  • Current research on food allergies

  • How to make feeding a success

Picky eating or Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)?

 ARFID is a fairly new diagnostic category of infant/child eating disorders. Symptoms typically present in early childhood and may appear similar to those of picky eaters. However, unlike picky eating, ARFID is not a typical part of child development and often requires treatment. It is an eating disorder where the consumption of certain foods is limited based on the food's appearance, smell, taste, texture and past negative experience with the food. Some children with ARFID may also present oral motor challenges which can limit them from eating age appropriate foods. This lack of feeding skills often hinders the child’s physical health, psychosocial functioning and overall well-being.

Course content:

  • Brief overview of infant/child feeding disorders

  • How to differentiate Picky eating with problem feeding/ ARFID

  • Diagnostic criteria

  • Rigidity and anxiety related to ARFID

  • Strategies for picky eater vs ARFID, is there a difference?

  • How to best support kids with ARFID

  • Creating a positive meal environment

  • How to use appropriate language during mealtimes

  • Positive reinforcement