Instructor Bio:
Michelle Suarez is an Associate Professor in the Occupational Therapy department at Western Michigan University (WMU). She received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy (OT) from Eastern Michigan University and her PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Science from Western Michigan University. In her role as professor, she teaches the pediatric content to Master level OT students, co-coordinates the clinic where students complete their level I placements, is a member of an autism diagnostic evaluation team, and conducts research in pediatric practice.
Michelle has published peer reviewed research in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, International Journal of School Health, Autism and Open Journal of Occupational Therapy. In addition, she has written several book chapters for the Conditions in Occupational Performance text book. Michelle’s research areas include Food Selectivity, Sensory Processing Disorders, measuring physiological responses to everyday occupation, and the impact of abuse, neglect and prenatal substance abuse on children and relationships. She regularly presents at professional conferences and for community organizations. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association.
Food selectivity is a common problem in children with developmental disabilities and particularly in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Understanding the causes and consequences of food selectivity can help feeding clinicians… Read Morearrow_right
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The development of an effective treatment plan for a child with food selectivity begins with a thorough evaluation of the child in the context of their family unit. Information gathered as part of a comprehensive feeding evaluation includes… Read Morearrow_right
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Treatment of food selectivity requires a holistic approach to address the complex nature of dysfunctional eating behavior. This course will outline the theoretical underpinnings of effective food selectivity treatment. In addition, a multi-component… Read Morearrow_right
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Effective treatment of food selectivity requires the feeding clinician to facilitate the generalization of skills and treatment strategies into the child’s natural environment. In order for this generalization to occur, caregivers must… Read Morearrow_right
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