IBCLC Detailed Content Outline: Pathology Focused CERPs - Section III

Cranial Nerve Dsyfunction, CND, is a term used to describe a disruption, dysregulation or dysfunction in one or more cranial nerves in the precrawling period. Cranial Nerves are twelve, paired nerves, ten of which originate in the brainstem. They mediate all incoming sensory input and also help regulate, move and maintain the health of the muscles of the face, head, neck, jaw, tongue and throat. From sensing mother’s smell, touch, taste to rooting, latching and coordinating suck/swallow/breathe patterns, optimal cranial nerve function is paramount. Lactation consultants need to be able to identify CND, identify a couple of treatment interventions and know when to refer to appropriate health care professional such as OT, PT, Speech, or Manual Therapist/Bodyworker. CND explains how many tongue/lip tied babies who have had a frenotomy continue to struggle significantly with the activities and movements of optimal breastfeeding. Michelle will cover the basics of CND, a simple classification system, and her 4 Principle Functional Movement Protocol, which she states can optimize cranial nerve function in the precrawling baby and improve breastfeeding outcomes.

Institutions:  Department of Nursing, Laniado Hospital, Netanya, Israel, Halav-EM Breastfeeding Clinic
Background: As far as anterior tongue tie is concerned, there is a growing, vast body of knowledge that has been validated. As for posterior tongue tie, the scientific evidence is lacking and the assessment tools are not uniform among practitioners.
Medical diagnoses are not part of the scope of practice of Lactation Consultants. Hence, there is a lot of confusion among professionals (both Drs and Lactation Consultants), resulting in over diagnosis and over treatment on the one hand, and also under treatment on the other.
Aims: To present a unique perspective of an experienced Lactation Consultant who is also a dentist, experienced in diagnosing and treating various types of tongue ties.
Narrative: The discussion will focus on the clinical dilemmas regarding releasing posterior tongue ties and their implications for breastfeeding in newborns as well as in older babies.
Clinical cases of babies with posterior tongue ties will be shown to demonstrate how exclusive breastfeeding can be achieved in clinical cases with posterior tongue ties that were not released. Cases of anterior and posterior tongue ties that had been released although breastfeeding was going well will also be shown. In these cases, additional factors were taken into account, such as the palate structure and the additional consequences that Ankyloglossia may have later in life.
Conclusions: In some cases of posterior tongue ties, good breastfeeding counseling can make the action of releasing the tongue redundant. However, then we are left to consider conservatively what other effects Ankyloglossia may have on our body.

Evaluating feeding and observing babies at the breast is a big part of what lactation professionals do. The privilege to observe babies at the breast in private practice at a much slower pace has provided a unique observation opportunity. Each baby and parent dyad is unique and so are the challenges that come with it. The focus of this interactive workshop is to help participants become astute observers of the infant’s movements and posture before and during feeding. It will further enhance their clinical skills by looking at the big picture of how the infant's innate behaviors ensure harmonious breastfeeding ecology. This presentation will take a deeper dive into how the infant’s use of their senses, and nine steps of the breast crawl not only lead to self-attachment but it also lays down the foundation for self-efficacy and self-regulation in babies.

Colic and allergy symptoms are problems commonly encountered in newborns exclusively receiving human milk, and are thought to be triggered by inflammatory responses in the gut. Maternal diet, especially cow’s milk intake, has been associated with infantile colic and allergies, but no previous studies have examined the effect of a Mediterranean diet. Thus, this new research aims to investigate whether maternal adherence to a dairy-free Mediterranean diet, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, reduces colic and allergy symptoms in infants exclusively fed human milk. This presentation will discuss the methodology of this recent study and present the results of the Mediterranean diet on allergy symptoms and average daily crying of infants.

Tongue-tie, clinically known as ankyloglossia, is a dynamic topic that is often surrounded by controversy and mixed opinions. Tongue-tie can restrict proper lingual functionality and mobility, causing a range of feeding and health issues for infants. Such challenges can be complex, multi-factorial, and emotional for families navigating them. Having a better understanding of the variables involved in infant oral function and related ankyloglossia care can help providers best care for the patients they serve. This keynote presentation will highlight how clinicians can foster a mindful approach to oral assessment, timing of treatment, and related care strategies when it comes to supporting families navigating the physical, emotional roller coaster ride of ankyloglossia.

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a devastating and debilitating diagnosis commonly seen in premature neonates. Statistics indicate that 45% of extremely premature infants with very low birth weight develop IVH within the first week of life. IVH is associated with numerous acute and long-term neurologic and psychiatric complications. Additionally, it has led to a progressive increase in hospital costs and length of hospitalization.

IVH is multifactorial, but it is primarily attributed to the intrinsic fragility of the germinal matrix vasculature from prematurity and disturbances in the cerebral blood flow (CBF) from commonly seen complications in premature neonates. Seminal research studies support neurodevelopmental positioning (NDP) of high-risk preterm infants as a postnatal preventive approach to reduce the risk for IVH. Hospitals with low IVH rates utilize NDP.

This session will focus on functional assessment and treatment of tethered oral tissue in the breastfeeding infant. Participants will understand the importance of task analysis of the motor skills to support sucking, prior to referring an infant for a release. Post op treatment has focused on active wound management (Ghaheri, B. 2017) rather than neuromuscular re-education. This approach multidisciplinary approach encourages lactation consultants to partner with body works specialists and speech pathologists to develop the underlying motor skills to support sucking.

Advanced Breastfeeding Case Reports will cover 4 unusual situations in a format that will allow you to use your skills to discover the ultimate outcome. One part of the excitement of our field is being detectives. These 4 cases will challenge your detective skills.

Infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (very preterm and extremely preterm, term infants with HIE, term infants with surgical gut conditions) are at high-risk of suboptimal nutrition. They are at increased risk of poor growth and neurodevelopment in subsequent life. Improved enteral nutrition has been associated with better weight gain and improved neurocognitive outcomes in infancy , childhood and adolescence. This presentation aims to assess advances in enteral nutrition strategies across the different high-risk infant groups to highlight new research and optimize clinical care.

This study aims to show a correlation between aerophagia in infants with tethered oral tissues (TOT’s) consisting of ankyloglossia and shortened maxillary labial frenula (tongue and lip-tie) and reflux. Currently there is little to no data on aerophagia as a possible cause of reflux in infants. Infants with tongue and possibly lip tie often have a poor latch in which there is often an inadequate seal around the breast and inefficient transfer of milk. As a result many of these infants swallow air during breastfeeding. Many of these infants suffer from symptoms of reflux. This study and results to demonstrate a correlation of ankyloglossia and shortened maxillary labial frenula with aerophagia and reflux.Treatment of these infants with a relatively simple frentomy procedure may reduce or eliminate reflux in this population.