Live via Zoom

(LIVE) The Art of Crumbing: A Stretch Support in PFD

with Marsha Dunn Klein, OTR/L, M. Ed., FAOTA

December 3rd, 2027

6:00-8:00pm (CT) 


Register $59

Join us LIVE via Zoom

December 3, 2026

Course Description

This course takes a deep dive into the creative and therapeutic use of crumbs to help children comfortably explore new foods. Designed for feeding therapists, this course reframes crumbs not merely as mealtime mess, but as powerful bridge to new textures, flavors, smells, sounds, and food groups.

When a child experiences anxiety around unfamiliar or rigid diets, standard food portions can be entirely overwhelming. By breaking food down into its smallest, easiest-to-manage parts, therapists can gently dilute a child’s worry. Grounded in principles of safety, regulation, and child-led autonomy, this course teaches participants how to "stretch" familiar foods into novel crumb variations. Attendees will learn practical, sensory-rich strategies ranging from tool-based "crumb art" rehearsals to graduated texture continuums, to inspire curiosity and build lasting oral motor planning confidence in children facing Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

Objectives

In this course, you will learn how to:

  • Define the clinical practice of "crumbing" and explain why grading and reading a child's responses in the moment makes it an art form.

  • Describe how to introduce crumbs using playful rehearsals and child-led autonomy to support safe, positive sensory exploration.

  • Explain how crumbs can be implemented as a strategic, low-pressure "STRETCH" technique to help children transition safely from familiar foods to new food experiences.

  • Apply ten practical, evidence-based ways to integrate crumbs into feeding therapy to offer ways for a child's acceptance of diverse food textures and internal motivation for variation.

What Past Students Have To Say:

  • "Excellent examples of all strategies! Marsha clearly communicated the need to make the treatment specific to the child's response."

  • "Information was very practical, easy to implement and easy to share with others!"

  • "Marsha is very knowledgeable and her passion for working with families was evident. I appreciated that she circled back around to tie things together and also helped us know where to start in the process."

CEU Info

Certificates of attendance will be issued once Zoom data has been verified for full attendance of 2 hour course. This course fulfills ASHA’s Professional Development Hour requirements, which do not require prior ASHA approval (learn more about ASHA’s guidelines here). For Occupational Therapy practitioners, please check your specific state licensing board to determine how this activity applies to your state’s OT CEU guidelines.

Audience

This intermediate level course is appropriate for occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, assistants, educators, early intervention providers, parents/caregivers, and other professionals (social workers, nurses, registered dietitians, etc.) working with children with feeding challenges. Please contact us at [email protected]  with any needs regarding accommodations.

Unable to join us live?

The course is available On Demand now!

Instructor

Founder and Senior Instructor Marsha Dunn Klein, OTR/L, MED, FAOTA

Marsha is a pediatric occupational therapist who has specialized in pediatric feeding for more than 50 years. She has co-authored Pre-Feeding Skills, First Edition, Pre-Feeding Skills: Second Edition, Mealtime Participation Guide, and Homemade Blended Formula with Suzanne Evans Morris, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. She co-authored Feeding and Nutrition for the Child with Special Needs with Tracy Delaney. Her newest book is Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes: Practical and Compassionate Strategies for Mealtime Peace. Marsha presents nationally and internationally. She is a food celebrator and is passionate about supporting children and their families.

Join us LIVE via Zoom

December 3rd

Cancellations

Cancellations must be in writing and will incur a $10 fee. We are unable to give refunds if more than 10% of the course has been viewed. If the Get Permission Institute should need to remove course content for any reason, course fees will be refunded or transferred to another course at the discretion of the participant.