Join us for the 7th South Florida Pediatric Nutrition Symposium
Optimizing Pediatric Care Through Nutrition
A Multidisciplinary Approach
This symposium aims to highlight the power of teamwork in improving patient outcomes, emphasizing that while dietitians are experts, nutrition is a shared responsibility among the patient's multidisciplinary team.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
We are pleased to announce the addition of a poster session to the 7th Annual South Florida Pediatric Nutrition Symposium. The goal is to provide our community with a platform to share experiences and outcomes in pediatric nutrition while fostering collaboration, advancing education, and supporting continued growth in the field. We invite clinicians, researchers, and students to submit abstracts for poster presentations.
Our call for abstracts is now open!
SUBMIT ABSTRACT
Important Documents
Event Registration & Event Pricing
- Early Bird Registration (until June 30th): $100
- NCH employees and SFAND members: $80
- Groups of 5 or more: $90 (contact Carla.Araya@NicklausHealth.org to coordinate)
- Retired/Students: $60
- Virtual (TBD)
- Breakfast and lunch included
- Complimentary parking
REGISTER
Continuing Education Credits
6 CEUs pending for Dietitians, Nurses, Social Worker, Pharmacy, PT/OT, and SLP.
Presenters
Dr. Luis Caicedo
Dr. Luis Caicedo is a pediatric gastroenterologist and serves as director of the Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Fellowship Program and medical director of the Fecal Care Program at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. After completing his medicine degree in Ecuador, he came to Nicklaus Children's Hospital to pursue his residency in pediatrics and then a fellowship in Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at John Hopkins School of Medicine. His clinical interests include the gut microbiome.
Velma Mercado, RD/LDN
Velma Mercado is a registered/licensed dietitian nutritionist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She earned her bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Michigan State University in East Lansing. She then completed the Clinical Dietetics Internship Program at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Velma has 40 years of experience in the pediatric nutrition field. Through the years she has worked with different specialty teams including diabetes, cystic fibrosis, ketogenic diets, and metabolic disorders. While working at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital she served as clinical nutrition manager and
Arantza Barroso, RD/LDN
Arantza Barroso, RDN/LDN, completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and went on to complete her dietetic internship at Oregon Health and Science University. With two years of experience as a pediatric dietitian, including one year specializing in neonatology, Arantza has a strong commitment to ensuring infants receive the proper nutrition they need to grow and thrive. She is also passionate about maternal health and aspires to specialize in maternal pre- and post-pregnancy nutrition, aiming to support mothers and their infants during these critical phases of life.
Melia Menendez-Aponte, RDN/LDN
Melia Menendez-Aponte is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist located in Miami, Florida. She is the owner of Thrive Nutrition Therapy and works with a virtual nutrition counseling company. Melia has dedicated the majority of her dietetic years to supporting individuals in their recovery from disordered eating, working in a multitude of eating disorder centers and children's hospitals, including Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. In addition, she has expertise in nutrition therapy for various needs including but not limited to pre- and post-natal nutrition, breastfeeding nutrition and support, pediatric nutrition, weight management, and women's health. She finds joy in helping those seeking to optimize their nutrition and their relationship with food and their body. Melia utilizes an evidenced based approach to nutrition therapy integrated with counseling modalities to empower clients to set personalized and thoughtful goals to heal the body and mind.
Erin Corrigan, MS, RDN, CNSC
Erin Corrigan, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC has been a nutrition support dietitian with Option Care Health for the past 4 years, with an emphasis on home parenteral nutrition management. Prior to working in home infusion, she spent the bulk of her career in clinical Pediatrics and will always be a pediatric registered dietitian at heart. Highlights included 10 years with the Cystic Fibrosis team and 8 years as the Clinical Nutrition Manager at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Nicole Dulzaides, MS, RDN, LD/N
Nicole Dulzaides is a registered/licensed dietitian nutritionist at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition from Florida State University and her master’s degree in Dietetics with a special focus on health promotion in restaurants from Florida International University in Miami. Nicole has over 10 years of experience in the nutrition field with specialties in neurology and general pediatric nutrition. Her passion is to help children and families in the community live a healthy lifestyle.
Agenda to Include:
Four (4) main lectures, dual-hosted by dietitians and various members of the healthcare team:
Pediatric Obesity Treatment: Current Options and Practical Approaches
Dr. Carmen Bustamante and Maria Paula Criado, RD, CDCES
This presentation will explore pharmaceutical advances and the current evidence-based treatment options available for pediatric obesity. The session will also highlight the pivotal role of nutrition therapy as part of the patient’s treatment plan, while providing participants with practical strategies to support individualized and family-centered obesity treatment plans. The goal is to enable participants with the tools to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary pediatric obesity care model to promote positive short- and long-term patient outcomes.
Medical and Nutrition Applications for the Treatment of IBS
Dr. Heidi Gamboa and Bria Fredericks, RD, CNSC
This presentation will take a multi-disciplinary approach to exploring current evidence-based treatment options available for individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The session will highlight current medical and nutritional interventions aimed at improving gut motility. The goal is to review the most up-to-date research, as well as provide useful tools to assist physicians and dietitians treating patients with IBS and other GI tract motility conditions.
When Pharmacy and Nutrition Collide: PICU Pearls
Jennifer M Ryder, PharmD, BCPPS and Isabella Vivar, MS, RD/LDN
This interdisciplinary session highlights the intersection of pharmacotherapy and nutrition management in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Presenters will discuss how commonly used medications impact metabolic demand, hemodynamic stability, and decisions surrounding enteral and parenteral nutrition. Practical considerations for micronutrient management and key drug–nutrient interactions specific to critically ill children will also be reviewed. Attendees will leave with practical, evidence-based strategies to strengthen collaboration and optimize nutrition care in the PICU setting.
Optimizing Oral Intake in Children with Feeding Difficulty: Bridging Nutrition Targets with Feeding Therapy Reality
Brianna Sullivan, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC and Tania Koerber, RDN, CSP, LD/N
This interdisciplinary presentation will explore how nutrition goals and feeding therapy intersect in the care of children with feeding difficulties. We will begin with an overview of pediatric malnutrition and its clinical implications, followed by a practical look inside real-world feeding therapy sessions—highlighting barriers, progressions, and collaboration points between SLP and nutrition. The session will conclude with case-based examples that demonstrate how aligned, team-based decision-making can support safer intake, improved growth, and meaningful functional outcomes for children and families.
The Agenda also includes:
- For the FIRST TIME, multiple hands-on workshops with topics ranging from culinary medicine to conducting a pediatric nutrition-focused physical exam
- For the FIRST TIME, an abstract session where participants will learn about projects and research driving nutrition forward in healthcare and our community
- Vendor exhibition to highlight new innovative approaches to caring for your patient