Biography

Stacey Zimmels qualified as a speech and language therapist with a BSc honours degree from De Monfort University in 2001. She went on to complete further extensive postgraduate study in the field of paediatric feeding and swallowing. 

She is currently completing certification to qualify as an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC).

She has been working as the clinical lead for paediatric speech and language therapy at Royal Brompton Hospital since 2012. She started her private practice in 2018 and provides feeding and swallowing services to infants and children. 

Clinical expertise

Stacey Zimmels has expertise in, and provides treatments for the following conditions:

  • breastfeeding and lactation
  • preterm feeding difficulties
  • bottle feeding challenges (including bottle refusal, reduced intake and extended feeding times)
  • weaning challenges
  • tongue-tie
  • reflux
  • gagging, coughing and choking on food and drink
  • food refusal
  • extended feeds/mealtimes
  • fussy eaters
  • dysphagia (swallowing problems)
  • trouble with biting and chewing (oral motor difficulties)
  • oral aversion
  • food phobia or fear of eating and trying food (food neophobia)
  • avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
  • medical conditions resulting in eating and feeding issues (e.g laryngomalacia and cardiac conditions)
  • development conditions impacting on eating and drinking (e.g. Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome)
  • tube dependency and tube weaning (nasogastric and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)).

Research interests

Stacey Zimmels has a research interest in normally developing children with swallowing difficulties and aspiration as well as isolated bulbar palsy. 

Publications

Stacey Zimmels has published papers in her area of expertise. 

Teaching

Stacey Zimmels has delivered lectures nationally and provides clinical supervision in the area of feeding and swallowing to other specialists in the UK.