Connect and Learn Newcastle
11 October @ 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm AEDT
Free
Samantha will explore the neurodevelopmental underpinnings of oral motor foundations from intrauterine development to 12 months of age. Using the Activate–Integrate–Stabilise (AIS) framework, this presentation will unpack the role of primitive reflexes, cranial nerve function, central pattern generators, and the oral–postural–airway connection.
Time: 5:30pm to 9:00pm – Includes Dinner
Location: Noah’s On the Beach – Pacific East Room, 29 Zaara St, Newcastle NSW
Our speakers
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- Photograph
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- Name
- Dr Samantha Haitsma
- Biography
Dr Samantha Haitsma is a neurodevelopmental chiropractor with over 17 years of experience, specialising in paediatric chiropractic care, orofacial myofunctional therapy, and airway-focused cranial work. She is passionate about the intersection of primitive reflex integration, postural development, and breathing function, with a strong clinical interest in how these factors influence ear infections, speech, and overall craniofacial growth in children.
Samantha has completed extensive postgraduate training in paediatric neurodevelopment and craniopathy, as well as advanced studies in orofacial myofunctional therapy. She is a member of the Myo Mastery study group in New Zealand and has been involved in pilot research on chewing neurology and its impact on brain function. As both a practitioner and educator, she is committed to increasing awareness and interdisciplinary collaboration around paediatric airway health, feeding challenges, and structural development.
