Client Testimonial
"My child uses the Grabber® and Grabber XT® in Speech Therapy. She is now beginning to bite and chew.
Thank you for designing such wonderful oral motor tools."
Sincerely,
Jean
For Jaw Grading and Stability
A little background on jaw grading and stability: Dissociation (also known as differentiation) means separating the tongue from the jaw, or the lips from the jaw. For example, the tongue needs to work independently of the jaw in order to make the 'L' sound, /l/. This is true with vowels as well. Try saying a long 'e' sound and compare that with the 'aw' sound. Can you feel the height difference? This height difference is called jaw grading. However, before you can work on jaw grading, you must first work on stability. Stability allows the individual to have control for movements of the articulators. Think of a child with cerebral palsy with his/her mouth wide open trying to close the lips around a spoon. He or she needs to have stability in the trunk, for example, before there can be control over the mouth. That is why a physical and occupational therapist need to be involved with positioning them correctly. Otherwise, their movements are spastic, etc.
Now for some applications: One way you can work on jaw grading is through mouthing ARK's Animal Tips. We have recently redesigned and updated the Cat and Mouse Tips, plus added a new Dog Tip. The original Cat and Mouse Tips (now on sale) have curved projections, or bite blocks, on their reverse sides. The new Animal Tip Sets have bite blocks as well, but they protrude more, making it easier for the individual to grasp with their mouths/teeth. They are also of three distinct thicknesses to increase the level of difficulty as the individual progresses. All tips come in both a soft and hard version.
Various parts of these tips differ in height and thickness to provide a range of high and low jaw positions. Presenting these tips at different angles (face up, face down, sideways, etc.) will require the jaw to open at different heights. You can dip them in juice, applesauce, etc. or just use them without food/drink. You can also assign a developmental sound for each animal from which an individual can choose by vocalizing/imitating. Be animated, lots of play!
Grabbers®, Y-Chews®, and Bite-n-Chew Tips are also great tools to work on jaw grading and stability.
ARK's Cat-n-Mouse Special (2 Hard & 2 Soft Tips for the Z-Vibe® & DnZ-Vibe®)
Code: ZVCM150AR
Price: $24.99
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ARK Therapeutic Services, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of speech therapy products, oral motor tools, and other healthcare products. All products manufactured by ARK are made from medical grade resins that contain no lead, phthalates, PVC, BPA, or latex. ARK Therapeutic is registered with the FDA and its products, where applicable, are registered with the FDA.
