ARK's Blog

Oral motor therapy works on the physical skills of the mouth - the lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks - that are needed for eating, drinking, and speech. That's really the core of it. Those four structures have to work together with a surprising amount of precision. Eating a cracker, drinking through a straw, saying the word "elephant", etc. all require specific movements, strength, and coordination fr …

It's Not a Bad Habit - It's a Need If your child has ever come home from school with soaked collars or sleeves or holes in their shirts, you're not alone. Chewing on clothing is one of the most common concerns we hear from parents, and we completely understand the frustration that comes with it. Shirts get ruined. The sleeves stretch out. And at some point, you start wondering: is this normal? Sho …

It might come as no surprise to you that someone who covers their ears, can’t stop fidgeting, or has an extremely limited food diet would benefit from more sensory support. It’s encouraging to see more and more wiggly students being given sensory accommodations like a spinning chair instead of being expected to sit still. And I love when children’s museums and aquariums offer noi …

As March Madness basketball excitement ramps up, it got us thinking here at ARK - choosing the right chew tool isn’t all that different from filling out a bracket. We think about our options, examine their qualities, match them up against other options, and see which chew would be the “winner” - in our case, which chew would be the best fit for each person's unique needs.  …