Y Tips are a great addition to any oral motor tool bag!  These tip attachments for the Z-Vibe are most often used for working on jaw grading and stability exercises.  But the unique Y shape makes them great for lip closure exercises as well.

What is lip closure? Just like its namesake, lip closure is the ability to close one's lips to create a seal around a spoon, around a straw, around food, to produce /p/b/m/ sounds, etc.  Below are a few fun oral motor exercises for working on lip closure with the Y Tips.

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LIP AWARENESS:

1. Gently press the center of the Y on the lips and hold for 3-5 seconds to provide sensory input to the full surface of the upper lip and help "wake up" the lips. 
2. Repeat on the lower lip.

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LIP STRETCHES:

This exercise works best with the magenta Y tip.

1. Place the center of the Y just above the upper lip. Gently stretch the upper lip downwards until it makes contact with the lower lip.
2. Place the center of the Y just below the lower lip. Gently stretch the lower lip upwards until it makes contact with the upper lip.

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LIP SQUEEZES:

This exercise works best with the thinnest blocks (#1, #2, or #3).

1. Place the tip of the block in between the individual’s lips, just inside the lips. Instruct the individual to squeeze their lips on the tip for 5-10 seconds.
2. Move the tip towards the corner of the lips in small increments. Have the individual squeeze their lips around the tip at each interval for 5-10 seconds.
3. Start with #3 and work your way towards using the #2 and #1 blocks for increasing difficulty.

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I hope you find these activities helpful!  The Y Tips are available individually or as a combo set here, or you can also build a custom Z-Vibe Kit with them here.

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Debbie Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP

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