Tongue Pop Oral Motor Exercises
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 10th Sep 2013
Tongue pops are my faaaavorite oral motor exercise. They're a fun and easy way to work on tongue placement, oral tone, tongue tip elevation and control, plus tongue and jaw dissociation (skills that are necessary for proper speech, feeding, and oral motor development).
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The ability to orally manage food requires a lot more skill than most people realize. Try tak
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Not Chewing Soft Foods?
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 14th Aug 2013
Question: My 2.5 year old daughter has down syndrome. She has had feeding issues since birth and we are trying to work with her on chewing. She will bite and chew crackers and other hard foods, but will swallow soft things whole. We are working with a speech therapist as well as an occupational therapist, but they do not have a lot of experience with the grabbers, and other bite tool
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Oral Motor Exercises with the Z-Vibe
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 20th May 2013
What is oral motor therapy?
Oral motor therapy works on the oral skills necessary for proper speech and feeding development. For example, try saying "la la la" right now, paying attention to what your tongue is doing. In order to produce the /l/ sound, the tongue tip must elevate to the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper front teeth). It must also be able to function independe
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How Long Should You Use the Z-Vibe During a Single Session?
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 28th Mar 2013
What is the frequency and duration of use that you recommend for vibration during therapy?
This will vary according to each person's sensory preferences. Some individuals may not be able to tolerate a lot of stimulation, while others may crave it. Either way, I always recommend introducing the
Z-Vibe slowly (at least until they are comfortable with it). Use it wit
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